underpass
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underpass
A tunnel or passage that leads underneath a road, railway line, or another traffic route. It usually serves pedestrians, cyclists, or sometimes also car traffic.
Wir nahmen die Unterführung, um sicher auf die andere Straßenseite zu gelangen.
We took the underpass to get safely to the other side of the street.
The word is made up of 'unter' (under) and 'Führung' (guidance/leading). So it literally describes a route that leads underneath something, usually under a road or railway line.
Die Unterführung unter dem Bahnhof war schlecht beleuchtet.
The underpass beneath the station was poorly lit.
Be careful when translating 'subway'. In American English, 'subway' means the underground/metro. An 'Unterführung' (underpass) for pedestrians is called 'underpass' in English, or in British English also 'subway'.
Die schnellste Verbindung ist die U-Bahn, nicht die Unterführung für Fußgänger.
The fastest connection is the subway, not the pedestrian underpass.
To describe movement through the tunnel, German uses the preposition 'durch' with the accusative. To describe the place where someone is located, German uses 'in' with the dative.
Der Radfahrer fuhr schnell durch die Unterführung.
The cyclist rode quickly through the underpass.
bridge
'die Brücke' and 'die Unterführung' both help you cross a traffic route or an obstacle. The difference is the direction: a bridge leads over something, while an underpass leads underneath something. That is why they form a clear contrast in many traffic situations. Learners may confuse them because both create a safe connection to the other side. Remember: up over the street is a bridge; down under the street is an underpass.
Wegen des Regens nehmen wir die Unterführung unter den Gleisen.
Because of the rain, we take the underpass beneath the tracks.
Nach dem Essen gehen die Gäste über die Brücke zur anderen Seite des Flusses.
After the meal, the guests walk across the bridge to the other side of the river.