sausen
to whoosh
To move very quickly, often with a whistling or rushing sound.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder sausten mit ihren Fahrrädern den Hügel hinunter.
The children whooshed down the hill on their bikes.
sausen
to whoosh / to skip
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Meanings
etwas sausen lassen
to skip something
Colloquial for giving up, skipping, or neglecting an activity, plan, or obligation.
EXAMPLE
Wegen des schlechten Wetters haben wir den Ausflug einfach sausen lassen.
Because of the bad weather, we simply skipped the outing.
sausen
to ring / to rush
Colloquial for the sound of strong wind or the rushing of blood in one's ears.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem lauten Konzert sauste es ihm noch stundenlang in den Ohren.
After the loud concert, his ears were still ringing for hours.
Usage tips
Perfect with 'sein'
When 'sausen' (to whoosh) describes fast movement, the perfect tense is formed with the auxiliary verb 'sein' because it expresses a change of location.
EXAMPLE
Das Auto ist mit hoher Geschwindigkeit an uns vorbeigesaust.
The car whooshed past us at high speed.
Typical collocations
The verb is often used to describe the movement of wind, vehicles, or also people. Typical subjects are 'der Wind' (the wind), 'das Auto' (the car), or 'die Kinder' (the children).
EXAMPLE
Der Wind sauste durch die Bäume.
The wind whooshed through the trees.
Fixed expression
The expression 'etwas sausen lassen' (to skip something) has a fixed structure. The thing you skip appears as an accusative object between 'sausen' and 'lassen'.
EXAMPLE
Heute lasse ich die Arbeit einfach mal sausen und gehe an den See.
Today I'm just going to skip work for once and go to the lake.
Dative construction
When referring to the sound in the ear, an impersonal construction with 'es' is often used. The person who hears the sound is in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem lauten Knall sauste es mir in den Ohren.
After the loud bang, my ears were ringing.
Compare with
sausen vs fliegen
to fly
Both words can describe a thrown object moving through the air. „Fliegen“ refers mainly to this movement through the air, while „sausen“ additionally emphasizes very high speed and often a whistling or rushing sound. Use „fliegen“ neutrally and „sausen“ when the speed or sound stands out.
sausen
Der Ball sauste nach dem kräftigen Wurf über den Zaun.
The ball whooshed over the fence after a powerful throw.
fliegen
Der Ball flog nach dem Wurf über den Zaun.
The ball flew over the fence after being thrown.
In real life
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