01
wortlos
wordless
Without saying a word; silently.
example
Er stand auf und verließ wortlos den Raum.
He stood up and left the room without a word.
wortlos
wordless
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word formation with '-los'
The word consists of 'Wort' (word) and the suffix '-los', which means 'without'. So 'wortlos' (wordless) literally means 'without words'. Many other adjectives are formed this way, e.g., 'hoffnungslos' (hopeless) or 'endlos' (endless).
EXAMPLE
Nach der schlechten Nachricht war er eine Weile einfach nur wortlos.
After the bad news, he was simply wordless for a while.
Adverbial use
'Wortlos' (wordless) is most often used as an adverb to describe how an action is carried out. It then usually stands directly near the verb.
EXAMPLE
Sie drehte sich um und ging wortlos davon.
She turned around and walked away without a word.
Typical collocations
'Wortlos' (wordless) often describes a nonverbal reaction to an emotional or surprising situation. Typical verbs are 'gehen' (to go), 'dastehen' (to stand there), 'zusehen' (to watch), or 'nicken' (to nod).
EXAMPLE
Er konnte nur wortlos zusehen, wie das Auto wegfuhr.
He could only watch wordlessly as the car drove away.
Compare with
wortlos vs stumm
mute / silent
'stumm' and 'wortlos' both describe someone saying nothing. 'wortlos' usually means that someone does not say a single word in a particular situation, even though they could speak. 'stumm' can be stronger: it can mean that someone cannot speak, does not speak because of shock, or deliberately remains silent. The words can be confused when a person is silent. For a single action without words, 'wortlos' is often more natural. For a state or a lack of ability to speak, 'stumm' fits better.
wortlos
Im Gespräch stand er plötzlich auf und verließ wortlos den Raum.
During the conversation, he suddenly stood up and left the room without a word.
stumm
Meine Nachbarin bleibt stumm, wenn sie auf ihre Krankheit angesprochen wird.
My neighbor remains silent when she is asked about her illness.
In real life
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