trüb
murky
Describes something that is not clear or transparent, but milky or opaque, such as water or the air on a foggy day.
EXAMPLE
Das Wasser im Teich war nach dem Regen ganz trüb.
The water in the pond was completely murky after the rain.
trüb
cloudy / murky
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
trüb
cloudy
Describes the weather when it is gray, overcast, and without sunshine.
EXAMPLE
An diesem trüben Novembertag wollte niemand nach draußen gehen.
On that cloudy November day, nobody wanted to go outside.
trüb
gloomy
Describes a low, melancholic, or pessimistic mood or thoughts.
EXAMPLE
Er war in letzter Zeit oft nachdenklich und hatte trübe Gedanken.
He had often been thoughtful lately and had gloomy thoughts.
trüb
dim
Describes light that is weak, dull, and not bright or clear.
EXAMPLE
Nur eine trübe Lampe erhellte den langen Korridor.
Only a dim lamp lit the long corridor.
Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'trüb' (cloudy/murky) belongs to a word family with the verb 'trüben' (to cloud; to make something unclear) and the noun 'die Trübung' (clouding; opacity). All the words share the basic idea of a lack of clarity, brightness, or cheerfulness.
EXAMPLE
Schlechte Nachrichten trübten seine gute Laune.
Bad news clouded his good mood.
Context clue
You can recognize the exact meaning of 'trüb' (cloudy/murky) from the noun it describes. With liquids, it means 'opaque'; with weather, 'gray and overcast'; and with feelings or thoughts, 'melancholic'.
EXAMPLE
Der naturtrübe Apfelsaft schmeckt besonders gut.
The naturally cloudy apple juice tastes especially good.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'not clear', 'trüb' (murky/cloudy) is often used for liquids or glass. Typical combinations are 'trübes Wasser' (murky water), 'trüber Saft' (cloudy juice), or also 'trübe Augen' (cloudy eyes) when someone is ill or has cried.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem starken Regen war das Bachwasser ganz trüb.
After the heavy rain, the stream water was completely murky.
Feelings and thoughts
In a figurative sense, 'trüb' (gloomy) describes a negative, pessimistic mood. Common phrases are 'trübe Gedanken haben' (to have gloomy thoughts), 'in trüber Stimmung sein' (to be in a gloomy mood), or 'trübe Aussichten haben' (to have gloomy prospects).
EXAMPLE
Lass uns einen Spaziergang machen, das hilft gegen trübe Stimmung.
Let's go for a walk; that helps against a gloomy mood.
Compare with
trüb vs matt
weak / matte
Matt and trüb can both describe weak, not very bright light. Matt emphasizes the low brightness or lack of shine, while trüb also suggests a diffuse or veiled effect. Matt fits a weak lamp, while trüb is more appropriate for light coming through fog or something that obscures it.
trüb
Durch den dichten Nebel fiel nur trübes Licht in das Zimmer.
Only dim, hazy light came into the room through the dense fog.
matt
Die kleine Lampe gab nur ein mattes Licht ohne starken Glanz.
The small lamp gave off only a dim light without much shine.
In real life
Loading video examples...