die Tiefe
depth
The distance from a surface to a point farther down, or the downward extent of a space.
EXAMPLE
Der See hat an dieser Stelle eine Tiefe von zwanzig Metern.
The lake is twenty meters deep at this point.
die Tiefe
depth
die Tiefe, die Tiefen
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Meanings
die Tiefe
depth
A low-lying area, especially the part of a body of water, space, or landscape that is far below.
EXAMPLE
Das U-Boot sank langsam in die Tiefe.
The submarine slowly sank into the depths.
die Tiefe
depth
The particular intellectual, emotional, or thematic intensity of something.
EXAMPLE
Die Tiefe ihrer Gefühle war in jedem Satz zu spüren.
The depth of her feelings could be felt in every sentence.
die Tiefe
depth
A low pitch or the deep sound of a voice or instrument.
EXAMPLE
Die Tiefe seiner Stimme machte einen starken Eindruck.
The depth of his voice made a strong impression.
in die Tiefe gehen
to go into depth
To deal with a topic thoroughly and in detail instead of staying on the surface.
EXAMPLE
In diesem Kapitel geht die Autorin ausführlich in die Tiefe.
In this chapter, the author goes into depth.
die Tiefe
depth
The extent of an object or space from front to back.
EXAMPLE
Der Schrank ist zwei Meter breit und hat eine Tiefe von sechzig Zentimetern.
The cabinet is two meters wide and has a depth of sixty centimeters.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Tiefe, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Tiefen |
| genitive | der Tiefe |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Tiefe | die Tiefen |
| accusative | die Tiefe | die Tiefen |
| dative | der Tiefe | den Tiefen |
| genitive | der Tiefe | der Tiefen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word family
In 'Tiefe' (depth), you can recognize the adjective 'tief' (deep). This connection is also helpful for figurative uses: The noun then refers to a quality of thoughts, feelings, or sounds.
EXAMPLE
Die Tiefe des Brunnens lässt sich nur schwer messen.
The depth of the well is difficult to measure.
Giving measurements
A precise measurement is often expressed using the pattern 'eine Tiefe von + Zahl + Maßeinheit' (a depth of + number + unit of measurement). After 'von' (of), the dative is used.
EXAMPLE
Das Becken erreicht eine Tiefe von drei Metern.
The pool reaches a depth of three meters.
Direction and location
'In die Tiefe' (into the depths) with the accusative describes movement downward. 'In der Tiefe' (in the depths) with the dative, on the other hand, describes the place where something is located or happens.
EXAMPLE
Die Taucherin glitt langsam in die Tiefe.
The diver slowly glided into the depths.
In der Tiefe leben Fische, die kaum Licht brauchen.
Fish that need hardly any light live in the depths.
Typical collocations
For texts, conversations, or thoughts, 'an Tiefe gewinnen' (to gain depth) and 'jemandem oder etwas Tiefe verleihen' (to give someone or something depth) are typical collocations. They describe how their intellectual or emotional impact develops.
EXAMPLE
Die persönlichen Erinnerungen der Autorin verleihen dem Roman Tiefe.
The author's personal memories give the novel depth.
Musical description
In descriptions of voices and instruments, 'in der Tiefe' (in the low register) refers to the low pitch range. It is often used with sound descriptions such as 'warm', 'voll' (full), or 'kräftig' (rich and powerful).
EXAMPLE
Ihre Stimme klingt in der Tiefe besonders warm und voll.
Her voice sounds especially warm and full in the low register.
Fixed expression
In 'in die Tiefe gehen' (to go into depth), 'in die' remains fixed even when no physical movement is meant. The topic can be introduced with 'bei + Dativ' (with + dative); the subject can also be an analysis, discussion, or text.
EXAMPLE
Die Analyse geht bei dieser Frage nicht genug in die Tiefe.
The analysis does not go into enough depth on this question.
In real life
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