blues
Loading your saved state.
blues
A genre of music that originated in African American society in the late 19th century and often deals with melancholy, suffering, and hope.
Er spielt Gitarre in einer Band, die sich auf klassischen Chicago Blues spezialisiert hat.
He plays guitar in a band that specializes in classic Chicago blues.
to have the blues
Colloquial for a state of low spirits, sadness, or mild depression.
Seit seine Freundin weg ist, hat er ständig den Blues und will niemanden sehen.
Ever since his girlfriend left, he has had the blues all the time and doesn't want to see anyone.
'Blues' is a loanword from English. In German, it is used both for the music genre and for the feeling of sadness, just like 'the blues' in English.
Das Wort „Blues“ kommt aus der afroamerikanischen Kultur.
The word 'Blues' comes from African American culture.
When referring to music, 'Blues' is often combined with verbs such as 'hören' (to listen to), 'spielen' (to play), or 'singen' (to sing). It can also be part of compound words, such as 'Blues-Musiker' (blues musician) or 'Blues-Festival' (blues festival).
Am Wochenende gehen wir auf ein Blues-Konzert.
We're going to a blues concert this weekend.
To express feeling down, the fixed colloquial expression 'den Blues haben' (to have the blues) is used. The verb 'haben' (to have) and the article 'den' are fixed parts of the expression.
Heute habe ich irgendwie den Blues und keine Lust auf gar nichts.
Today I somehow have the blues and don't feel like doing anything at all.
depression
Both words can describe a sad mood. Der Blues is a colloquial term for a generally milder and temporary low mood, while Depression refers to a serious mental illness. The Blues is appropriate for a few bad days; when the problems are persistent and affect many areas of life, Depression is the more appropriate term.
Nach der Enttäuschung hatte er ein paar Tage den Blues.
After the disappointment, he had the blues for a few days.
Wegen ihrer anhaltenden Antriebslosigkeit und Interessenlosigkeit sprach die Ärztin von einer Depression.
Because of her persistent lack of energy and loss of interest, the doctor said she was suffering from depression.
