steigen und stiegen

Are the verbs aus-steigen and aus-stiegen interchangeable to express getting off a bus or a train? In the lessons, I notice that ein-steigen is used for getting on a street car, but all the dialogues about train travel use aus-stiegen for getting off.

Hello Shannon, Sorry for late reply. "Ausstiegen" is the past tense form of "aussteigen". "Ich steige aus" is I get out. " Ich stieg aus" is I got out. I hope that helps! Paul

But the phrase "Ausstieg in Fahrtrichtung links/rechts" is translated as "Get off on the left/right hand side" in the bonus section on train travel. What am I not understanding here? "Get off" is present tense. Shannon

Hello Shannon, You are right about being confused. In that example "Austieg" is a noun and means exit. "Ausstieg in Fahrtrichtung links/rechts" is "the exits are on the left/right hand side. To keep the lessons realistic we can't always translate both languages word for word. I hope this helps! Gruss Paul

Thank you for explaining this, Paul. It was driving me crazy and I just couldn't let it go!

I am glad I could help you. You wrote austiegen so I thought you meant the verb. There is also Abstieg (a way down/ downstream), Anstieg(increase or climb), Aufstieg (a way up, rice or advancement) and Einstieg (entrance). There are a fiew nouns which are build out of the past tense form of an irregular verb.

Whew! :)