German word

dunkeln

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈdʊŋkəln/

Meaning

  • verbget dark

Example

Am Abend dunkelt es schnell.

In the evening, it gets dark quickly.

Illustration for dunkeln (get dark)

More examples

Vor dem Gewitter dunkelt es schnell.

Before the thunderstorm, it quickly gets dark.

Core concept

The last daylight drains from a room, road, or landscape without a sudden switch.

Common phrases

  • es dunkelt schon am Nachmittag

    It is already getting dark in the afternoon

  • in der Dämmerung dunkelt es

    It gets dark at dusk

  • langsam beginnt es zu dunkeln

    It slowly begins to get dark

Similar words

verdunkeln: A room or screen is intentionally darkened by limiting the light reaching it.
dunkel werden: A place naturally grows darker as less light remains.
dunkel machen: A place is intentionally darkened by covering windows or otherwise blocking light.

Definition in German

Dunkeln bezeichnet das Sinken der Helligkeit; das Verb tritt meist ohne direktes Subjekt auf und wird oft mit »es« verwendet.

Word origin

Dunkeln is a verb derived from the inherited Germanic adjective dunkel and denotes becoming dark rather than causing darkness.

Usage tips

  • Dunkeln is intransitive in this use; "ich dunkle das Zimmer" is not the usual way to say that a person darkens a room, for which verdunkeln is used.

Opposites

  • aufklarenclear upverb
  • aufhellenbrightenverb

Related words

Word lists with this word