Die Ausfahrt zur Autobahn ist gesperrt.

The exit to the highway is closed.

Breakdown of Die Ausfahrt zur Autobahn ist gesperrt.

• sein: to be
• zur: to the; (feminine, dative)
• die Autobahn: the highway
• gesperrt: closed

Questions & Answers about Die Ausfahrt zur Autobahn ist gesperrt.

Why is it die Ausfahrt and not der or das Ausfahrt?

Because Ausfahrt is a feminine noun in German, so its dictionary form is die Ausfahrt.

That affects:

• the article: die Ausfahrt
• adjective endings and pronouns later on, if needed

A learner usually just has to memorize the noun together with its article:

• die Ausfahrt = exit / exit ramp

This sentence uses die because Ausfahrt is the subject of the sentence.

What exactly does Ausfahrt mean here?

Here, Ausfahrt means an exit or exit ramp leading somewhere by road.

In traffic German:

• Ausfahrt is commonly used for a road exit
• Ausgang is an exit for people leaving a building or area
• Abfahrt can mean departure, and in traffic contexts it can also mean a ramp in some situations, but Ausfahrt is the standard word you will often see on roads

So in this sentence, Ausfahrt is the road exit that leads to the autobahn.

Why is it zur Autobahn?