pennen
to sleep
Colloquial expression for sleeping.
EXAMPLE
Ich bin total müde, ich geh jetzt pennen.
I'm totally tired; I'm going to sleep now.
pennen
to sleep / to space out
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Meanings
pennen
to space out
Colloquial for being inattentive or missing something important. It is often used in the past participle ('gepennt haben').
EXAMPLE
Da habe ich wohl kurz gepennt und die richtige Ausfahrt verpasst.
I must have spaced out for a moment and missed the right exit.
Usage tips
Register: colloquial
'Pennen' (to sleep / to space out) is a very informal, colloquial word. Use it only with friends or in casual situations, but not in formal emails or at work.
EXAMPLE
Sorry, ich kann heute Abend nicht, ich will nur noch pennen.
Sorry, I can't tonight; I just want to sleep.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'schlafen' (to sleep), 'pennen' is often used with 'bei jemandem pennen' (to sleep over at someone's place) or 'tief und fest pennen' (to sleep very soundly).
EXAMPLE
Nach der Party kann ich bei einem Freund pennen.
After the party, I can sleep over at a friend's place.
Fixed expression
In the meaning 'unaufmerksam sein' (to be inattentive), the fixed expression '(da) habe ich gepennt' (I spaced out there) is almost always used in the perfect tense. It expresses that you made a mistake or missed something important.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe die Ankündigung nicht gehört, da habe ich wohl gepennt.
I didn't hear the announcement; I must have spaced out.
Compare with
pennen vs schlafen
to sleep
Schlafen and pennen can refer to the same state of sleep. Schlafen is neutral and suitable in almost any situation; pennen is distinctly colloquial and is mainly used in casual conversations.
pennen
Der Junge sagt seinem Freund, dass er seit Tagen schlecht pennt.
The boy tells his friend that he has been sleeping poorly for days.
schlafen
Die Mutter sagt dem Arzt, dass ihr Sohn seit Tagen schlecht schläft.
The mother tells the doctor that her son has been sleeping poorly for days.
In real life
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