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Stau

traffic jam

noun SHTOW Rare

Origin: from stauen (to dam up)

Usage Note

Stau is masculine, plural Staus. You sit im Stau (in a jam); the verb stauen means to build up. Traffic reports warn of zähfließender Verkehr before a full Stau.

Examples

"Auf der Autobahn standen wir zwei Stunden im Stau."

Natural Translation

We were stuck in a traffic jam on the motorway for two hours.

Literal Translation

On the motorway stood we two hours in-the jam.

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