Schmerz

German

Etymology

From Middle High German smerze f, m, from Old High German smerza f, smerzo m, from Proto-West Germanic *smertan. Cognate with Dutch smart, English smart.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ʃmɛʁts/, [ʃmɛɐ̯ts]
  • audio(file)
  • audio(file)

Noun

Schmerz m (mixed, genitive Schmerzes, plural Schmerzen)

  1. (chiefly in the plural) physical pain, ache (practically, as a sensation)
    Haben Sie Schmerzen? ― Do you feel pain?
    Das waren die schlimmsten Schmerzen, die ich je erlebt habe. ― That was the worst pain I have ever felt.
  2. (chiefly in the singular) physical pain (theoretically, as a bodily mechanism or function)
    Schmerz ist ein Alarmsignal des Körpers. ― Pain is an emergency signal of the body.
    Konditionierung durch Schmerz ― conditioning by pain
  3. (chiefly in the singular) emotional pain, sorrow, heartache
    Man lebt weiter, aber der Schmerz bleibt. ― One lives on, but the pain remains.

Usage notes
  • (physical pain as a sensation): While the plural is the normal choice, the singular is not altogether impossible in this sense. In specific contexts, it may even be fairly common, e.g. referring to chronic pain or, conversely, a sudden shot of pain, etc.

Declension
Declension of Schmerz [masculine, mixed]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Schmerz die Schmerzen
genitive eines des Schmerzes der Schmerzen
dative einem dem Schmerz, Schmerze1 den Schmerzen
accusative einen den Schmerz die Schmerzen

1Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

Further reading
  • “Schmerz” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • “Schmerz” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • “Schmerz” in Duden online
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