German word

donnern

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈdɔnɐn/

Meaning

  • verbthunder

Example

Es donnert heute den ganzen Tag.

It's been thundering all day today.

Illustration for donnern (thunder)

More examples

In der Nacht donnert es über dem See.

At night, it thunders over the lake.

Core concept

A deep rolling roar spreads through the air, from storm clouds or powerful machines.

Common phrases

  • es donnert

    It thunders

  • Der Bass donnert

    the bass thunders

  • in der Ferne donnert

    In the distance it thunders

Similar words

dröhnen: To produce a deep, sustained, heavy, resonant sound.
krachen: To make a sudden, powerful, explosive crash.
grollen: To produce a distant, deep, prolonged rumble like thunder.
rumpeln: To make a low, rattling rumble accompanied by shaking.

Definition in German

Laut und tief klingen; meist vom Himmel bei Gewittern, aber auch bei lauten Maschinen oder Türen verwendet werden.

Word origin

Donnern developed from Middle High German donern and is related to the noun Donner and the inherited Germanic word for thunder.

Usage tips

  • Weather uses impersonal es in Es donnert, while a machine or door can be the grammatical subject.

Other meanings

  • resoundverb

Opposites

  • verstummenfall silentverb
  • verklingenfade awayverb

Related words

  • der Donnerthundernoun
  • donnerndthunderingadjective
  • Donnerwetterthunderous reprimandnoun

Word lists with this word