01
tief
deep
Describes a large extension downward, inward, or away from the surface.
example
Der See ist an dieser Stelle über 50 Meter tief.
The lake is over 50 meters deep at this point.
tief
deep
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Figurative meaning
The literal meaning of 'tief' (deep)—a large extension downward—is transferred to many other areas. A feeling, a sound, a color, or sleep can also be 'tief' (deep), which then means 'intense' or 'strong'.
EXAMPLE
Er hat einen tiefen Respekt vor seiner Lehrerin.
He has deep respect for his teacher.
Adverbial use
'Tief' (deep / deeply) can be used as an adverb to modify a verb. It then often means 'intensely' or 'thoroughly'. Typical examples are 'tief einatmen' (to breathe in deeply), 'tief nachdenken' (to think deeply), or 'tief blicken' (to look deeply).
EXAMPLE
Bevor du antwortest, atme erst einmal tief durch.
Before you answer, take a deep breath first.
Typical collocations: sound
In relation to acoustics, 'tief' (deep / low) describes a low frequency. The most common collocations are 'eine tiefe Stimme' (a deep voice) or 'ein tiefer Ton' (a low tone).
EXAMPLE
Der Bass erzeugt sehr tiefe Töne.
The bass produces very low tones.
Typical collocations: feeling
To express the intensity of emotions, 'tief' (deep) is often combined with nouns for feelings. Common examples are 'tiefe Trauer' (deep grief), 'tiefe Freude' (deep joy), or 'tiefes Mitgefühl' (deep sympathy).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Tod ihres Hundes war sie in tiefer Trauer.
After her dog's death, she was in deep grief.
Typical collocations: state
In connection with states such as sleep or concentration, 'tief' (deep) means that the state is very intense and stable. The best-known collocation is 'im tiefen Schlaf sein' (to be in a deep sleep).
EXAMPLE
Er war so in tiefe Gedanken versunken, dass er die Frage nicht hörte.
He was so lost in deep thought that he did not hear the question.
Typical collocations: color
With colors, 'tief' (deep) means something like 'rich' or 'dark'. For example, people say 'tiefes Schwarz' (deep black), 'tiefes Blau' (deep blue), or 'tiefes Rot' (deep red).
EXAMPLE
Der Himmel hatte ein tiefes Blau.
The sky was a deep blue.
Sentence structure with preposition
To describe a position far inside an area, 'tief' (deep) is often used with prepositions such as 'in' or 'auf'. Typical phrases are 'tief im Meer' (deep in the sea) or 'tief in der Erde' (deep in the earth).
EXAMPLE
Wir sind tief in den Wald gewandert.
We hiked deep into the forest.
Compare with
tief vs hoch
high
'hoch' and 'tief' can be opposites, but only in certain contexts. With spaces and objects, 'hoch' describes something that extends far upward. 'tief' describes something that extends far downward or inward, for example a hole or water. They are also opposites with sounds: 'ein hoher Ton' (a high note) and 'ein tiefer Ton' (a low note). They can be confused because both describe a direction or position. The context is important: 'ein Turm' (a tower) is 'hoch', while 'ein Brunnen' (a well) is 'tief'. With values, the opposite of 'hoch' is often 'niedrig', not 'tief'.
tief
Der See ist an dieser Stelle sehr tief.
The lake is very deep at this point.
hoch
Vom hohen Turm sieht man den ganzen Ort.
From the high tower, you can see the whole town.
In real life
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