trocken

dry

adjective TROK-en Rare

Also means

dry (humour), teetotal (person)

Usage Note

trocken covers lack of moisture in all senses — trockenes Holz, trockenes Klima, ein trockener Wein. Applied to humour it means deadpan. Trocken sein can also mean sober (not drinking). It is one of the most versatile condition adjectives in German.

Examples

"Das Holz muss trocken sein, bevor man es verarbeiten kann."

Natural Translation

The wood must be dry before you can work with it.

Literal Translation

The wood must be dry, before one it process can.

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