verb

tanzen

dance

Sich mit dem Körper im Rhythmus zu Musik bewegen.

Definition & meaning

The verb tanzen primarily refers to the act of moving one's body rhythmically, usually in time to music. It can describe a formal artistic performance, a social activity, or a spontaneous expression of joy.

Beyond the literal movement of humans, the word can be used figuratively to describe:

Light, irregular movement: Describing objects that seem to move gracefully or quickly, such as dust motes in a beam of light or a flame flickering.
Agitated movement: Describing someone moving around restlessly or excitedly.

Grammar & Word origin

The word tanzen is a regular (weak) verb in German. Its principal parts are:

Präsens: er/sie/es tanzt
Präteritum: er/sie/es tanzte
Perfekt: hat getanzt

Etymologically, the word stems from the Middle High German tanzen, which was likely borrowed from the Old French dancier. This makes it a cognate of the English word "dance." The word consists of the root "tanz" and the verbal suffix "-en."

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

sich bewegen[?](vocabuo://word/sich bewegen): To move oneself; a more general term for physical activity.
hüpfen: To hop or jump; often used when the dancing is very energetic or lacks formal structure.
schwofen: An informal or slightly old-fashioned term for social dancing, often in a relaxed or party context.
steppen: Specifically refers to tap dancing or moving with rhythmic steps.
rocken: To dance enthusiastically, typically to rock or modern music.

Antonyms