leaky
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leaky
Having a spot or leak through which a liquid or gas can unintentionally enter or escape.
Das Dach ist undicht, bei starkem Regen tropft es ins Wohnzimmer.
The roof is leaky; when it rains heavily, water drips into the living room.
The word consists of the prefix 'un-', which expresses negation, and the adjective 'dicht' (tight/sealed), which means 'firmly closed' or 'sealed'. So 'undicht' literally means 'not tight' or 'not sealed'.
Bitte schließe die Flasche richtig, sonst ist sie undicht.
Please close the bottle properly, otherwise it will leak.
In its literal meaning, 'undicht' (leaky) often describes containers or barriers. Typical things that can be leaky are a roof, a tire, a window, a pipe, or a water bottle.
Mein Fahrradreifen ist undicht und verliert ständig Luft.
My bicycle tire is leaky and keeps losing air.
Describing a person as 'undicht' (loose-lipped) is a metaphor and belongs to colloquial speech. It implies that the person cannot keep information to themselves, just as a leaky container cannot hold liquid.
Ich erzähle ihr keine Geheimnisse mehr, sie ist leider total undicht.
I don't tell her secrets anymore; unfortunately, she's totally loose-lipped.
dense / tight
'dicht' and 'undicht' are direct opposites when it comes to liquid or air. 'dicht' means that nothing can get through and there is no leak. 'undicht' means that there is a leaky spot and water, air, or gas can get out or in. Learners may confuse the words because they look almost the same. Pay special attention to the prefix 'un-': here it creates the opposite meaning.
Heute Morgen war das Fenster undicht, und kalte Luft kam ins Zimmer.
This morning the window was leaky, and cold air came into the room.
Nach der Reparatur ist das Dach wieder dicht.
After the repair, the roof is sealed again.