01
dauern
to last
To take a certain amount of time or extend over a certain period of time.
example
Die Zugfahrt von Hamburg nach München dauert etwa sechs Stunden.
The train journey from Hamburg to Munich lasts about six hours.
dauern
to last
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Sentence structure with 'es'
'Dauern' (to last) is very often used with the impersonal pronoun 'es' (it) as the subject. This is especially common in questions and general time statements.
EXAMPLE
Wie lange dauert es noch bis zum nächsten Halt?
How much longer is it until the next stop?
Time expression in the accusative
The duration of an action or event is in the accusative. The subject of the sentence is the thing that takes time.
EXAMPLE
Der Film dauert fast drei Stunden.
The film lasts almost three hours.
Dative construction
In the rare meaning 'leidtun' (to make someone feel sorry), the person who feels pity is in the dative. The subject of the sentence is the person or thing one feels sorry for.
EXAMPLE
Das verletzte Tier dauert mich sehr.
I feel very sorry for the injured animal.
Elevated style
The meaning 'leidtun' (to make someone feel sorry) or 'Mitleid erregen' (to arouse pity) is outdated and is now used only in literary or very elevated contexts. It practically does not occur in modern everyday speech.
EXAMPLE
Deine traurige Geschichte dauert mich.
Your sad story moves me to pity.
Compare with
dauern vs gehen
to go
'gehen' and 'dauern' can both express how long something is. In sentences like 'Der Film geht zwei Stunden' (the film lasts two hours), 'gehen' means roughly 'dauern'. 'dauern' is the more precise and neutral word for this and fits in almost all situations when talking about time. In this meaning, 'gehen' sounds more colloquial and is used especially for films, courses, events, or routes. If you want to talk about a period of time clearly and safely, 'dauern' is usually the better choice.
dauern
Die Fahrt zum Flughafen dauert ungefähr vierzig Minuten.
The trip to the airport takes about forty minutes.
gehen
Der Kurs geht heute bis 18 Uhr.
The course runs until 6 p.m. today.
In real life
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