01
feucht
damp
Slightly wet or permeated by a small amount of liquid.
example
Wisch bitte den Tisch mit einem feuchten Tuch ab.
Please wipe the table with a damp cloth.
feucht
damp / humid
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'feucht' (damp) belongs to the word family of 'die Feuchtigkeit' (moisture/humidity). When something is 'feucht' (damp), it contains a certain amount of moisture.
EXAMPLE
Die hohe Luftfeuchtigkeit im Bad führt zu feuchten Wänden.
The high humidity in the bathroom leads to damp walls.
Typical collocations
In the basic meaning 'leicht nass' (slightly wet), 'feucht' (damp) is often combined with things that have absorbed water: damp hands, damp clothing, damp eyes, or a damp meadow.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Spaziergang im Regen waren seine Socken ganz feucht.
After the walk in the rain, his socks were completely damp.
Weather context clue
In connection with weather, climate, or air, 'feucht' (humid/damp) always means that the air has a high concentration of water. Typical combinations are 'feuchte Luft' (humid air) or 'feucht-warmes Wetter' (humid and warm weather).
EXAMPLE
An schwülen Sommertagen ist die Luft oft sehr feucht.
On muggy summer days, the air is often very humid.
Medical context clue
In a medical context, almost exclusively in the combination 'feuchter Husten' (productive cough), the word describes a cough in which mucus is produced.
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt diagnostizierte einen feuchten Husten und verschrieb einen Hustenlöser.
The doctor diagnosed a productive cough and prescribed an expectorant.
Fixed expression
The colloquial expression 'jemanden einen feuchten Kehricht/Dreck interessieren' means that someone is completely indifferent to something. It is very informal and expresses strong indifference.
EXAMPLE
Ob er mitkommt oder nicht, interessiert mich einen feuchten Kehricht.
Whether he comes along or not, I couldn't care less.
Compare with
feucht vs trocken
dry
'trocken' and 'feucht' can be opposites, but 'feucht' is not as strong as 'nass'. 'trocken' means that there is no liquid, or almost no liquid. 'feucht' means that there is a little liquid; something is slightly wet or damp. That is why a towel can be 'feucht' even though it is not really wet. The words can also be confused when talking about coughs: 'ein trockener Husten' (a dry cough) has no mucus, while 'ein feuchter Husten' (a productive cough) does. In practical terms: 'trocken' is without liquid, while 'feucht' is slightly with liquid.
feucht
Nach dem Putzen war der Boden noch feucht, deshalb warteten wir kurz.
After cleaning, the floor was still damp, so we waited a little.
trocken
Die Ärztin sagt, dass mein trockener Husten oft abends stärker wird.
The doctor says that my dry cough often gets worse in the evening.
In real life
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