01
der Wind
wind
A noticeable, natural movement of air outdoors.
example
Heute weht ein kalter Wind aus Osten.
Today a cold wind is blowing from the east.
der Wind
wind
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Part of many words
The word 'Wind' is a very productive base word. It is found in many compound nouns related to weather, energy, or clothing, such as 'Windrad' (wind turbine), 'Windkraft' (wind power), or 'Windjacke' (windbreaker).
EXAMPLE
In Norddeutschland gibt es viele Windräder zur Stromerzeugung.
In northern Germany, there are many wind turbines for generating electricity.
Typical verbs
When talking about the weather, 'Wind' is often used with the verbs 'wehen' (to blow) or 'blasen' (to blow). When the wind starts, you say it 'kommt auf' (picks up); when it gets weaker, 'lässt er nach' (it dies down).
EXAMPLE
Am Meer weht fast immer ein starker Wind.
At the seaside, a strong wind is almost always blowing.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'von etwas Wind bekommen' means to learn a secret piece of information. The information one learns about is in the dative after the preposition 'von'.
EXAMPLE
Wie hat die Chefin von unseren Plänen Wind bekommen?
How did the boss get wind of our plans?
Fixed expression
When you 'in den Wind schlägt' (literally: throw into the wind) a piece of advice, you deliberately ignore it. The advice or warning is the accusative object of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe ihn gewarnt, aber er hat meinen Rat in den Wind geschlagen.
I warned him, but he ignored my advice.
Context clue
In a medical context or when talking about babies, 'Wind' (often in the plural 'Winde') can mean gas or flatulence. The connection with the body or digestion makes the meaning clear.
EXAMPLE
Das Baby weint, weil es starke Winde hat.
The baby is crying because it has severe gas.
Compare with
Wind vs Luft
air
'die Luft' and 'der Wind' both have to do with the gas around us. 'Luft' means the air that we breathe and that is all around us. 'Wind' means air that is noticeably moving outdoors. Learners may confuse the words because wind consists of air. When it is about breathing, fresh air, or bad air in a room, 'Luft' fits. When you feel movement outdoors, 'Wind' fits.
Wind
Am Meer war der Wind so stark, dass wir kaum sprechen konnten.
At the seaside, the wind was so strong that we could hardly speak.
Luft
Nach dem Lüften ist die Luft im Zimmer viel besser.
After airing the room, the air in it is much better.
In real life
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