Melancholie
[melaŋkoˈliː]feminine
The English word melancholy can be translated into German as Melancholie or Schwermut.
Meaning: Sadness or depression (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Melancholie | [melaŋkoˈliː] (narrow) | feminine |
| Schwermut | /ˈʃveːɐ̯ˌmuːt/ | feminine |
Both terms refer to a state of sadness or depression.
What does it mean word for word?
The term Schwermut is a compound word consisting of schwer (heavy) and Mut (mood, spirit or courage), literally meaning a heavy mood.
Which one should you use?
Schwermut is a more traditional, Germanic term that suggests a deep, soulful sadness or a sense of heavy-heartedness.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both Melancholie and Schwermut are feminine nouns, which means they take the feminine articles die or eine.
Did you know?
- The word Schwermut is closely related to the concept of Weltschmerz, a specific type of melancholy caused by the realization that the physical world can never satisfy the demands of the mind.
- In German literature, particularly during the Romantic era, feeling Schwermut was often seen as a sign of nobility and spiritual depth rather than a negative symptom of illness.
- While Mut currently means 'courage' in modern German, in the word Schwermut it retains its archaic meaning of 'mind' or 'spirit'.
Examples in context
- Tom hatte eine Neigung zur Melancholie.Tom was prone to melancholy.This sentence uses Melancholie to describe a person's tendency toward melancholy.Tatoeba #8413703 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8329290 by Hybrid
- Der König neigte zu Schwermut und Langerweile.The king was prone to melancholy and boredom.This sentence uses Schwermut to describe a king's inclination toward melancholy and boredom.Tatoeba #8333172 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8187128 by Hybrid
- In meiner Sprache gibt es fünfhundert Wörter für „Schwermut“.My language has five hundred words for melancholy.This sentence uses Schwermut to discuss the abundance of words for melancholy in a language.Tatoeba #11049027 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #11046651 by shekitten
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are sitting in a quiet cafe on a rainy afternoon.
- JuliaDiese Musik löst in mir eine tiefe Melancholie aus.This music triggers a deep melancholy in me.
- MaximilianDas verstehe ich, sie klingt sehr traurig.I understand that, it sounds very sad.
- JuliaFühlst du dich heute auch so melancholisch?Do you also feel so melancholy today?
- MaximilianNein, mir geht es eigentlich ganz gut.No, I am actually doing quite well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “melancholy” translations and entries Melancholie, Schwermut, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
