Skip to content

murmeln

to mumble

verb MUR-meln Less Common

Also means

to mutter

Usage Note

murmeln is to speak indistinctly and quietly, often to oneself: vor sich hin murmeln. It can also describe a brook (der Bach murmelt). Unlike flüstern, it implies low clarity rather than deliberate quietness. The noun das Gemurmel names a low collective muttering in a crowd.

Examples

"Er murmelte etwas Unverständliches in seinen Bart."

Natural Translation

He mumbled something unintelligible into his beard.

Literal Translation

He mumbled something unintelligible into his beard.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore German by topic