train / move / draft
Loading your saved state.
train
A rail vehicle consisting of one or more locomotives and attached carriages or cars, used to transport people or goods.
Der Zug nach München hat leider 20 Minuten Verspätung.
The train to Munich is unfortunately 20 minutes late.
drag / puff
The act of drawing something (air, smoke, liquid) into the mouth or lungs.
Er nahm einen tiefen Zug von seiner Zigarette.
He took a deep drag from his cigarette.
move
A single action or movement of a game piece in a board game such as chess or checkers.
Du bist am Zug, mach endlich deine Figur!
It's your move; finally move your piece!
draft
A noticeable, often cold current of air in an enclosed room.
Kannst du das Fenster schließen? Es herrscht ein unangenehmer Zug.
Can you close the window? There's an unpleasant draft.
procession / parade
A group of people moving in an organized formation, often in a festive procession, parade, or demonstration.
Der festliche Zug bewegte sich langsam durch die Innenstadt.
The festive procession moved slowly through the city center.
feature
A feature or line in a person's face that expresses their character or mood. Usually used in the plural.
Ein harter Zug lag um seinen Mund, als er die Nachricht hörte.
A hard line lay around his mouth when he heard the news.
in one go
To do or finish something without interruption or a break.
Er hat sein Bier in einem Zug ausgetrunken.
He drank his beer in one go.
on its last legs
To be close to the end, death, or failure.
Nach dem langen Marathon lag der Läufer sichtlich in den letzten Zügen.
After the long marathon, the runner was visibly on his last legs.
Almost all meanings of 'der Zug' derive from the verb 'ziehen' (to pull, to move). A train is pulled, you draw smoke into your lungs, you move a game piece, air moves through the room, and a festive procession moves through the city.
Die Pferde ziehen den Wagen den Berg hinauf.
The horses pull the cart up the hill.
In connection with the means of transport, typical verbs are 'den Zug nehmen' (to take the train), 'den Zug verpassen' (to miss the train), 'in den Zug einsteigen' (to get on the train), or 'mit dem Zug fahren' (to travel by train).
Wenn wir uns nicht beeilen, verpassen wir den Zug.
If we don't hurry, we'll miss the train.
The sentence 'Ich sitze im Zug' can be ambiguous. Most of the time it means that you are sitting on the train. But if the context contains words like 'kalt' (cold), 'Fenster' (window), or 'erkältet' (having a cold), a cold current of air is probably meant.
Mach bitte die Tür zu, es gibt hier einen schrecklichen Zug!
Please close the door; there's a terrible draft here!
When it is about inhaling smoke, the phrases 'einen Zug nehmen' (to take a drag) or 'einen tiefen Zug machen' (to take a deep drag) are often used.
Er nahm einen letzten Zug von seiner Zigarette und warf sie weg.
He took one last drag from his cigarette and threw it away.
In games like chess, people say 'am Zug sein' (to be one's turn) when it is your turn. A single movement is called 'einen Zug machen' (to make a move). A good or bad action can also be described as a 'guter/schlechter Zug' (good/bad move).
Warte, überlege gut, bevor du deinen nächsten Zug machst.
Wait, think carefully before you make your next move.
In the meaning of 'Prozession' (procession), 'Zug' is often used as part of compound words, for example 'Festzug' (festive procession), 'Karnevalszug' (carnival parade), 'Umzug' (parade/procession), or 'Trauerzug' (funeral procession).
Die Kinder freuten sich auf den bunten Karnevalszug.
The children were looking forward to the colorful carnival parade.
When 'Zug' describes a facial feature, it is almost always used in the plural ('die Züge', features). People also often speak of 'Gesichtszüge' (facial features).
Sie hat die sanften Züge ihrer Mutter geerbt.
She inherited her mother's gentle features.
The idiom 'in einem Zug' (in one go) means to do something without a pause or interruption. It is often used in connection with drinking, eating, or reading.
Er war so durstig, dass er das ganze Glas Wasser in einem Zug leerte.
He was so thirsty that he emptied the whole glass of water in one go.
The idiom 'in den letzten Zügen liegen' (to be on its last legs / in its final stages) means that something or someone is close to the end, completion, or death. It can refer to projects, processes, or living beings.
Das alte Auto liegt in den letzten Zügen und muss bald ersetzt werden.
The old car is on its last legs and will soon have to be replaced.
train / track
Bahn usually refers to the mode of transport or the railway system as a whole, but in the right context it can also refer to a means of transport. Zug refers more specifically to an individual rail vehicle or a particular service. Bahn is suitable for talking about the general way of traveling, while Zug is used for a specific vehicle.
Für die Reise nach Hamburg nehme ich den Zug, der um acht Uhr abfährt.
For the trip to Hamburg, I’m taking the train that leaves at eight o’clock.
Für die Reise nach Hamburg nehme ich lieber die Bahn als das Auto.
For the trip to Hamburg, I would rather take the train than the car.
