German Phrase
Meide dunkle Gassen.
Meaning
‘Meide dunkle Gassen.’ is a short, direct piece of advice meaning ‘Avoid dark alleys.’ It carries a cautionary tone, often used when warning someone about safety.
When to use
Use this sentence when giving a friend or a tourist a quick safety tip, in a travel guide, or in a story where a character warns another about potentially unsafe places.
✦Grammar Breakdown
MeidedunkleGassen
Imperative of meiden
‘Meide’ is the du‑imperative of the verb ‘meiden’ (to avoid). The -e ending marks the familiar singular command.
Adjective declension (strong)
‘dunkle’ is a strong‑declined adjective in the accusative plural. With no article, the ending is -e.
Plural noun ‘Gassen’
‘Gasse’ (alley) becomes ‘Gassen’ in the plural; it is the direct object of the verb.
🗨In Conversation
Meide dunkle Gassen, wenn du nachts unterwegs bist.
Avoid dark alleys when you’re out at night.
Warum? Gibt es dort Gefahren?
Why? Are there dangers there?
✕Common Mistakes
Meiden dunkle Gassen.
Missing the imperative ending – the correct command is ‘Meide…’
Meide die dunkle Gassen.
With the definite article the adjective takes a weak ending – it should be ‘die dunklen Gassen’
Meide dunkel Gassen.
The adjective must be declined; ‘dunkel’ is the base form, not the correct plural accusative form.
↔Alternatives
Halte dich von dunklen Gassen fern.
Stay away from dark alleys.
Vermeide dunkle Gassen.
Avoid dark alleys.
Geh nicht durch dunkle Gassen.
Don’t go through dark alleys.
Cultural Tip
In many German‑speaking cities, especially older towns with narrow side‑streets, locals often advise tourists to stick to well‑lit main streets after dark. The phrase sounds natural in everyday conversation, but in very formal contexts you might use the longer ‘Bitte vermeiden Sie dunkle Gassen.’