dumm
/dʊm/
The German phrase dumm means dumm (phrase).
It is also frequently used to mean 'silly' or 'foolish' in a non-malicious way, similar to the English 'dumb' in the sense of 'silly'.
Which one should you use?
While dumm can mean 'stupid' in terms of intelligence, it is also frequently used to mean 'silly' or 'foolish' in a non-malicious way, similar to the English 'dumb' in the sense of 'silly'. If you want to be more informal, you can use Doof, which means foolish or stupid.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, dumm changes its ending depending on the noun it precedes. It takes the ending -e, such as in dumme, when used before a feminine noun or a plural noun in the nominative case. It takes the ending -er, as in dummer, when used before a masculine noun in the nominative case.
How do you pronounce it?
/dʊm/
Did you know?
- There is a common German idiom dumm wie Brot which literally translates to 'dumb as bread'.
- The word dumm shares a common ancestor with the English word 'dumb', which historically meant 'silent' or 'mute'.
- In German, the word dumm can describe a situation as 'unfortunate' or 'awkward' rather than just a person's intelligence.
Examples in context
- Seine Idee war unklug.His idea was unwise.
- Er ist nicht besonders intelligent.He is not particularly intelligent.
- Das ist echt blöd!That's really dumb!
- Du hast dich wirklich doof verhalten.You acted really dumb.
- Es war eine dumme Entscheidung, den Vertrag nicht gründlich zu prüfen.It was an unwise decision not to thoroughly review the contract.
- Das war echt dumm von dir, das nicht zu fragen.That was really dumb of you not to ask.
- Das war eine dumme Entscheidung.That was a stupid decision.
- Ich fühle mich heute einfach nur dumm.I just feel stupid today.
- Es ist dumm, das ganze Geld auszugeben.It is stupid to spend all the money.
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia are discussing a mistake made at work.
- MaximilianIch habe die Datei gelöscht, wie dumm von mir!I deleted the file, how stupid of me!
- JuliaDas ist nicht dumm, das passiert jedem mal.That's not stupid, that happens to everyone sometimes.
- MaximilianKannst du mir helfen, sie wiederzufinden?Can you help me find it again?
- JuliaKlar, Maximilian, wir schauen gemeinsam nach.Sure, Maximilian, we'll look for it together.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry dumm, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dumm, CC BY-SA 4.0.
