Breakdown of Wir fahren durch den Tunnel.
wir
we
fahren
to drive, to travel
durch
through
der Tunnel
the tunnel
Questions & Answers about Wir fahren durch den Tunnel.
Why is it den Tunnel instead of der Tunnel?
The preposition durch always forces the noun that follows it into the accusative case. Since Tunnel is a masculine noun (der Tunnel), the article changes to den.
Since this sentence is about movement, is durch a two-way preposition?
No, durch is strictly an accusative preposition. While two-way prepositions (like in or auf) change case based on movement versus location, durch always takes the accusative case, even though it naturally implies movement.
Does durch always mean "through" in German?
In the context of physical movement and directions, yes! It perfectly matches the English "through" when you are going from one side of a space to another, like driving through a tunnel, a park, or a forest.
Could we use gehen instead of fahren here?
Only if you are walking! fahren specifically means going by a vehicle, like a car, bike, or train. If you were crossing the tunnel on foot, you would say Wir gehen durch den Tunnel.
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