01
leise
quiet
At a low volume; not loud.
example
Könntest du bitte leiser sprechen? Das Baby schläft.
Could you please speak more quietly? The baby is sleeping.
leise
quiet
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Adjective and adverb
'Leise' (quiet/quietly) can stand before a noun as an adjective and is then declined. It can also be used as an adverb to describe a verb; in this case, it remains unchanged.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat eine sehr leise Stimme.
She has a very quiet voice.
Use as a request
The comparative form 'leiser' (quieter/more quietly) is very often used in requests or commands in the imperative to reduce the volume.
EXAMPLE
Seid bitte etwas leiser, die Nachbarn beschweren sich schon!
Please be a little quieter; the neighbors are already complaining!
Figurative meaning
In its figurative meaning, 'leise' (subtle) describes something subtle or barely perceptible. Typical collocations are 'leise Kritik' (subtle criticism), 'leise Zweifel' (subtle doubts), or 'eine leise Hoffnung' (a faint hope).
EXAMPLE
Er äußerte nur leise Kritik am neuen Plan.
He expressed only subtle criticism of the new plan.
Compare with
leise vs laut
loud / according to
'laut' and 'leise' are direct opposites when it comes to volume. 'laut' is used when you can hear something clearly and strongly. 'leise' is used when something can only be heard faintly or makes little noise. The difference is very practical: a loud voice fills the room, while you may have to listen carefully to a quiet voice.
leise
Zum Lernen stellte Tom das Radio leise.
To study, Tom turned the radio down low.
laut
Im Urlaub spielt ihr heute am Strand ziemlich laut Musik.
On vacation, you are playing music pretty loudly at the beach today.
In real life
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