blasen
to blow
To forcefully expel air with the mouth or a device, or to set air in motion.
EXAMPLE
Der Wind bläst heute sehr stark.
The wind is blowing very strongly today.
blasen
to blow
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
blasen
to play
To play a wind instrument by blowing into it.
EXAMPLE
Er kann sehr gut die Trompete blasen.
He can play the trumpet very well.
Trübsal blasen
to mope
An idiom meaning to be sad, dejected, or pessimistic.
EXAMPLE
Hör auf, Trübsal zu blasen, und komm mit uns nach draußen!
Stop moping and come outside with us!
blasen
to give a blowjob
(Vulgar) To perform oral sex.
EXAMPLE
Er wurde wegen sexueller Nötigung angeklagt, weil er sie gezwungen haben soll, ihm einen zu blasen.
He was charged with sexual coercion because he allegedly forced her to give him a blowjob.
Usage tips
Register and context
Careful: this word has both a harmless and a vulgar meaning. In most contexts (wind, musical instrument), it is unproblematic, but without clear context it can be understood as a sexual innuendo.
EXAMPLE
Der Föhn kann sowohl kalte als auch warme Luft blasen.
The hair dryer can blow both cold and warm air.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'Luft bewegen' (to move air), 'blasen' (to blow) is often used impersonally with the wind as the subject. But you can also actively blow soap bubbles or smoke into the air, for example.
EXAMPLE
Der Herbstwind bläst die Blätter von den Bäumen.
The autumn wind blows the leaves off the trees.
Use with instruments
When 'blasen' (to blow/play) is used with a musical instrument, it is always a wind instrument. The instrument appears directly after the verb as the accusative object.
EXAMPLE
Im Orchester bläst sie das Horn.
She plays the horn in the orchestra.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'Trübsal blasen' (to mope) is a fixed unit and means 'traurig sein' (to be sad). The word 'Trübsal' is now used almost only in this expression.
EXAMPLE
Nach der Absage hat er den ganzen Tag nur Trübsal geblasen.
After the cancellation, he just moped around all day.
Compare with
blasen vs spielen
to play
Both words can express that someone is using a wind instrument. „Spielen“ is the usual general term for making music with an instrument. „Blasen“, by contrast, highlights the specific technique of blowing air into the instrument and therefore describes the way of making music more precisely.
blasen
Jonas bläst kräftig in die Trompete, damit der hohe Ton erklingt.
Jonas blows hard into the trumpet so that the high note rings out.
spielen
Jonas spielt seit drei Jahren Trompete im Musikverein.
Jonas has been playing the trumpet in the music club for three years.
In real life
Loading video examples...