German · Body & Health

"to breathe" in German: atmen

atmen

Say it: AHT-menverb/ˈaːtmən/

To breathe in German is atmen. Say Atme tief durch or Ich atme ruhiger. Die Atmung and der Atem are related nouns, not the verb itself.

Panic coaching

Atme langsam ein und wieder aus.
Breathe in slowly and out again.
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How to pronounce atmen

Say it

AHT-men

/ˈaːtmən/

AHT-men. Short a; t clear; -men light. Atme ends with uh.

"to breathe" in German: quick reference

GermanEnglish
atmento breathe

Infinitive.

ich atme / du atmest / er atmetI/you/he breathe(s)

Present.

tief atmento breathe deeply

Calm advice.

geatmetbreathed

Participle.

How to use atmen in real life

  1. 1Panic coaching

    Atme langsam ein und wieder aus.

    Breathe in slowly and out again.

    Atme imperative.

  2. 2After stairs

    Warte, ich atme kurz durch.

    Wait, I'll catch my breath briefly.

    Ich atme.

  3. 3Yoga class

    Jetzt atmet ihr ruhig in den Bauch.

    Now you breathe calmly into the belly.

    Atmet ihr.

Mistakes English speakers make with atmen

Incorrect: Meine Atmung. (only, for the verb page)

Correct: Ich atme …

Atmung is the noun; use atmen forms for the verb.

Incorrect: Ich breath.

Correct: Ich atme.

Use atmen.

Good to know

Atme tief durch is everyday comfort language, not only medical. In sports, through-breathing (durchatmen) marks a reset between efforts.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Calming nerves before a presentation

  1. ChatPal

    Du wirkst angespannt.

    You seem tense.

  2. You

    Stimmt. Ich atme zu flach.

    True. I'm breathing too shallowly.

  3. ChatPal

    Dann atme mit mir dreimal tief.

    Then breathe deeply with me three times.

  4. You

    Okay jetzt geht es besser.

    Okay … now it's better.

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"to breathe" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "to breathe" in German

How do you conjugate atmen?

Ich atme, du atmest, er/sie/es atmet.

How do you say breathe deeply?

Tief atmen / atme tief durch.

Is Atem the verb?

No — der Atem is breath; atmen is the verb.

Participle?

Geatmet.

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