dunkelst

Dunkelst is a form of the German verb dunkeln, meaning to darken or to become dark. In standard grammar it is the second-person singular present indicative form, used with the subject du (you). Thus du dunkelst translates to you darken or you are darkening, depending on context.

Because dunkeln can be used either transitively or intransitively, dunkelst can have corresponding meanings. Intransitively, it can describe a scene or atmosphere growing darker: Der Himmel dunkelt am Abend. In a transitive use, it can mean to darken something: Du dunkelst den Raum leicht ab. The exact sense depends on whether a direct object is present and on the broader context of the sentence.

Dunkelst is not the superlative form of the adjective dunkel. The ordinary German superlatives are dunkelste or am dunkelsten, used to say “the darkest.” The word dunkelst is therefore not used for comparison between three or more things but is tied to verb conjugation. In modern usage, if the intended meaning is to make something darker, speakers often choose verbs such as verdunkeln or abdunkeln instead of dunkeln.

Etymologically, dunkeln derives from the Germanic root related to darkness and shade, and its inflected forms follow standard German verb conjugation patterns. While dunkelst is correct as a verb form, its occurrence is more typical in older texts, poetry, or language with a formal or literary register than in everyday colloquial German. See also dunkel, verdunkeln, abdunkeln for related terms.