Traue

Traue is not a separate dictionary entry in German, but the first-person singular present tense form of the verb trauen. It appears in sentences as ich traue, meaning “I trust” or “I dare,” depending on context. The infinitive form of the verb is trauen, which covers meanings such as to trust, to have confidence in, or to dare in certain constructions. Traue is thus a conjugated form, not a distinct word with its own lemma.

In usage, trauen expresses trust or belief with a direct object: Ich traue dir. It can also indicate mistrust in the negative form: Ich traue ihm nicht. The verb is also employed in expressions of capability, as in Ich traue mir das zu, meaning “I am capable of doing that.” A common related construction is sich trauen, meaning to dare to do something: Ich traue mich nicht, das zu sagen, or Ich traue mich, das zu tun. The past participle is getraut, as in Ich habe mich getraut.

Etymologically, trauen is related to the German word Treue (loyalty), sharing a semantic field centered on trust and confidence. Both terms reflect the same conceptual core, though they function as different parts of speech in modern German.

See also: Treue, vertrauen, sich trauen.