to run over / cross over
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to run over
To drive a vehicle over someone or something, often resulting in injury or damage. In this meaning, the verb is not separable.
Die Katze wurde leider von einem Auto überfahren.
Unfortunately, the cat was run over by a car.
to run
To ignore a signal, especially a red light, and keep driving. In this meaning, the verb is not separable.
Er hat die rote Ampel einfach überfahren und eine Geldstrafe bekommen.
He simply ran the red light and got a fine.
to cross over
To get from one shore to the other by ferry or another watercraft. In this meaning, the verb is separable, e.g. 'er fährt über' (he crosses over).
Mit der Fähre kann man auf die Insel überfahren.
You can cross over to the island by ferry.
This verb has a different structure depending on its meaning. Inseparable, with the stress on '-fahren', it means 'to hit someone/something with a vehicle' or 'to ignore a red light'. Separable, with the stress on 'über-', it means 'to cross over by ferry'.
Der Autofahrer hat das Stoppschild überfahren.
The driver ran the stop sign.
The auxiliary verb for the perfect tense depends on separability. The inseparable meanings form the perfect with 'haben' (hat überfahren). The separable meaning forms it with 'sein', because it describes movement from A to B (ist übergefahren).
Er hat leider einen Igel überfahren.
Unfortunately, he ran over a hedgehog.
In the meaning 'to hit someone with a vehicle', the passive is used very often. The focus is then on the victim of the action.
Der Radfahrer wurde beinahe von einem LKW überfahren.
The cyclist was nearly run over by a truck.
When referring to ignoring signals, 'überfahren' is almost always used with 'eine rote Ampel' (a red light) or 'ein Stoppschild' (a stop sign).
Wer eine rote Ampel überfährt, riskiert einen hohen Bußgeldbescheid.
Anyone who runs a red light risks a large fine notice.
In the separable meaning, the means of transport is often given with 'mit' and the destination of the journey is stated. The prefix 'über' stands at the end in a main clause.
Die Touristen setzen mit der kleinen Fähre zum anderen Ufer über.
The tourists cross over to the other shore on the small ferry.
to translate
When crossing a body of water, übersetzen and überfahren can both refer to traveling to the opposite shore. Übersetzen is the general choice. In this meaning, überfahren is used separably and explicitly refers to traveling by ferry or another watercraft.
Die Wanderer fahren mit der kleinen Fähre ans andere Ufer über.
The hikers cross to the opposite shore on the small ferry.
Der Fährmann setzt die Wanderer mit seinem Boot ans andere Ufer über.
The ferryman takes the hikers across to the opposite shore in his boat.
