German word

lügen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈlyːgn̩/

Meaning

  • verblie

Example

Er lügt oft über seine Arbeit.

He often lies about his work.

Illustration for lügen (lie)

More examples

Sie lügt über ihre Vergangenheit, damit niemand von ihren Fehlern erfährt.

She lies about her past so that no one finds out about her mistakes.

Core concept

A gap opens between reality and a speaker's account, with the account steering another person's belief.

Common phrases

  • lügt über seine Vergangenheit

    lie about one's past

  • lügt aus Angst

    lie out of fear

  • lügt regelmäßig

    lie regularly

Similar words

belügen: Deceive a specific person through a direct false statement.
sich etwas ausdenken: Make up and relate a story or explanation with no factual basis.
flunkern: Tell a minor, harmless lie to gloss over something.
schwindeln: Tell a minor lie or exaggerate to avoid looking bad.

Definition in German

Bewusst falsche Informationen geben.

Word origin

Lügen is an inherited Germanic verb, recorded as Old High German liogan and related to English lie.

Usage tips

  • Lügen has an irregular stem pattern: lügt in the present, but log in the simple past and gelogen as the past participle.

Opposites

  • die Wahrheit sagentell the truthverb

Related words

  • Lügelienoun
  • Lügnerliarnoun
  • belügenlie to someoneverb

Word lists with this word