Pause
/ˈpaʊ̯zə/feminine
The German word for pause is Pause.
Pause refers to a temporary stop or rest. In German, you typically use the phrase eine Pause machen to say you are taking a pause, rather than using the English construction 'take' a pause. If you want to describe a brief break intended for recharging, you might use the informal term Auszeit (time-out). For a break specifically involving coffee, you can use Kaffeepause.
Meaning: temporary stop or rest (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Pause is the noun used for a break, pausieren is the verb used to describe the act of pausing or temporarily halting playback.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Pause is a feminine noun and is used with the definite article die.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpaʊ̯zə/
Did you know?
- The German word Pause was borrowed from Middle French, which in turn took it from Latin.
- German school culture distinguishes the Pause as a dedicated time for Brotzeit, a traditional snack of bread and cold cuts.
- The term Zäsur is used for a 'pause' in poetry or music, which carries a much more formal and structural weight than the everyday Pause.
Examples in context
- Machen wir eine kurze Pause!Let's take a short pause.This sentence demonstrates the common phrase for taking a short pause.Tatoeba #587249 by Manfredo, translation #599698 by fliegster
- Die Griechen erfanden das Komma, nicht für ihre Literatur, sondern für ihre Schauspieler, damit sie tief Luft holen konnten als Vorbereitung für einen auf sie zukommenden längeren Satzteil, darum stellt das Komma eine kleine Pause dar.The Greeks invented the comma, not for their literature but for their actors, to warn them to take a deep breath in preparation of an upcoming long phrase, thus a comma represents a pause.This sentence explains how a comma represents a small pause in a sentence.Tatoeba #1470712 by Dejo, translation #1470705 by Dejo
- Wir machen jetzt eine Pause.We are going to pause now.This sentence shows how to use the phrase to say you are pausing now.Tatoeba #9498793 by felix63, translation #9499063 by jayrod84
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Felix are studying together in a library.
- HannahIch brauche jetzt eine Pause.I need a break now.
- FelixWie lange soll die Pause dauern?How long should the break last?
- HannahZehn Minuten reichen mir völlig.Ten minutes are quite enough for me.
- FelixGut, dann gehen wir kurz raus.Good, then let's go outside for a bit.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pause” translations and entries Pause, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Pause, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
