"Road" connects distant places; "street" runs through a city with buildings on both sides.
A paved way connecting places, especially outside urban areas.
The road between the two towns is narrow and dangerous at night.
La carretera entre los dos pueblos es angosta y peligrosa de noche.
We drove down a dirt road to reach the farm.
Manejamos por un camino de tierra para llegar a la granja.
The road trip took three days across the desert.
El viaje por carretera tomo tres dias cruzando el desierto.
A public urban thoroughfare with buildings, sidewalks, and city traffic.
The office is on Fifth Street, between Oak and Maple.
La oficina esta en la Quinta Calle, entre Oak y Maple.
There are always street musicians playing downtown on weekends.
Siempre hay musicos callejeros tocando en el centro los fines de semana.
She grew up on a quiet street in the suburbs.
Ella crecio en una calle tranquila en los suburbios.
Common mistake
Using "road" for any type of thoroughfare. In a city, the correct word is almost always "street". The arteries of New York, Mexico City, or any city have "streets" (and "avenues"). "Roads" connect cities or run through open country. That said, many proper names are historical exceptions: "Abbey Road" (London, urban) or "Rodeo Drive" (Beverly Hills).
Trick to remember it
Ask: are there buildings on both sides and are you in the city? "Street". Are you traveling between places or in the countryside? "Road". Also: streets have building numbers and names of people; roads have distances and connect map points.
Quick rule
Road = highway / path between places. Street = urban road inside a city.
Did you know?
English has many specific road-type names: "avenue" (wide road, often perpendicular to streets), "boulevard" (wide road with a median), "lane" (narrow road or traffic lane), "alley" (narrow passage), "highway" (major road), "freeway" (highway with no tolls in the US), "motorway" (highway in the UK). English has a surprisingly detailed vocabulary for road types.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
Take the next left onto Main _____ and the school will be on your right.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The mountain _____ is closed in winter due to ice and heavy snowfall.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Road = highway / path between places. Street = urban road inside a city.
Using "road" for any type of thoroughfare. In a city, the correct word is almost always "street". The arteries of New York, Mexico City, or any city have "streets" (and "avenues"). "Roads" connect cities or run through open country. That said, many proper names are historical exceptions: "Abbey Road" (London, urban) or "Rodeo Drive" (Beverly Hills).
Ask: are there buildings on both sides and are you in the city? "Street". Are you traveling between places or in the countryside? "Road". Also: streets have building numbers and names of people; roads have distances and connect map points.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy