to stroll / dawdle
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to stroll
To walk slowly and without a fixed destination in order to pass the time or look at the surroundings.
Am Sonntagnachmittag bummeln wir gerne durch die Innenstadt und schauen in die Schaufenster.
On Sunday afternoons, we like to stroll through the city center and look in the shop windows.
to dawdle
To be deliberately slow while doing an activity, especially at work or at school; to dawdle or waste time.
Wenn du bei den Hausaufgaben so bummelst, wirst du heute nicht mehr fertig.
If you dawdle like that with your homework, you won't finish today.
The meaning of 'bummeln' depends heavily on the context. In connection with leisure time and places (city, park), it means 'spazieren' (to go for a walk) and is positive or neutral. In connection with work or tasks, it means 'trödeln' (to dawdle) and is negative.
Lass uns am Abend ein bisschen durch die Altstadt bummeln.
Let's stroll a bit through the old town in the evening.
The word 'bummeln' belongs to everyday language and has an informal character. It is used rather rarely in formal or official texts.
Komm, wir gehen eine Runde bummeln und essen ein Eis.
Come on, let's go for a little stroll and have an ice cream.
In the meaning 'spazieren' (to go for a walk), 'bummeln' is often used with prepositions that describe movement through a space, e.g. 'durch die Stadt bummeln' (to stroll through the city), 'über den Markt bummeln' (to stroll around the market), or 'am Strand entlang bummeln' (to stroll along the beach).
Wir sind stundenlang über den großen Flohmarkt gebummelt.
We strolled around the large flea market for hours.
When 'bummeln' means 'trödeln' (to dawdle), it is often combined with the prepositions 'mit' (with) or 'bei' (at/during) to name the task during which someone is dawdling. For example, 'mit den Hausaufgaben bummeln' (to dawdle with homework) or 'bei der Arbeit bummeln' (to dawdle at work).
Hör auf zu bummeln und deck bitte endlich den Tisch!
Stop dawdling and please finally set the table!
to stroll
Spazieren gehen and bummeln both refer to walking slowly without a fixed destination. With Spazieren, relaxation and enjoying the surroundings are the main focus. Bummeln is especially appropriate when you are passing the time and looking at things along the way.
Bis unser Zug kommt, bummeln wir durch die Straßen und betrachten die Geschäfte.
Until our train arrives, we wander through the streets, looking at the shops.
Nach dem Mittagessen gehen wir zur Entspannung durch den Stadtpark spazieren.
After lunch, we go for a relaxing walk through the city park.
