When you're learning German at a B1 level, expanding your vocabulary with practical words is key. 'Tropfen' is one such word. It's a masculine noun, so remember it's 'der Tropfen'.
It means 'drops' or 'a drop' and refers to a small quantity of liquid. You'll encounter it in everyday situations, like talking about rain drops or adding a few drops of something to a recipe. Keep an ear out for it!
When you encounter the German word "Tropfen" at a C2 level, it's helpful to understand its nuances beyond the basic definition of "drops" or "a small quantity of liquid." While the literal meaning is straightforward, at an advanced level, you might encounter it in more idiomatic or figurative contexts. For example, "auf den letzten Tropfen" can mean "to the last drop," often used metaphorically for effort or resources.
You might also see it in compounds like "Augentropfen" (eye drops) or "Regentropfen" (raindrops), but the C2 understanding involves recognizing when "Tropfen" signifies a minimal amount of something abstract, like "ein Tropfen Hoffnung" (a glimmer of hope). Paying attention to the surrounding context is crucial for grasping these more subtle applications. It’s not just about liquid anymore, but about minimal presence or influence.
Exemples par niveau
Der Arzt verschrieb ihr Augentropfen gegen die Entzündung.
The doctor prescribed her eyedrops for the inflammation.
Augentropfen is a compound noun, meaning 'eye drops'.
Ein paar Tropfen Regen fielen, aber es wurde kein richtiger Schauer.
A few drops of rain fell, but it didn't turn into a real shower.
Here, 'Tropfen' is used in its plural form.
Könnten Sie mir bitte noch einen Tropfen Milch in meinen Kaffee geben?
Could you please give me another drop of milk in my coffee?
'ein Tropfen' refers to a small, singular quantity.
Nach dem Schwimmen blieben noch Wassertropfen auf ihrer Haut zurück.
After swimming, water drops remained on her skin.
Wassertropfen is another compound noun, meaning 'water drops'.
Er war so durstig, dass er jeden Tropfen Wasser dankbar trank.
He was so thirsty that he gratefully drank every drop of water.
'jeden Tropfen' emphasizes 'every single drop'.
Ein Tropfen auf den heißen Stein – diese kleine Spende reicht nicht aus.
A drop in the ocean – this small donation is not enough.
This is a common idiom: 'ein Tropfen auf den heißen Stein' (literally 'a drop on the hot stone').
Sie gab einen Tropfen Öl in die Pfanne, bevor sie die Zwiebeln anbraten.
She put a drop of oil in the pan before frying the onions.
Similar to 'ein Tropfen Milch', 'ein Tropfen Öl' indicates a small amount.
Vorsicht, der Saft hinterlässt Flecken, schon ein Tropfen ist genug.
Careful, the juice leaves stains; even one drop is enough.
'schon ein Tropfen' emphasizes that even a small amount is significant.
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
Der Tropfen fällt ins Wasser.
The drop falls into the water.
Er hatte noch keinen Tropfen getrunken.
He hadn't drunk a drop yet.
Gib mir einen Tropfen Wein.
Give me a drop of wine.
Das war der letzte Tropfen.
That was the last straw (lit. the last drop).
Die Tropfen fallen leise.
The drops fall quietly.
Es gab keinen Tropfen Regen.
There wasn't a drop of rain.
Ein Tropfen genügt.
One drop is enough.
Sie hat keinen Tropfen Angst.
She has no fear (lit. not a drop of fear).
Die Tropfen sind klein.
The drops are small.
Fünf Tropfen pro Tag.
Five drops per day.
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsDer Tropfen is the singular form, meaning 'the drop.' Die Tropfen is the plural, meaning 'the drops.' German nouns have grammatical gender, and 'Tropfen' is masculine in the singular.
You can use it like this: Ein Tropfen Wasser (A drop of water). Or, Ich habe ein paar Tropfen Hustensaft genommen (I took a few drops of cough syrup).
Yes, a very common one is Der letzte Tropfen, der das Fass zum Überlaufen bringt (The last drop that makes the barrel overflow). This means 'the last straw' in English.
Typically, 'Tropfen' refers to liquid. While you might occasionally hear it used metaphorically for something tiny, it's overwhelmingly used for small quantities of fluid.
For liquid, there aren't many direct synonyms that have the same exact meaning of 'a drop.' You might use words like Flüssigkeit (liquid) or Feuchtigkeit (moisture) in broader contexts, but they don't replace 'Tropfen' directly.
It's pronounced like 'TROPE-fen.' The 'o' is long, like in 'boat,' and the 'f' sounds like an English 'f.' The 'en' at the end is a soft 'uhn' sound.
Yes, der Tropfen is always a noun. There isn't a verb form of 'tropfen' (to drip) that uses the exact same word.
While English uses 'drop of kindness,' German wouldn't typically use Tropfen in that exact metaphorical way. You'd likely use phrases like ein bisschen Freundlichkeit (a little kindness) or eine Spur Freundlichkeit (a trace of kindness).
The plural form is also Tropfen. It doesn't change from the singular, but the article changes to die Tropfen (the drops).
It's a neutral word, neither formal nor informal. You can use it in any context where you need to refer to a drop of liquid.
Teste-toi 30 questions
This sentence means 'Every drop counts in the desert.' and is a common German saying.
This sentence translates to 'A few drops of rain fell on the roof.'
This sentence means 'She had tears in her eyes, but not a single drop fell.'
Listen for how 'Tropfen' is used in the context of morning dew.
Listen for 'Tropfen' in a metaphorical sense.
Listen for 'Tropfen' describing falling liquid after rain.
Read this aloud:
Ein einziger Tropfen Öl kann das Wasser verunreinigen.
Focus: Ein-zel-ner Trop-fen
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Mit jedem Tropfen Regen wuchs die Sehnsucht nach Wärme.
Focus: je-dem Trop-fen Re-gen
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Er trank nur einen Tropfen Wein, um den Geschmack zu testen.
Focus: einen Trop-fen Wein
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'Every drop of blood counts in this situation.' It emphasizes the importance of each individual drop.
This is a proverbial expression meaning 'Sometimes a drop of patience is worth more than a sea full of anger.' It highlights the value of patience.
This means 'The machine is losing one drop of oil after another.' It describes a continuous, albeit small, leakage.
Listen for 'Tropfen' and understand the context of the sentence.
Focus on the environmental context and the word 'Tropfen'.
Understand the figurative use of 'Tropfen' in this sentence.
Read this aloud:
Kannst du mir bitte einen Tropfen Milch in den Kaffee geben?
Focus: Tropfen
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Kein Tropfen Wasser war im Brunnen übrig, was auf die lange Dürre hindeutete.
Focus: Tropfen, übrig
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Ein Tropfen im Meer ist eine Redewendung, die die Geringfügigkeit einer Menge ausdrückt.
Focus: Redewendung, Geringfügigkeit
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'Every drop of rain is a blessing for the dry earth.' It's a figurative use of 'Tropfen' to describe something small but valuable.
This sentence translates to 'Only a small drop of courage can make the difference.' Here, 'Tropfen' is used metaphorically for a tiny amount of a quality.
This means 'The last drop of water in the well was crucial.' This uses 'Tropfen' literally to refer to a small amount of liquid, emphasizing its importance in a critical situation.
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Exemple
Bitte geben Sie mir einen Tropfen Wasser auf die Zunge.
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