01
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
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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
'fliegen' and 'sausen' can both describe very fast movement. 'fliegen' is especially suitable when something moves through the air, for example a ball after being thrown. 'sausen' emphasizes speed more strongly and often also a sound, for example a bicycle, a car, or an object that passes by quickly. 'sausen' is more vivid and sounds livelier. If the only important thing is that something is in the air, 'fliegen' is more precise; if the fast movement is the focus, 'sausen' works well.
sausen
Auf der Straße saust ein Motorrad an uns vorbei.
A motorcycle whooshes past us on the street.
fliegen
Der Ball fliegt über den Zaun in den Nachbargarten.
The ball flies over the fence into the neighbor's garden.
In real life
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