01
trauernd
mourning
Showing or feeling a state of grief, usually because of the loss or death of a person.
example
Die trauernde Familie versammelte sich zur Beerdigung.
The mourning family gathered for the funeral.
trauernd
mourning
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Participle as adjective
'Trauernd' (mourning) is the present participle of the verb 'trauern' (to mourn). It is used like a normal adjective before a noun and is declined accordingly.
EXAMPLE
Ein trauernder Mann stand allein am Grab.
A mourning man stood alone at the grave.
Use with a preposition
To indicate the reason for the grief, the construction 'trauernd um + accusative' (mourning for + accusative) is used. This is a typical participial construction.
EXAMPLE
Die um ihren verstorbenen Hund trauernde Frau fand Trost bei Freunden.
The woman mourning her deceased dog found comfort with friends.
Typical collocations
In the context of death and loss, 'trauernd' (mourning) is often connected with people or groups. Typical combinations are 'die trauernden Angehörigen' (the mourning relatives), 'die trauernde Witwe' (the mourning widow), or 'die trauernden Eltern' (the mourning parents).
EXAMPLE
Die trauernden Angehörigen baten um Spenden statt Blumen.
The mourning relatives asked for donations instead of flowers.
Compare with
trauernd vs traurig
sad
'traurig' and 'trauernd' both have to do with grief or sadness. 'traurig' is more general and describes a downcast mood for many possible reasons. 'trauernd' is narrower: it describes someone who is grieving, usually because of a death or a serious loss. So you can be 'traurig' because a day was bad, but 'trauernd' is used more for a serious loss. Learners may confuse the words because they are emotionally very close. 'traurig' is more often suitable in everyday language; 'trauernd' sounds stronger and more specific.
trauernd
Nach der Beerdigung standen die trauernden Angehörigen noch lange zusammen.
After the funeral, the grieving relatives stood together for a long time.
traurig
Im Sommer bin ich manchmal traurig, weil viele Freunde verreist sind.
In summer, I am sometimes sad because many friends are away.
In real life
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