01
die Vibration
vibration
A fast, oscillating or trembling movement of a body or object.
example
Ich spürte die Vibration des Handys in meiner Hosentasche.
I felt the vibration of the phone in my pants pocket.
die Vibration
vibration
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
Words that end in '-ion' are almost always feminine and have the article 'die'. They often come from Latin and are similar in many languages.
EXAMPLE
Die Explosion verursachte eine starke Vibration im Boden.
The explosion caused a strong vibration in the ground.
Context clue
In the singular ('die Vibration' — the vibration), it usually means the physical oscillation. In the plural ('die Vibrationen' — the vibrations), it can also refer to the colloquial meaning 'mood' or 'atmosphere'.
EXAMPLE
Die Vibration des Motors ist normal.
The vibration of the engine is normal.
Typical collocations
In the physical sense, 'Vibration' (vibration) is often combined with verbs such as 'spüren' (to sense/feel), 'fühlen' (to feel), 'erzeugen' (to generate), or 'verursachen' (to cause). Adjectives include 'stark' (strong), 'schwach' (weak), or 'leicht' (slight).
EXAMPLE
Man spürt die leichten Vibrationen der Baustelle sogar hier im Haus.
You can feel the slight vibrations from the construction site even here in the house.
Register: colloquial
The meaning 'Stimmung' (mood) or 'Atmosphäre' (atmosphere) is colloquial. It is often used in the plural as 'gute/schlechte Vibrationen' (good/bad vibes) and is influenced by the English word 'vibes'.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem Festival herrschten nur gute Vibrationen.
There were only good vibes at the festival.
Compare with
Vibration vs Stimmung
mood / atmosphere
'die Stimmung' and 'die Vibration' can both describe what kind of feeling comes from a place or person. 'Stimmung' is the normal and neutral word for this. You use it in many situations: at a party, in a group, or for a person's mood. 'Vibration' actually means a vibrating or trembling movement. When it is about feelings or atmosphere, it is colloquial and often sounds somewhat more modern or special, frequently also in the plural as 'Vibrationen'. The words can be confused because both can describe an atmosphere. 'Stimmung' is usually safer and more natural; 'Vibration' fits more in informal language when you want to emphasize a feeling or impression.
Vibration
Die positiven Vibrationen des Ortes haben uns sofort gefallen.
We immediately liked the positive vibes of the place.
Stimmung
Am Telefon klang die Stimmung im Büro heute überraschend freundlich.
On the phone, the mood in the office sounded surprisingly friendly today.
In real life
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