das  Gefühl

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɡəˈfyːl/

🧠 What does "das Gefühl" mean?

Das Gefühl is a versatile German noun. It primarily describes inner states but can also refer to external perceptions or a kind of intuition.

1. Emotion / Inner state: This is the most common meaning. It describes how someone feels inside. Examples: Freude (joy), Trauer (sadness), Angst (fear), Liebe (love).
   Example: Sie hatte ein starkes Gefühl der Erleichterung. (She had a strong feeling of relief.)
2. Sense / Sensation (often physical): Refers to the ability to sense or a physical sensation.
   Example: Nach dem Spaziergang im Schnee hatte er kein Gefühl mehr in den Zehen. (After the walk in the snow, he had no feeling left in his toes.)
3. Intuition / Hunch / Gut feeling: A subjective impression or premonition, often without a clear rational basis ("Bauchgefühl" - gut feeling).
   Example: Ich habe das Gefühl, dass heute etwas Besonderes passieren wird. (I have a feeling that something special will happen today.)
4. Feel / Sense (for something): The ability to judge something well or react appropriately to it.
   Example: Er hat ein gutes Gefühl für Farben und Formen. (He has a good feel for colors and shapes.)

⚠️ Pay attention to the context to grasp the correct meaning of das Gefühl.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar You Can Feel: Declining das Gefühl

Das Gefühl is a neuter noun. It follows the strong declension pattern.

Singular Declension

Note: The ending -(e)s in the Genitive and -(e) in the Dative are often optional, with the form without -e being more common in modern German.

Plural Declension

📝 Short Example Sentences

• Nominative: Das Gefühl war überwältigend. (The feeling was overwhelming.)
• Genitive: Die Macht des Gefühls sollte man nicht unterschätzen. (One shouldn't underestimate the power of feeling.)
• Dative: Er gab dem Gefühl nach. (He gave in to the feeling.)
• Accusative: Sie konnte das Gefühl nicht beschreiben. (She couldn't describe the feeling.)
• Plural: Seine Gefühle waren gemischt. (His feelings were mixed.)

💡 Getting the Right Feeling for Context

The use of das Gefühl highly depends on the context:

• Everyday Life: Used when talking about emotions or physical sensations. "Ich habe ein komisches Gefühl im Magen." (I have a strange feeling in my stomach. - Physical) vs. "Ich habe das Gefühl, ich werde beobachtet." (I have the feeling I'm being watched. - Hunch/Intuition).
• In Psychology: A central term for describing emotional states.
• In Art/Literature: Often used to express moods and characters' inner worlds.
• "Gefühl für etwas haben": Describes talent or sensitivity in a specific area. "Sie hat ein gutes Gefühl für Timing." (She has a good sense of timing.)

Distinguishing from similar words:

• Die Emotion: Often synonymous with Gefühl (in the sense of inner state), but sometimes considered more intense or specific.
• Die Empfindung: Emphasizes physical perception more (e.g., warmth, cold, pain), but can also stand for mild feelings.
• Die Stimmung: Describes a longer-lasting, general emotional state (e.g., good mood, bad mood).
• Das Gespür: Similar to Gefühl meaning intuition or a sense for something, often a bit more subtle.

In plural, die Gefühle, almost always refers to emotions. "Er spricht nicht gern über seine Gefühle." (He doesn't like to talk about his feelings.)

🧠 Mnemonics for "das Gefühl"

Article Mnemonic (das): Think of the English word 'feel'. It doesn't inherently feel masculine ('der') or feminine ('die'). It feels neutral, like das. Or imagine a neutral data point ('das Datum') representing a feeling.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine someone saying "Gosh, I FEEL full!" after eating. "Ge-fühl" sounds a bit like "Gosh-FEEL". This links the sound to the core concept of 'feeling', whether it's an emotion, a physical sensation, or a gut feeling.

🔄 Similar and Different: Synonyms & Antonyms

🚨 Watch out for false friends:

• Der Gefallen: Sounds similar, but means 'favour' or 'pleasure'. "Tu mir einen Gefallen." (Do me a favour.)
• Gefährlich: Adjective, means 'dangerous'.

😂 A Little Joke About Feelings

Fragt der Therapeut den Patienten: "Haben Sie manchmal widersprüchliche Gefühle?"
Patient: "Ja und Nein."

(Therapist asks the patient: "Do you sometimes have conflicting feelings?"
Patient: "Yes and no.")

✍️ A Little Poem

Das Gefühl, mal heiß, mal kalt,
mal jung an Jahren, mal steinalt.
Mal ist es Freude, mal ist es Schmerz,
tief sitzt es drin, in unsrem Herz.

Ein leises Ahnen, unbestimmt,
ein Gefühl, das leise klimmt.
Ein Sinn für Schönes, klar und rein,
das Gefühl kann alles sein.

(The feeling, sometimes hot, sometimes cold,
Sometimes young in years, sometimes stone-old.
Sometimes it's joy, sometimes it's pain,
Deep it sits within, in our heart's domain.)

(A quiet inkling, undefined,
A feeling that gently shines.
A sense for beauty, clear and pure,
The feeling can be everything, for sure.)

🤔 A Little Riddle

Ich habe keinen Körper, doch ich kann dich berühren.
Ich habe keine Stimme, doch ich kann dich verführen.
Mal bring ich dich zum Lachen, mal bring ich dich zum Weinen.
Ich wohne tief in dir, in Großen und in Kleinen.

Was bin ich? ... Das Gefühl

(I have no body, yet I can touch you.
I have no voice, yet I can seduce you.
Sometimes I make you laugh, sometimes I make you cry.
I live deep inside you, in the great and the small fry.)

(What am I?)
... Das Gefühl (The feeling)

🤓 More about Gefühl

Word Formation:

The word Gefühl is a nominalization (making a noun) of the verb fühlen (to feel) using the prefix Ge-. The prefix Ge- is often used in German to form collective or abstract nouns (like in Gebirge - mountains, Gerede - talk/gossip).

Cultural Notes:

In German culture, authenticity of feelings is often valued, but so is their control ("Beherrschung" - self-control). Idioms like "aus dem Bauch heraus entscheiden" (to decide from the gut - based on gut feeling) are common.

Interesting Fact:

While German has countless specific words for individual feelings (die Wut - anger, die Freude - joy, die Trauer - sadness, die Angst - fear, der Ekel - disgust, die Überraschung - surprise, etc.), das Gefühl serves as the general umbrella term.