01
der Passant
passerby
A person who happens to pass by a place, usually on foot on a street or square.
example
Ein Passant fand die verlorene Brieftasche auf dem Gehweg.
A passerby found the lost wallet on the sidewalk.
der Passant
passerby
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Meanings
Usage tips
Common mistake
'Der Passant' (the passerby) belongs to the N-declension. This means that it takes the ending '-en' in all cases except the nominative singular. This also applies to the plural.
EXAMPLE
Die Polizei befragte den Passanten als Zeugen.
The police questioned the passerby as a witness.
Word family
The word 'Passant' (passerby) is closely related to the verb 'passieren', which means 'to pass by' or 'to happen'. A Passant is therefore literally a person who passes by a place.
EXAMPLE
Viele Passanten blieben stehen, um dem Straßenmusiker zuzuhören.
Many passersby stopped to listen to the street musician.
Typical collocations
The word is often used in reports about accidents or events in public spaces. A typical combination is 'ein zufälliger Passant' (a random passerby).
EXAMPLE
Ein aufmerksamer Passant rief die Feuerwehr.
An attentive passerby called the fire department.
Compare with
Passant vs Besucher
visitor
'der Besucher' and 'der Passant' can both be people at a place, but they do not have the same role there. A visitor comes to a place with a purpose, for example to a shop, a museum, an event, or to someone’s home. A passerby is just passing by by chance, usually on the street or in a square. The words can be confused when there are many people in one place. The important point is the intention: someone who goes in or visits something is a 'Besucher'; someone who is only passing by is a 'Passant'.
Passant
Ein Passant bleibt kurz stehen, weil er die laute Musik auf dem Platz hört.
A passerby stops briefly because he hears the loud music in the square.
Besucher
Wegen der neuen Ausstellung kommen am Wochenende besonders viele Besucher ins Museum.
Because of the new exhibition, especially many visitors are coming to the museum this weekend.
In real life
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