der Engpass
Translation
bottleneck, shortage, tight spot
Examples
Die Baustelle verursacht einen Engpass.
The construction site is causing a bottleneck.
Es gibt einen Engpass an Fachkräften.
There is a shortage of skilled workers.
Bei finanziellen Engpässen müssen wir sparen.
In case of financial bottlenecks, we have to save money.
Grammar Patterns
ein Engpass ((an+3)) a shortage of sth. There is a shortage of workers.
ein Engpass ((bei+3)) a bottleneck in sth. There was a bottleneck in the delivery.
Similar Words
Synonyms: der Mangel (lack), die Knappheit (scarcity)
Etymology
Composed of 'eng' (narrow) and 'Pass' (pass, passage). Literally a 'narrow pass'.
Memory Tips
Imagine a narrow pass where traffic gets stuck, creating a bottleneck. This visual helps remember the meaning.