verb
to doubt, to have doubts
B1
Meaning: 'to doubt' or 'to have doubts'. It is a regular weak verb using haben in the perfect (hat gezweifelt). Not reflexive. Commonly used with preposition 'an' + D (zweifeln an etwas). Present participle: zweifelnd; past: zweifelte. Frequent in everyday speech.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Ich zweifle an seiner Aussage.
I doubt his statement.
Ich zweifle an seiner Aussage.
I doubt his statement.
Ich habe nie daran gezweifelt.
I never doubted it.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Imagine someone holding two (zwei) options and hesitating between them — that hesitation is 'zweifeln'
Think 'twilight' (unclear) — 'zweifeln' relates to uncertainty like twilight blurring things
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Weak (regular) verb. Commonly used with 'an' + dative (an etwas zweifeln). In perfect tenses it uses 'haben'. Passive (Vorgangspassiv) forms are not commonly used with this intransitive verb and are usually ungrammatical; passive paradigm entries are annotated accordingly. Intransitive verb; passive forms are not applicable.