Pässen

Pässen is the dative plural form of the masculine German noun Pass. It occurs when the word Pass, meaning a route through mountainous terrain, is used in the dative case. For example, in den Pässen der Alpen means “in the passes of the Alps.” Pässen is not a standalone term but a grammatical form.

German has two primary senses for Pass: as a travel document (der Pass) and as a mountain pass (der Pass). The nominative plural for both senses is Pässe (die Pässe). In the dative plural, which is Pässen, the article changes (den Pässen).

Geography and history: Mountain passes are routes that connect valleys and regions, shaping travel, trade, and military movements. They often host roads or railways and can act as cultural contact points. Some famous passes in German-speaking regions include the Brenner Pass and Gotthard Pass.

Note about usage: Pässen is a morphological form rather than a separate concept, and it can appear in phrases with prepositions requiring the dative case. The distinction between Pässen and Pässe is one of grammatical case and article, not meaning.