Translation of German word "glauben" to English
glauben
/ˈɡlaʊ̯bn̩/
Meaning
VerbTo accept as true, particularly without absolute certainty (i.e., as opposed to knowing).
How to use
The weak verb glauben ('to believe / think') has two distinct syntactic meanings: when meaning 'to believe a person', it requires the dative case without preposition (Ich glaube dir — I believe you). When meaning 'to believe in God, ideas, etc.', it requires the preposition an + accusative case (Ich glaube an Gott — I believe in God). In everyday speech, it is also used as 'to think/suppose' (Ich glaube, es regnet).
🇬🇧 English
to believe
Example
Wenn Sie den Zahlen glauben, werden Sie zustimmen, dass wir Veränderungen brauchen.
If you believe the numbers, you will agree that we need change.
Nach dieser Nacht in der Kirche glaubte ich.
After that night in church, I believed.
Your personal vocabulary
🦊 Use this word in a live AI conversationCommon phrases
- glauben an— to believe in (requires preposition 'an' + accusative)
- kaum zu glauben— hard to believe
- Ich glaube schon.— I think so. / I believe so.
This concept in other languages
📖 Related grammar
🦊 Conjugation of the verb "glauben"Full conjugation →
Present Tense (Präsens)
Simple Past (Präteritum)
Perfect (Perfekt)
ich bin/glaubt ...
Imperative (Imperativ)
Frequency rank: #182 in German
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the definition of the German word "glauben"?▼
The German word "glauben" is defined as: "To accept as true, particularly without absolute certainty (i.e., as opposed to knowing)."
What does the German word "glauben" mean?▼
The German word "glauben" means "to believe" in English.
How do you pronounce the German word "glauben"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "glauben" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "glauben"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "Wenn Sie den Zahlen glauben, werden Sie zustimmen, dass wir Veränderungen brauchen." (which translates as "If you believe the numbers, you will agree that we need change.").
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