patrol car
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patrol car
An official police vehicle used for patrols and callouts. It is usually recognizable by its special paintwork and a blue emergency light on the roof.
Der Streifenwagen fuhr mit eingeschaltetem Blaulicht durch die enge Gasse.
The patrol car drove through the narrow alley with its blue light on.
The word is made up of 'Streife' (patrol) and 'Wagen' (car). A 'Streife' is a patrol, so 'Streifenwagen' (patrol car) is literally a 'patrol car.' The 'n' is a linking n that connects the two words.
Die Polizei fährt regelmäßig Streife in diesem Viertel.
The police regularly patrol this neighborhood.
Common verbs and phrases used with 'Streifenwagen' (patrol car) are 'einen Streifenwagen rufen' (to call a patrol car), 'im Streifenwagen sitzen' (to sit in the patrol car), or 'mit dem Streifenwagen fahren' (to drive/go in the patrol car). People also often describe how it arrives: 'Ein Streifenwagen hielt an der Ecke' (A patrol car stopped at the corner).
Die Nachbarn haben wegen des Lärms einen Streifenwagen gerufen.
The neighbors called a patrol car because of the noise.
In Germany, patrol cars today are usually silver or white with blue stripes and the word 'Polizei' (police) on them. In the past, the typical color was green and white. The blue emergency light on the roof is called 'Blaulicht' (blue light).
Man erkennt die neuen Streifenwagen sofort an ihrer blau-silbernen Farbe.
You can recognize the new patrol cars immediately by their blue-and-silver color.
police car
'der Streifenwagen' and 'das Polizeiauto' often mean the same thing: a police car used for operations or official trips. 'Polizeiauto' is the more general and simpler word. It can mean any car used by the police. 'Streifenwagen' sounds a bit more specific because it especially refers to the typical patrol car that goes on patrol and is usually easy to recognize. The words are easy to confuse because in everyday life, people often use both for the same vehicle.
Am Morgen stand ein Streifenwagen vor dem Supermarkt.
In the morning, a patrol car was parked in front of the supermarket.
Vor der Schule hält ein Polizeiauto, weil es einen kleinen Unfall gegeben hat.
A police car is stopped in front of the school because there has been a minor accident.