to cross
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to cross
To get from one side of a surface or obstacle (such as a street, river, or square) to the other side.
Schauen Sie nach links und rechts, bevor Sie die Straße überqueren.
Look left and right before you cross the street.
'Überqueren' (to cross) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'über-' is not separated from the verb and always stays at the beginning of the word.
Wir überquerten den Fluss mit einer kleinen Fähre.
We crossed the river with a small ferry.
This verb is transitive and always needs an accusative object. You do not use an additional preposition like 'über' (over/across).
Die Kinder lernen, die Straße sicher zu überqueren.
The children are learning to cross the street safely.
You typically cross a surface or a line. Common objects are 'die Straße' (the street), 'der Platz' (the square), 'der Fluss' (the river), 'die Brücke' (the bridge), or 'die Grenze' (the border).
Tausende Menschen überqueren täglich diese Brücke.
Thousands of people cross this bridge every day.
to happen / pass
'passieren' and 'überqueren' can both describe movement from one place to another. 'passieren' is used more when you pass by a point, border, or checkpoint, or leave that point behind you. 'überqueren' is used when you go or travel from one side to the other, for example across a street, a square, or a river. Learners may confuse the words because both can express movement across a line or point. Remember: you use 'überqueren' for a street or a river; you can use 'passieren' for a border or checkpoint.
Bevor ich die Straße überquere, schaue ich nach links und rechts.
Before I cross the street, I look left and right.
Nach dem Gespräch passierte der Kunde die Sicherheitskontrolle ohne Probleme.
After the conversation, the customer passed through security without any problems.