schlafen vs dösen
German word comparison
Listen to schlafen
Listen to dösen
| schlafen | dösen |
|---|---|
SCHLA-fen verb | /ˈdøːzən/ verb |
| to sleep; to be asleep | to doze; to be drowsy or half-asleep |
How they differ
Dösen describes a drowsy, half-awake state or light nap (dozing) rather than full sleep; schlafen covers being asleep without implying the degree of awareness.
When to use each
When to use schlafen: Use schlafen to indicate being fully asleep or for general statements about sleeping.
When to use dösen: Use dösen to describe nodding off, dozing in a chair, or short light naps when the person is partly awake or drifting in and out of sleep.
Side-by-side examples
- Nach dem langen Flug habe ich zehn Stunden geschlafen.
(After the long flight I slept ten hours.) - Er döste im Sessel vor dem Fernseher.
(He was dozing in the armchair in front of the TV.)
Register & nuance: Neutral and descriptive; common in everyday speech to describe light sleep, not slang but less formal than schlafen in some contexts.