Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| herumlungern | [hɛˈʁʊmˌlʊŋɐn] (narrow) |
| Zeit brauchen | |
| verweilen | /fɛʁˈvaɪ̯lən/ |
| bleiben | /ˈblaɪ̯bən/ |
| sich herumdrücken | |
| herumtrödeln | |
| trödeln | /ˈtʁøːdəln/ /ˈtʁøːdl̩n/ |
| sich aufhalten | /zɪç ˈʔaʊ̯fhaltn̩/ (word by word) |
| sich Zeit lassen | |
| zurückbleiben | [tsuˈʁʏkblaɪ̯bə̯n] (narrow) |
| nachklingen | /ˈnaːxˌklɪŋən/ |
You must choose a term based on whether you are describing staying in a physical location, wasting time, behaving suspiciously or describing an abstract effect like a sound or an emotion.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the specific nuance of 'lingering': * Physical presence: Use verweilen for a more formal or poetic sense of staying in a place, whereas bleiben is the common verb. Sich aufhalten is also used to describe being in or staying at a location. * Negative or aimless behavior: Use herumlungern if you want to imply someone is loitering or hanging around aimlessly, often implying suspicious behavior. Use sich herumdrücken colloquially if someone is lingering or avoiding work/responsibilities. * Time and pace: Use trödeln when 'lingering' refers to moving slowly or wasting time. Use Zeit brauchen to say someone is taking time to complete a task. Conversely, sich Zeit lassen is used when 'lingering' is a deliberate choice to not rush, such as enjoying a meal or a moment. * Abstract effects: Use nachklingen specifically for abstract things like sounds, emotions or effects that linger or echo after the source is gone. * Staying behind: Use zurückbleiben when 'lingering' refers to being left behind or remaining after others have departed.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The formal term for 'linger' is verweilen. verweilen is a more formal or poetic way to say 'to stay' or 'to linger' in a location compared to the common verb bleiben. herumlungern carries a negative connotation of loitering or hanging around aimlessly. sich herumdrücken is a colloquial way to describe lingering or avoiding work/responsibilities.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛʁˈvaɪ̯lən/
Did you know?
- The German verb bleiben, meaning 'to stay' or 'to remain', stems from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to stick' or 'to glue'.
- While verweilen means 'to linger' in a formal sense, its noun form Weile is used in the common phrase eine Weile, meaning 'a while'.
- Depending on the intent, German distinguishes between Zeit brauchen as a necessity and sich Zeit lassen as a luxury of lingering.
Examples in context
- Bitte verweilen Sie einen Moment.Please linger for a moment.
- Ich mag es, mit meinen Freunden in der Stadt herumzuhängen.I enjoy lingering around the city with my friends.
- Sie durften im Park verweilen.They were allowed to linger in the park.
- Wir verweilen noch ein wenig im Café.We are lingering in the cafe for a little while longer.
- Er wollte noch länger im Garten verweilen.He wanted to linger in the garden longer.
Example conversation
Hannah and Felix are visiting a beautiful museum.
- HannahDieses Gemälde ist wirklich beeindruckend.This painting is truly impressive.
- FelixStimmt, wollen wir hier noch etwas verweilen?True, shall we linger here for a while?
- HannahJa, ich möchte es in Ruhe betrachten.Yes, I want to look at it in peace.
- FelixDann nehmen wir uns Zeit, Hannah.Then let's take our time, Hannah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “linger” translations and entries herumlungern, verweilen, bleiben, trödeln, zurückbleiben, nachklingen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sich, aufhalten) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Zeit, bleiben, brauchen, herumlungern, verweilen, zeit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
