tief

Tief is a German adjective meaning deep, and it is used to describe physical depth as well as abstract or figurative depth. In everyday language it most commonly appears in phrases such as ein tiefes Wasser (a deep water), ein tiefes Loch (a deep hole), or tiefe Gefühle (deep feelings). It can function as an adverb in expressions like Der Ozean ist sehr tief or Er schlief tief und fest, where it modifies verbs or adjectives. The word also participates in fixed collocations such as tiefgründig (profound, deep-thinking) and in the noun form Die Tiefe, meaning depth.

As a noun, Tief is also capitalized: das Tief refers to a low-pressure area in meteorology, and in broader contexts it can denote the concept of depth itself. For instance, die Tiefe des Sees means the depth of the lake, while in weather maps you might see Tiefgebiete referred to as regions of low pressure. The related term Hoch refers to high pressure. In nautical or cartographic usage, Tief can indicate depth measurements or the depth dimension of a landscape or body of water.

Etymology and related forms: Tief derives from Old High German and has cognates in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch diep and Swedish djup, reflecting a common Proto-Germanic heritage for the concept of depth. It yields several derived terms, including die Tiefe (depth) as a noun, tiefer (deeper) as the comparative form, and tiefste (deepest) as the superlative.

Declension and grammar: As an adjective, tief follows standard German inflection patterns. With a definite article, it takes endings like tiefe, tiefen, or tiefem (das tiefe Wasser, dem tiefen See). With no article, strong endings appear, for example tiefes Loch. Feminine forms include tiefe Bedeutung (deep meaning). The distinction between adjective and noun senses is common in usage.

See also: depth, profundity, Tiefdruckgebiet (low-pressure area), Tiefsee (the deep sea).