The high hydrogen content in complex hydrides such as M[AIH 4]x and M[BH4]x (M = Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca) stimulated many research activities to utilize them as hydrogen storage materials. An understanding of the dynamical properties on the molecular level is important to understand and to improve the sorption kinetics. Hydrogen dynamics in complex hydrides comprise long range translational diffusion as well as localized motions like vibrations, librations or rotations. All the different motions are characterized by their specific length- and timescales. Within this review we give an introduction to the physical properties of lightweight complex hydrides and illustrate the huge variety of dynamical phenomena on selected examples. © by Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag.