'Summen' Definition

What is the meaning of the German word 'Summen'?

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The word 'Summen' is a German word that can mean 'Buzzing' in English. You can find example sentences below to help you understand how to use the word in context.

Definition of 'Summen' in English

Das Summen - The buzzing

noun , neuter

The noun 'Summen' is used to describe a 'buzzing' sound in German. It can refer to the noise made by insects, electronic devices, or any other source of buzzing sound.

Example Sentences:

  • Aber dann hört er ein Summen. - But then he hears a buzzing.

💡 Silly memory trick! 'Summen' sounds like 'zoom in.' This association can help you remember that it describes a buzzing sound.

Related Words

Summen Klettern

German Challenges

Intermediate

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the personal pronoun 'mein' in the genitive case.

Der Hund meines Nachbarn ist sehr freundlich

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The genitive case form of the possessive pronoun 'mein' (my) corresponding to a masculine or neuter noun is 'meines'. In the sentence 'Der Hund meines Nachbarn ist sehr freundlich', 'meines' is used to show possession, indicating that the neighbor is the owner of the dog. 'Mein' changes to 'meines' in the genitive case to express this possession.
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Intermediate

Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?

Die Kinder haben im Park gespielt.

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In the case of 'spielen' which is an action verb, we typically use 'haben' as an auxiliary verb when forming the past tense. Thus, 'Die Kinder haben im Park gespielt' (The children played in the park) is the correct sentence. 'Sein' is usually used with verbs that depict movement or state change, which is not the case with 'spielen'. Understanding the appropriate usage of 'haben' and 'sein' forms a fundamental part mastering past tense in the German language.
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Intermediate

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the personal pronoun 'ich' in the dative case.

Könntest du mir bitte das Salz reichen?

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The dative case form of the personal pronoun 'ich' (you) is 'mir'. In the sentence "Könntest du mir bitte das Salz reichen?" ('Could you please me pass the salt?'), 'mir' is used as the indirect object, receiving the action of the verb. Here, the verb 'reichen' (to pass) requires an indirect object to indicate to whom the salt is passed. 'Ich' changes to 'mir' in the dative case to reflect this role.
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Beginner

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the personal pronoun 'wir' in the dative case.

Der Lehrer hat uns die Hausaufgaben aufgegeben

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The dative case form of the personal pronoun 'wir' (we) is 'uns'. In the sentence "Der Lehrer hat uns die Hausaufgaben aufgegeben," 'uns' is used as the indirect object, receiving the action of the verb. Here, the verb 'aufgeben' (to assign) requires an indirect object to indicate to whom the homework is assigned. 'Wir' changes to 'uns' in the dative case to reflect its role as the recipient of the action in the sentence.
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Beginner

Conjugate the modal verb "dürfen" to fit the sentence below

darf ich hier sitzen?

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The correct form for 'dürfen' in the first person singular for a question is 'darf'. The full translation is "May I sit here?.
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Beginner

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "kommt" in this sentence?

Mein Freund kommt aus den USA

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The correct preposition to use with "kommt" is "aus" when indicating a geographical origin. Thus, "Mein Freund kommt aus den USA" translates to "My friend comes from the U.S."
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Intermediate

Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?

Mein Bruder ist gestern schwimmen gegangen.

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Since 'schwimmen' can imply motion when combined with 'gehen,' 'sein' is used as the auxiliary verb in 'Mein Bruder ist gestern schwimmen gegangen,' translating to 'My brother went swimming yesterday.' This usage of 'sein' is due to the motion indicated by 'gegangen.' Understanding when to use 'haben' or 'sein' with verbs like 'schwimmen' in different contexts is key for German fluency.
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Intermediate

Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?

Meine Schwester ist zum Supermarkt gegangen.

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'Gehen' indicates movement, so 'sein' is often used as the auxiliary verb in its past tense. Therefore, 'Meine Schwester ist zum Supermarkt gegangen' ('My sister went to the supermarket') is the appropriate sentence. While 'haben' is used with most past tense verbs in German, 'sein' is used with certain intransitive verbs that indicate a change of location or state, like 'gehen'. It's these nuances that can help make your German more fluent and accurate.
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Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "fahren" to mean "to drive through"?

Er fährt durch die Stadt.

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The correct preposition to use with "fahren" to convey the meaning of 'to drive through' is 'durch'. Therefore, the sentence 'Er fährt durch die Stadt' translates to 'He drives through the city'. The use of 'durch' is required to convey the action of moving through a location in German.
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Intermediate

Which word correctly depicts the action of stealing in the past?

Deine Sachen wurden gestern vom Zimmer gestohlen.

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'Gestohlen' is the past participle of the German verb 'stehlen', which means 'to steal' in English. The past participle is used in this sentence to depict an action that has been done in the past - here, the stealing of the things. The other options are not recognized words in the German language or are the incorrect form of the verb 'stehlen'.
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