01
brummen
to hum
To produce a deep, monotonous, vibrating sound, typical of machines, large insects, or bears.
example
Der alte Kühlschrank brummt ziemlich laut.
The old refrigerator is humming pretty loudly.
brummen
to hum / grumble / boom
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Onomatopoeia
'Brummen' (to hum) is an onomatopoeic word. The sound of the word imitates the deep, vibrating noise it describes.
EXAMPLE
Hörst du auch, wie der Transformator brummt?
Do you hear how the transformer is humming too?
Context clue
You can almost always recognize the meaning of 'brummen' from the subject of the sentence. Machines, engines, and large insects 'brummen' (hum/buzz) as a sound. People 'brummen' (grumble). Businesses and the economy 'brummen' (are booming/doing well).
EXAMPLE
Die Klimaanlage brummt leise im Hintergrund.
The air conditioning hums quietly in the background.
Sentence structure
When a person 'brummt' (grumbles), this can introduce a dissatisfied statement. Often a subordinate clause with 'dass' (that) follows, or what is said is put in quotation marks.
EXAMPLE
Er brummte, dass er keine Lust habe, aufzuräumen.
He grumbled that he didn't feel like tidying up.
Register
Saying that a business or the economy 'brummt' (is booming) is colloquial. It means that everything is very successful and a lot of revenue is being generated.
EXAMPLE
Seit der Eröffnung der neuen U-Bahn-Station brummt unser Café.
Since the opening of the new subway station, our café has been booming.
Fixed expression
The expression 'der Kopf brummt' (one's head is pounding) is a fixed phrase for a dull headache. The person who has the pain is often in the dative: 'Mir brummt der Kopf.' (My head is pounding.)
EXAMPLE
Ich habe zu wenig geschlafen, jetzt brummt mir der Kopf.
I didn't sleep enough; now my head is pounding.
Register
The meaning 'eine Gefängnisstrafe verbüßen' (to serve a prison sentence) is colloquial and belongs to jargon. You can add the length of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Er musste für den Diebstahl zwei Jahre brummen.
He had to serve two years for the theft.
Compare with
brummen vs rauschen
to rustle / hiss / sweep
'rauschen' and 'brummen' both describe continuous sounds. 'rauschen' tends to sound brighter, softer, or indistinct, for example with wind, water, leaves, or poor radio reception. 'brummen' is deeper, more even, and often vibrating, for example with an engine or a machine. Learners may confuse the words because both sounds do not seem like clear tones. As a guide: if it sounds deep and heavy, 'brummen' fits better; if it sounds broad, soft, or like background noise, 'rauschen' is more likely to fit.
brummen
Zu Hause brummt der Kühlschrank so laut, dass ich ihn im Flur höre.
At home, the refrigerator hums so loudly that I can hear it in the hallway.
rauschen
Im alten Radio rauscht es, wenn das Signal zu schwach ist.
The old radio hisses when the signal is too weak.
In real life
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