twilight / dawn
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twilight / dawn
The time of transition between night and day (dawn) or between day and night (dusk), when it is no longer completely dark but not yet completely light either.
Wir machten uns in der Dämmerung auf den Weg, um den Sonnenaufgang auf dem Berg zu sehen.
We set off at dawn to see the sunrise on the mountain.
'Die Dämmerung' (twilight/dawn) is the noun related to the verb 'dämmern' (to dawn/to grow light or dark). This verb means that it is slowly becoming light or dark.
Am Horizont dämmerte bereits der Morgen.
Morning was already dawning on the horizon.
The meaning becomes clear from the context. If people are talking about time of day, light, and nature, the literal meaning is intended. If they are talking about abstract things like 'Zeitalter' (age), 'Epoche' (epoch/era), or 'Kultur' (culture), the figurative meaning is intended.
In der Dämmerung werden die Straßenlaternen eingeschaltet.
The streetlights are turned on at twilight.
'Dämmerung' (twilight/dawn) can refer to both the time in the morning and the time in the evening. To be more precise, the compound words 'Morgendämmerung' (dawn, before sunrise) and 'Abenddämmerung' (dusk, after sunset) are used.
Die Vögel beginnen in der Morgendämmerung zu singen.
The birds begin to sing at dawn.
To describe the time of an action, 'Dämmerung' (twilight/dawn) is very frequently used with the preposition 'in': 'in der Dämmerung' (at twilight/at dawn).
Es ist nicht sicher, in der Dämmerung allein durch den Park zu gehen.
It is not safe to walk through the park alone at twilight.
The figurative meaning of 'Dämmerung' (dawn/twilight) for the beginning or end of an era is typical of a poetic or literary style.
Mit dem Fall der Mauer erlebte Europa die Dämmerung einer neuen Ära.
With the fall of the Wall, Europe experienced the dawn of a new era.
night
'die Nacht' (night) and 'die Dämmerung' (twilight / dawn) can easily be confused because both have to do with low light. 'die Nacht' is the dark time between sunset and sunrise. 'die Dämmerung' is only the transition: in the morning between night and day, or in the evening between day and night. During 'Dämmerung', it is not completely light, but it is not completely dark yet either. If you mean the whole dark period, use 'Nacht'. If you mean the short transition in the morning or evening, use 'Dämmerung'.
In der Dämmerung fährt Eva besonders vorsichtig durch die Nachbarschaft.
At twilight, Eva drives through the neighborhood especially carefully.
Meine Schwester arbeitet diese Woche in der Nacht.
My sister is working nights this week.