Ways too narrow for vehicles to pass are usually calledWeg, if between houses alsoGasse. In old cities, narrow paths may still be calledStraße, particularly if the word is part of the names of these streets.
The prepositional use is different from, and in some cases the opposite of, that in English. In most or all contexts,auf is possible. It is the only common preposition when referring specifically to the space between the houses (pavement and carriageway):Die Kinder spielen auf der Straße.(“The children are playing in the street.”) When a street is used as a geographical location, however,in is more common:Das Auto steht in der Straße an der Kirche.(“The car is parked in the street by the church.”)Der Laden ist in der Weberstraße.(“The shop is on Weber Street.”) In the latter example, which refers to a house,an is possible as a third alternative.
