Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| peinlich | /ˈpaɪ̯nˌlɪç/ |
| ungelenk | /ˈʊnɡəˌlɛŋk/ |
| umständlich | /ˈʊmˌʃtɛntlɪç/ |
| unbeholfen | /ˈʊnbəhɔlfən/ |
| verlegen | /fɛɐˈleːɡən/ /fɛɐˈleːɡn̩/ |
| awkward |
German uses different words for awkward depending on whether you are describing a social situation, a person's physical movements or a person's internal feeling of embarrassment.
Which one should you use?
While the English word awkward can cover many types of discomfort, German distinguishes between them: peinlich is used when the awkwardness causes embarrassment or social shame. ungelenk refers specifically to physical awkwardness or a lack of coordination in movement. unbeholfen describes a person's awkward or clumsy behavior or lack of social grace. And verlegen describes the internal feeling of being shy or embarrassed, often resulting in blushing or looking away.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpaɪ̯nˌlɪç/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use peinlich to mean 'awkward' in a social sense, but it specifically carries the connotation of being 'embarrassing' to oneself or others.
Did you know?
- The word peinlich is derived from the word Pein, which means 'pain' or 'torment'. It implies that an awkward situation is actually a source of psychological distress.
- The term ungelenk is built from the word Gelenk, which means 'joint'. To be 'awkward' in this sense is to be literally 'without joints'.
- In modern German youth slang, the English word 'awkward' is often used as a loanword to describe a specific kind of 'cringe' feeling.
Examples in context
- Die Situation war sehr peinlich.The situation was very awkward.This sentence is useful for describing an awkward situation using peinlich.Tatoeba #666663 by Hans07, translation #11157076 by sundown
- Tom brach das peinliche Schweigen.Tom broke the awkward silence.This sentence is useful for describing an awkward silence using peinlich.Tatoeba #6974316 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6826582 by Hybrid
- Er hatte einen kleinen, befellten Leib mit ungelenken Flügeln.He had a tiny, furry body with awkward wings.This sentence is useful for describing physical awkwardness using ungelenk.Tatoeba #11750303 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3955405 by Hybrid
- Das war peinlich! Ich kann es kaum fassen, dass ich das gesagt habe.That was embarrassing! I can't believe I said that.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Felix just had a misunderstanding during a date.
- JuliaDas war gerade echt peinlich.That was really awkward just now.
- FelixJa, es tut mir leid, Felix.Yes, I am sorry, Felix.
- JuliaAlles gut, Julia. Vergessen wir es einfach.It is okay, Julia. Let us just forget about it.
- FelixGute Idee. Reden wir über etwas anderes.Good idea. Let us talk about something else.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “awkward” translations and entries peinlich, ungelenk, umständlich, unbeholfen, verlegen, awkward, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries peinlich, umständlich, unbeholfen, ungelenk, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
