German word

Schlaf

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃlaːf/

Meaning

  • masculine nounsleep

Example

Viele leiden unter Störungen des Schlafes.

Many people suffer from sleep disorders.

Illustration for Schlaf (sleep)

More examples

Auf Dienstreisen verzichtet er oft auf Schlaf.

On business trips, he often goes without sleep.

Core concept

A quiet nighttime state in which awareness recedes while the body and brain carry out restorative work.

Common phrases

  • ausreichend Schlaf bekommen

    get enough sleep

  • auf Schlaf verzichten

    go without sleep

Similar words

Nickerchen: A brief daytime rest spent asleep.
Schlafdauer: The amount of time spent sleeping.
Schlafqualität: The restorative quality of sleep, reflected in its depth and refreshment on waking.

Definition in German

Natürlicher Zustand reduzierter Wachheit, in dem Körper und Gehirn sich erholen.

Word origin

Schlaf comes from Old High German slāf and is inherited from the same Germanic source as English sleep.

Usage tips

  • Schlaf is a masculine noun, so the phrase is der Schlaf; after wegen, the formal phrase is wegen des Schlafes.

Opposites

  • Wachheitwakefulnessnoun

Related words

  • Schlafqualitätsleep qualitynoun
  • schlafendsleepingadjective

Word lists with this word