01
der Müll
trash / garbage
Waste that is produced in the household or in industry and has to be disposed of.
example
Vergiss bitte nicht, den Müll rauszubringen, die Tonne ist voll.
Please don't forget to take out the trash; the bin is full.
der Müll
trash / garbage
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Meanings
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Usage tips
No plural
The word 'Müll' (trash/garbage) is an uncountable noun (singulare tantum). It is almost always used in the singular, even when talking about a large amount.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Festival lag überall Müll auf der Wiese.
After the festival, there was trash lying everywhere on the lawn.
Typical collocations
In everyday language, 'Müll' (trash/garbage) is often combined with certain verbs. The most common are 'den Müll rausbringen' (to take out the trash), 'Müll trennen' (to separate/sort trash), and 'etwas in den Müll werfen' (to throw something in the trash).
EXAMPLE
In Deutschland muss man den Müll sorgfältig trennen.
In Germany, you have to separate the trash carefully.
Register and style
The meaning 'Unsinn' (nonsense) or 'schlechte Qualität' (poor quality) is strongly colloquial. It is used to devalue something, for example a film, a product, or an idea.
EXAMPLE
Glaub nicht alles, was er erzählt, das ist doch alles nur Müll.
Don't believe everything he says; that's all just garbage.
Compare with
Müll vs Mist
crap / manure
'der Mist' and 'der Müll' can both colloquially mean something very bad or worthless. For example, you can say about a bad film that it is 'Mist' or 'Müll'. However, 'Müll' is also the normal word for real waste that you throw away. In this meaning, 'Mist' is more of an annoyed word for nonsense, poor quality, or an unpleasant matter. Learners may confuse the words because both sound negative. In practice: for real waste, use 'Müll'; for annoyance or bad things, 'Mist' often sounds more natural.
Müll
Nach der Feier brachte Tom den Müll nach draußen.
After the party, Tom took the trash outside.
Mist
Der neue Plan ist völliger Mist, weil niemand genug Zeit dafür hat.
The new plan is complete crap because no one has enough time for it.
In real life
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