bleich
pale
Describes a very light, pale facial color, often as a result of shock, illness, or fear.
EXAMPLE
Er wurde bleich vor Schreck, als er die Nachricht hörte.
He turned pale with shock when he heard the news.
bleich
pale
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Meanings
bleich
pale
Describes colors or light that are weak, faded, or lacking brightness.
EXAMPLE
Nur das bleiche Licht des Mondes erhellte den dunklen Weg.
Only the pale light of the moon lit up the dark path.
Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'bleich' (pale) belongs to the word family around 'bleichen' (to bleach). All words in this family have to do with the loss of color. This helps you understand the basic meaning 'colorless' or 'pale'.
EXAMPLE
Die Sonne hat das alte Foto über die Jahre gebleicht.
The sun bleached the old photo over the years.
Typical use
When 'bleich' (pale) describes a person, it is often used with the verbs 'werden' (to become) or 'sein' (to be). The cause of the paleness is often expressed with the preposition 'vor' + dative.
EXAMPLE
Sie wurde ganz bleich vor Angst, als sie das Geräusch hörte.
She turned completely pale with fear when she heard the noise.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'schwach' (weak) or 'verblasst' (faded), 'bleich' (pale) often describes light sources or colors. Typical combinations are 'das bleiche Mondlicht' (the pale moonlight), 'ein bleicher Himmel' (a pale sky), or 'bleiche Farben' (pale colors).
EXAMPLE
Durch das Fenster fiel nur das bleiche Licht einer Straßenlaterne.
Only the pale light of a streetlamp fell through the window.
Compare with
bleich vs weiß
white
Both words can describe a face that has become very pale because of shock or illness. weiß is more visual and draws attention to the visible color, while bleich sounds more elevated and emphasizes the unhealthy or exhausted condition more strongly. Use weiß for the impression of color and bleich for a marked description of the condition.
bleich
Nach der Krankheit war sein Gesicht auffallend bleich.
After the illness, his face was noticeably pale.
weiß
Nach der schlechten Nachricht wurde sein Gesicht ganz weiß.
After the bad news, his face turned completely white.
In real life
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