verb
to vacuum, to hoover
B1
Staub saugen (two-word verb) means to vacuum or hoover and is equivalent to staubsaugen. It's separable in speech (ich sauge Staub / ich staubsauge). Auxiliary for perfect is haben; past participle gestaubsaugt. It's regular (weak) and takes an accusative object (den Teppich staubsaugen). Not reflexive.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Die Putzfrau saugte Staub, bevor die Besucher eintrafen, damit die Wohnung ordentlich wirkte.
The cleaner vacuumed dust before the visitors arrived so that the apartment looked tidy.
Ich habe die Wohnung staubgesaugt.
I have vacuumed the apartment.
Ich muss heute Staub saugen.
I have to vacuum today.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Picture a vacuum cleaner pulling dust into its bag; the verb literally pictures 'sucking dust'.
Sounds like 'stowb-sow-gen' — imagine the vacuum 'sucking' dust.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Common everyday verb for cleaning. 'Staub saugen' and 'staubsaugen' are often used interchangeably.