01
die Dusche
shower
The process of cleaning one's body under a stream of water.
example
Nach dem Sport nehme ich immer eine kalte Dusche.
After exercising, I always take a cold shower.
die Dusche
shower
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'die Dusche' (the shower) is directly derived from the verb 'duschen' (to shower). You can say 'ich dusche' (I am showering / I shower) or 'ich nehme eine Dusche' (I take a shower), both of which are very common.
EXAMPLE
Ich gehe jetzt duschen.
I'm going to take a shower now.
Prepositions: in vs. unter
The preposition often reveals the meaning. 'In der Dusche' (in the shower) refers to the cubicle or fixture. 'Unter der Dusche' (under the shower) describes the act of showering under the stream of water.
EXAMPLE
In unserer Dusche ist nicht viel Platz.
There isn't much space in our shower.
Typical verbs
To express the action, you say 'eine Dusche nehmen' (to take a shower). When referring to the fixture, you use verbs like 'reparieren' (to repair), 'putzen' (to clean), or 'einbauen' (to install).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem langen Lauf habe ich eine erfrischende Dusche genommen.
After the long run, I took a refreshing shower.
Fixed expression
The expression 'eine kalte Dusche' (a cold shower) describes a sudden disappointment. It is often intensified with adjectives like 'eiskalt' (ice-cold).
EXAMPLE
Die Absage für den Job war für sie eine wirklich kalte Dusche.
The rejection for the job was a real cold shower for her.
Compare with
Dusche vs Bad
bathroom / bath
'das Bad' and 'die Dusche' are both connected with personal hygiene and water. 'das Bad' can mean the whole room, that is, the bathroom. It can also mean bathing in a bathtub or in a body of water. 'die Dusche' is either the fixture in the bathroom or the act of standing under a stream of water to wash. Learners confuse the words because a shower is often located in the bathroom. In practice: for the room, say 'Bad'; for a quick wash under water, say 'Dusche'.
Dusche
Nach dem Training war eine warme Dusche genau richtig.
After training, a warm shower was just right.
Bad
Das Bad ist noch besetzt, weil Anna sich die Haare wäscht.
The bathroom is still occupied because Anna is washing her hair.
In real life
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