tönen
to sound
To emit or produce a tone, sound, or noise. It describes the simple sounding of something.
EXAMPLE
Aus dem Nebenzimmer tönte leise Musik.
Soft music sounded from the next room.
tönen
to sound / to tint / to boast
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Meanings
tönen
to tint
To lightly color hair with a washable or non-permanent color. A tint is weaker than a permanent dye.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat sich die Haare rot getönt, um mal etwas Neues auszuprobieren.
She tinted her hair red to try something new for once.
tönen
to boast
To say something in a pompous, boastful, or very self-confident tone. This use often has a slightly negative connotation.
EXAMPLE
„Das schaffe ich mit links!“, tönte er vor versammelter Mannschaft.
"I can do that with my eyes closed!" he boasted in front of the whole team.
Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'tönen' (to sound / to tint / to boast) is closely related to the noun 'der Ton' (tone/sound). This connection helps you understand the meanings 'to make a sound' and 'große Töne von sich geben' (to boast).
EXAMPLE
Die Glocken der Kirche tönen jeden Sonntag.
The church bells sound every Sunday.
Context clues
The three meanings can be distinguished well from context: Is it about a sound, hair, or a boastful statement? A sentence about music, hair care, or a person who is showing off makes the meaning clear.
EXAMPLE
Aus der Ferne tönte ein Horn.
A horn sounded in the distance.
Reflexive use
In the meaning 'Haare färben' (to dye/color hair), 'tönen' (to tint) is used reflexively with the dative: 'sich die Haare tönen' (to have one's hair tinted). The person is the subject, and the reflexive pronoun is in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat sich die Haare für die Party blond getönt.
She tinted her hair blonde for the party.
Negative connotation
When a person 'tönt' (boasts), it means that they say something in a showy or arrogant way. Here the word has a clearly negative coloring.
EXAMPLE
Er tönte, dass er die Prüfung sicher bestehen würde.
He boasted that he would definitely pass the exam.
Compare with
tönen vs klingen
to sound
Klingen and tönen can both express that something produces a sound. Klingen often describes how that sound is perceived, while tönen emphasizes the sounding itself. Klingen usually fits a sound quality, while tönen fits the audible production of a sound.
tönen
Die Trompete tönt kräftig durch den Saal.
The trumpet sounds powerfully throughout the hall.
klingen
Die Trompete klingt warm und kräftig.
The trumpet sounds warm and powerful.
In real life
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