German Phrase
Atme mal tief durch.
Meaning
A friendly, informal way to tell someone to take a deep breath, often to calm down, prepare for a task, or recover after exertion.
When to use
Use it with friends, family, or anyone you address with du. It’s common in casual conversation, sports coaching, or therapeutic settings. In formal contexts switch to "Bitte atmen Sie tief durch."
✦Grammar Breakdown
Atmemaltiefdurch
Imperative (du)
For regular verbs the du‑imperative adds an -e to the verb stem: atmen → atme.
Separable verb "durchatmen"
"Durch" is a separable prefix; in the imperative it moves to the end of the clause (Atme … durch).
Modal particle "mal"
"mal" softens the command, making it sound friendly or casual.
Adverb "tief"
"tief" modifies the verb and means “deeply”.
🗨In Conversation
Atme mal tief durch.
Take a deep breath.
Okay, danke.
Okay, thanks.
✕Common Mistakes
Atme tief mal durch.
The modal particle "mal" should come directly after the verb, not after the adverb.
Atmen Sie mal tief durch.
"mal" is informal and does not fit with the formal "Sie" form.
Atme tief durch mal.
Word order is wrong; the separable prefix must stay at the end.
↔Alternatives
Nimm einen tiefen Atemzug.
Take a deep breath.
Atme tief ein und aus.
Breathe in and out deeply.
Bitte atmen Sie tief durch.
Please breathe deeply (formal).
Cultural Tip
German speakers love the particle "mal" to make commands sound less abrupt. It’s a hallmark of everyday, friendly speech. Avoid using it in formal or written instructions; instead use the full polite form with "Sie" and "Bitte".