German Conversation · Level 53
72 words
German word
dauern
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈdaʊ̯ɐn/
Meaning
- verbtake
Example
Die Reparatur dauert zwei Stunden.
The repair takes two hours.
More examples
Das Konzert dauert länger als geplant.
The concert takes longer than planned.
Core concept
An activity occupies a stretch of time from its beginning until its endpoint, like a repair filling two hours on a schedule.
Common phrases
Wie lange dauert
how long does ___ take
dauert nur eine Stunde
___ takes only an hour
dauert noch eine Weile
___ still takes a while
Similar words
brauchen: Require a certain amount of time to complete an action or reach a goal.
verbringen: Use time while engaged in a particular activity.
vergehen: Elapse as moments move steadily from the present into the past.
Definition in German
Für eine bestimmte Zeit fortbestehen; bis zum Abschluss anhalten
Word origin
The verb comes from Middle High German duren and shares its historical word family with the noun Dauer, both referring to duration or persistence.
Usage tips
- The elapsed time commonly appears as an accusative measure without a preposition, as in "Die Reparatur dauert zwei Stunden."