01
der Atemzug
breath
The individual act of breathing in and out.
example
Er nahm einen tiefen Atemzug, bevor er ins kalte Wasser sprang.
He took a deep breath before jumping into the cold water.
der Atemzug
breath
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Compound word
The word is made up of 'Atem' (breath) and 'Zug' (pull/draw). Here, 'Zug' should be understood in the sense of 'ziehen' (to pull) or 'saugen' (to suck). So an 'Atemzug' (breath) is literally a 'draw of breath.'
EXAMPLE
Mit jedem Atemzug spürte er die kalte Bergluft.
With every breath, he felt the cold mountain air.
Typical verbs
'Atemzug' (breath) is often combined with the verbs 'nehmen' (to take) or 'machen' (to make/do) to describe the active act of taking in air.
EXAMPLE
Sie machte einen tiefen Atemzug und begann zu singen.
She took a deep breath and began to sing.
Typical adjectives
Common adjectives that describe a breath are 'tief' (deep), 'kurz' (short), 'langsam' (slow), 'ruhig' (calm), or also 'der letzte Atemzug' (the last breath).
EXAMPLE
Sein letzter Atemzug war friedlich.
His last breath was peaceful.
Fixed expression
The expression 'in einem Atemzug' (in one breath) is a fixed idiom. It is used to express that two things are said or done directly one after another or at the same time, often even though they are contradictory.
EXAMPLE
Er nannte ihre Idee brillant und völlig unrealistisch in einem Atemzug.
He called her idea brilliant and completely unrealistic in one breath.
Compare with
Atemzug vs Zug
train / move / draft
'der Zug' and 'der Atemzug' can both have to do with drawing in air. 'ein Atemzug' means one normal act of breathing. 'ein Zug' is more like a deliberate draw or pull, for example on a cigarette or from a bottle. There are also the fixed expressions 'in einem Zug' (in one go) and 'in einem Atemzug' (in one breath). Both can express that something happens without a pause, but 'in einem Atemzug' is often used when speaking or naming things. The words are easy to confuse because 'Atemzug' contains the word 'Zug', but 'Atemzug' is much more specific for breathing.
Atemzug
Vor dem Sprung machte Max einen tiefen Atemzug.
Before the jump, Max took a deep breath.
Zug
Sie nahm einen langen Zug aus der Flasche und stellte sie wieder ab.
She took a long drink from the bottle and put it down again.
In real life
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