Schmerz
/ʃmɛʁts/masculine
The English word "pain" is translated into German as Schmerz.
Schmerz refers to an ache or bodily suffering. If you wish to express the act of hurting or causing bodily anguish, you can use the related verb schmerzen.
Meaning: ache or bodily suffering (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Schmerz is the singular form, the plural form Schmerzen is very frequently used in a medical context to describe general bodily aches or multiple points of pain. For mild discomfort or a general sense of unease, the word Unwohlsein (unwellness) may be more appropriate.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Schmerz is a masculine noun, so its definite article in the nominative case is der.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃmɛʁts/
Did you know?
- The German language has a specific term, Weltschmerz, which describes a feeling of world-weariness or a deep sadness caused by the imperfection of the world.
- The English word 'smart' does not only mean 'intelligent' but is an old cognate of Schmerz, once meaning a sharp, stinging pain.
- The expression Schmerzgrenze refers to one's 'pain threshold', but it is also frequently used in business to describe a non-negotiable limit in a deal.
Examples in context
- Der Schmerz ist weg.The pain has gone.Tatoeba #1314897 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #278308 by CK
- Ich ertrug den Schmerz.I bore the pain.Tatoeba #4801333 by Tamy, translation #11078488 by sundown
- Tom ertrug den Schmerz.Tom endured the pain.Tatoeba #6472709 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2646995 by CK
- Ich habe Schmerzen im Rücken.I have pain in my back.
- Er leidet unter starken Schmerzen.He is suffering from severe pain.
- Mein Kopf tut weh.My head hurts.
- Es tut mir hier weh.It hurts here.
- Ich habe Bauchschmerzen.I have a stomachache.
- Er hat Rückenschmerzen.He has back pain.
- 368 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia is telling Maximilian about her sore knee.
- JuliaIch habe einen starken Schmerz im Knie.I have a strong pain in my knee.
- MaximilianWie stark ist der Schmerz genau?How strong is the pain exactly?
- JuliaDer Schmerz ist fast unerträglich.The pain is almost unbearable.
- MaximilianDu solltest zum Arzt gehen, Julia.You should go to the doctor, Julia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pain” translations and entries Schmerz, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Schmerz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
