01
donnern
to thunder
To make a loud, deep, rumbling sound, like the thunder that occurs during a storm.
example
Es blitzte und donnerte die ganze Nacht.
There was lightning and thunder all night.
donnern
to thunder
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'donnern' (to thunder) is closely related to the noun 'der Donner' (thunder). It is an onomatopoeic word, meaning the sound of the word imitates the noise it describes.
EXAMPLE
Bei dem Gewitter war der Donner extrem laut.
During the storm, the thunder was extremely loud.
Context clue
The subject of the sentence tells you the meaning. If the subject is 'es' (it), it is about the weather. If it is an object like 'Wellen' (waves) or 'LKW' (truck), it is about loud movement. If it is a person, it is about loud speaking.
EXAMPLE
Gestern Abend hat es stark gedonnert.
Yesterday evening it thundered heavily.
Sentence structure with weather
When 'donnern' (to thunder) describes the weather, it is always used with the impersonal pronoun 'es' (it) as the subject. The verb then stands in position 2 in the main clause.
EXAMPLE
Schau mal, wie dunkel der Himmel ist, es wird gleich donnern.
Look how dark the sky is; it will thunder any moment.
Use with prepositions
In the meaning 'to move loudly', 'donnern' (to thunder) is often combined with prepositions that indicate a direction or place. Typical ones are 'gegen' (against), 'an' (against/at), 'über' (over/across), or 'durch' (through).
EXAMPLE
Die Wellen donnerten gegen die Felsen am Ufer.
The waves thundered against the rocks on the shore.
Compare with
donnern vs schreien
to scream
'schreien' and 'donnern' can both describe very loud speaking. 'schreien' is more general: someone speaks or calls out very loudly, for example out of fear, anger, pain, or because the surroundings are loud. 'donnern' fits more when the voice sounds deep, harsh, and often angry or commanding. Learners may confuse the words because both are loud. A practical tip: people 'schreien' loudly in many situations; a person is more likely to 'donnern' when their voice feels like a strong, harsh command.
donnern
Der Trainer donnert eine Anweisung über den ganzen Sportplatz.
The coach thunders an instruction across the entire sports field.
schreien
Das Kind schreit, weil es sich am Knie verletzt hat.
The child is screaming because it hurt its knee.
In real life
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