01
färben
to dye
To change the color of something using a dye or color.
example
Sie hat sich die Haare rot gefärbt.
She dyed her hair red.
färben
to dye / color
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'färben' (to dye/color) belongs to the word family of 'die Farbe' (color). It literally means to give color to something.
EXAMPLE
Zu Ostern färben wir immer die Eier.
We always dye eggs at Easter.
Transitive vs. reflexive
When a person actively dyes something, the verb is used transitively: 'jemand färbt etwas' (someone dyes something). When something changes its color by itself, it is used reflexively: 'etwas färbt sich' (something changes color).
EXAMPLE
Ich färbe mein altes T-Shirt schwarz.
I am dyeing my old T-shirt black.
Dative construction
When you dye something on your own body, a dative pronoun is often added to make the connection to the person clear. The most common form is 'sich (Dat.) die Haare (Acc.) färben' (to dye one's hair).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe mir die Haare blond gefärbt.
I dyed my hair blond.
Typical subjects
When something changes color naturally, the subjects are often parts of nature. Typical examples are 'die Blätter' (the leaves), 'der Himmel' (the sky), or 'die Wolken' (the clouds).
EXAMPLE
Die Blätter an den Bäumen haben sich schon gelb gefärbt.
The leaves on the trees have already turned yellow.
Context: emotions
This reflexive meaning refers almost exclusively to a person's face or cheeks turning red from embarrassment, shame, or joy.
EXAMPLE
Sein Gesicht färbte sich rot, als alle über seinen Witz lachten.
His face turned red when everyone laughed at his joke.
Compare with
färben vs tönen
to sound / to tint / to boast
'färben' and 'tönen' can both mean that hair gets a different color. 'färben' is more general and often stronger or more permanent. 'tönen' is used especially for hair when the color is lighter and washes out again after some time. The words are easy to confuse because both have to do with hair color at the hairdresser's or at home. If the new color is meant to be permanent, 'färben' usually fits. If it is only temporary, 'tönen' is more precise.
färben
Vor dem Urlaub hat sich Lena die Haare dunkel gefärbt.
Before the vacation, Lena dyed her hair dark.
tönen
Für die Feier lässt sich Max die Haare nur leicht tönen.
For the party, Max is only having his hair lightly tinted.
In real life
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