Wir warten an der Straße, bis die Ampel grün wird.

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Breakdown of Wir warten an der Straße, bis die Ampel grün wird.

• grün: green
• werden: to become
• bis: until

Questions & Answers about Wir warten an der Straße, bis die Ampel grün wird.

What does an der Straße mean here? Does it mean on the street?

Not usually. An der Straße means at the street, by the roadside, or next to the street.

A native English speaker might expect on the street, but in German:

• auf der Straße = on the street / in the street
• an der Straße = at the side of the street / by the street

So this sentence suggests standing or waiting near the road, not out in the middle of it.

Why is it der Straße and not die Straße?

Because an is followed by the dative here.

The noun is:

• die Straße = the street

But after an with a location meaning, German uses the dative:

• an der Straße = at the street / by the street

So the article changes like this:

• nominative: die Straße
• dative: der Straße

Why does an use the dative here?