Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Laufen | /ˈlaʊ̯fn̩/ | neuter |
| Laufsport | masculine |
The terms in this pack refer to the activity of running. The verb laufen is used for the physical act of running, but it is also commonly used to mean walking or moving on foot. Other related forms include eiternd and nässend for discharging pus, and laufend for discharging snot or mucus.
Which one should you use?
Laufen is the general term for the activity, but it is also the most common way to say 'to walk' or 'to go' in a general sense. If you want to specify running as a formal athletic discipline and distinguish it from just walking, use the masculine noun Laufsport.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the verb laufen, the second person singular conjugation is Du läufst and the third person singular conjugation is Er/sie/es läuft.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlaʊ̯fn̩/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often assume laufen only means running fast, but in many German dialects, it is the standard word for walking.
Did you know?
- The German word laufen is a distant relative of the English words 'leap' and 'lope'.
- The word laufen is used to describe things that are not human, such as a clock that is 'running' or a machine that is operating.
- While laufen is the general term, Germans often use the English loanword 'jogging' to specify a slow, rhythmic pace for health.
Examples in context
- Fang an zu laufen.Start running.This sentence is useful for practicing the verb Laufen.Tatoeba #4941749 by Hans_Adler, translation #2111521 by CK
- Tom sah Maria laufen.Tom saw Mary running.Tatoeba #6642350 by Felixjp, translation #6358714 by CK
- Lass den Motor laufen!Keep the engine running.Tatoeba #10475332 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10475247 by CK
- Ich laufe jeden Morgen im Park.I run in the park every morning.
- Der Lauf verlief reibungslos.The run proceeded smoothly.
- Ich renne zum Bus!I'm running to catch the bus!
- Der Dieb ist davongelaufen.The thief ran away.
- Die Kinder flitzen durch den Park.The children are running through the park.
- Wir haben den Zug gerade noch erwischt, weil wir zum Gleis gerannt sind.We barely caught the train because we ran to the platform.
- 64 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Hannah are talking about their weekend hobbies.
- JulianHast du ein neues Hobby gefunden?Have you found a new hobby?
- HannahJa, Laufen macht mir richtig Spaß.Yes, running is really fun for me.
- JulianWie oft gehst du zum Laufen?How often do you go running?
- HannahIch gehe meistens dreimal pro Woche.I usually go three times a week.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “running” translations and entries Laufen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries laufen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
