traben
/ˈtʁaːbən/
The German word for the trot is traben.
traben can be used as a verb meaning to move at a gait between a walk and a canter.
Meaning: gait of an animal between walk and canter (noun)
Which one should you use?
you can use the gerund das Traben to refer specifically to the trot as a noun (the gait itself).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the verb traben, the past tense is trabte and the past participle is getrabt.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʁaːbən/
Did you know?
- While traben describes a horse's gait, it is also used colloquially to describe a person who walks with a brisk, bouncy or arrogant step.
- The word traben is a cognate of the Old English word 'þrafian', which meant 'to urge, compel or argue'.
Examples in context
- Ein Pferd kann im Trab laufen.A horse can trot.
- Das Pony trippelt fröhlich durch die Wiese.The pony trots happily across the meadow.
- Das Pferd trabtThe horse trots
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are watching horses at a farm.
- SarahSchau, wie schön das Pferd beim Traben aussieht.Look how beautiful the horse looks when trotting.
- LukasJa, der Traben ist wirklich sehr elegant.Yes, the trot is really very elegant.
- SarahGlaubst du, es kann auch schneller galoppieren?Do you think it can gallop faster too?
- LukasSicher, aber der Traben ist entspannter.Sure, but the trot is more relaxed.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry traben, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries traben, CC BY-SA 4.0.
