German word

strahlen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʃtʁaːlən/

Meaning

  • verbshine

Example

Die Sonne strahlt am Himmel.

The sun is shining in the sky.

Illustration for strahlen (shine)

More examples

Nach der Reise strahlt er vor Lebensfreude.

After the trip, he is beaming with joy.

Core concept

Bright rays spread outward from a source, while a happy face can project the same vivid brightness.

Common phrases

  • hell strahlen

    shine brightly

  • aus allen Richtungen strahlen

    radiate in all directions

  • vor Lebensfreude strahlen

    beam with joy

Similar words

leuchten: Give off light that makes an area bright.
scheinen: Look bright because light falls on the surface.
ausstrahlen: Send out light or heat over a distance.

Definition in German

Hell leuchten oder Licht bzw. Energie in Form von Strahlen abgeben; auch bildlich für starke positive Ausstrahlung stehen.

Word origin

Strahlen continues Middle High German strālen and is related to Strahl, linking the literal emission of rays with the figurative sense of radiating joy or presence.

Usage tips

  • For a person, strahlen is commonly intransitive and combines with vor Freude to express shining with happiness rather than shining an object.

Other meanings

  • emit lightverb
  • radiateverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word