Breakdown of Wir laufen durch die Fußgängerzone.
wir
we
laufen
to walk / to run (steady pace, jog)
durch
through
die Fußgängerzone
the pedestrian zone
Questions & Answers about Wir laufen durch die Fußgängerzone.
Why does durch use die here? Is it nominative or accusative?
It is accusative! The preposition durch (through) always requires the accusative case. Because Fußgängerzone is a feminine noun, the accusative article happens to be die, which looks exactly the same as the nominative.
Why is laufen translated as "walking" instead of "running"?
In everyday German, laufen is often used to mean "walking" or "going on foot" rather than sprinting or running fast. If you specifically mean "running" (like in a race or because you are in a hurry), Germans usually use rennen or joggen.
Fußgängerzone is quite a long word. How do I know its gender?
By looking at the very last part of the word! It is a compound noun made of Fuß (foot) + Gänger (walker) + Zone (zone). In German, the gender of a compound noun always matches its final word. Since it is die Zone, the entire compound noun is feminine.
What is the difference between walking durch the pedestrian zone and walking in it?
durch die Fußgängerzone focuses on the path: it means you are walking through it, perhaps from one side to the other. If you used in with the accusative (in die Fußgängerzone), it would specifically mean you are entering the zone from outside of it.
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