die  Befürchtung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/bəˈfʏʁçtʊŋ/

🤔 What exactly is a Befürchtung?

Die Befürchtung (noun, feminine) describes a feeling of worry, anxiety, or mistrust regarding future events or developments. It represents the expectation of something negative or unpleasant. One 'befürchtet' something when one assumes that something bad could happen.

In contrast to sudden, often irrational fear (die Angst), die Befürchtung is usually related to a specific situation or possibility, even if it is still uncertain. It's a form of foresight focused on potential negative consequences.

🚨 Important: Although 'Angst' and 'Befürchtung' are similar, 'Befürchtung' often denotes a more rational concern based on specific reasons, while 'Angst' can also be more groundless or panic-driven.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar: Die Befürchtung in Detail

The word 'Befürchtung' is a feminine noun. The article is always 'die'. Like many nouns ending in '-ung', it is feminine.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

Example Sentences

• Die Befürchtung, den Zug zu verpassen, ließ ihn schneller laufen.
  (The fear of missing the train made him walk faster.)
• Er äußerte seine Befürchtungen bezüglich des neuen Projekts.
  (He expressed his concerns/fears regarding the new project.) (Plural)
• Trotz aller Befürchtungen verlief die Prüfung gut.
  (Despite all fears/apprehensions, the exam went well.) (Genitive Plural or Dative Plural with preposition)

🗣️ Everyday Usage: When to use Befürchtung?

'Die Befürchtung' is often used to express worries or negative expectations, especially in more formal contexts or when speaking thoughtfully and deliberately.

• In personal life: Ich habe die Befürchtung, dass ich die Prüfung nicht bestehe. (Expressing personal worry: I have the fear that I won't pass the exam.)
• In news and reports: Es gibt Befürchtungen, dass die Wirtschaftskrise sich verschärfen könnte. (More neutral statement of concerns: There are fears that the economic crisis could worsen.)
• At work: Meine Befürchtung ist, dass wir die Deadline nicht einhalten können. (Expressing professional concern: My fear/concern is that we won't be able to meet the deadline.)

Comparison with 'Angst' and 'Sorge':

• Angst: Often stronger, more immediate, sometimes irrational. Ich habe Angst vor Spinnen. (I am afraid of spiders.)
• Sorge: More general, can also relate to the well-being of others, not just negative events. Ich mache mir Sorgen um deine Gesundheit. (I am worried about your health.)
• Befürchtung: Focuses on a specific, anticipated negative event. Die Befürchtung eines Stellenabbaus geht um. (The fear of job cuts is circulating.)

One can 'haben' (have), 'hegen' (harbor), 'äußern' (express), or 'zerstreuen' (dispel) a Befürchtung. Fears (Befürchtungen) can be 'begründet' (justified/well-founded) or 'unbegründet' (unfounded).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Most German nouns ending in -ung are feminine. Think of: die Meinung (opinion), die Hoffnung (hope), die Leitung (management/pipe)... and, of course, die Befürchtung. The '-ung' ending practically screams 'die'! 💃

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine you stand 'be'-fore (vor) a door, 'fürcht'-ing what's behind it. The '-ung' suffix turns the verb 'fürchten' (to fear) into the noun describing this state of apprehensive fear about something specific. 'Be-fürcht-ung' – the feeling *before* you know, fearing the outcome.

↔️ Opposites and Alternatives: What fits instead of Befürchtung?

⚠️ Similar Words (Caution - Avoid Confusion):

• Die Furcht: Very similar, but 'Befürchtung' often implies more mental processing of a future possibility.
• Das Fürchten: The substantivized verb, often in the phrase 'Das Fürchten lehren' (to teach someone fear / to scare someone).

😄 A Little Joke

Warum nehmen Skelette keine Befürchtungen mit auf Partys?

Weil sie keine Nerven haben! 😉

(Why don't skeletons take fears/apprehensions to parties? Because they don't have the nerves!)

📜 A Short Poem about Befürchtung

Ein Schatten schleicht, ganz leis und sacht,
hat Sorgen in die Brust gebracht.
Die Zukunft ungewiss und schwer,
die Befürchtung wiegt oft sehr.
Was wird gescheh'n, was mag wohl sein?
Ein Nagen, innerlich und fein.
Doch Hoffnung keimt, vertreibt die Nacht,
hat Zuversicht zurückgebracht.

(A shadow creeps, so soft and slight,
Has brought worries into the chest's light.
The future uncertain and severe,
The apprehension weighs so dear.
What will happen, what might be?
A gnawing, internally.
But hope sprouts, dispels the night,
Has brought confidence back to light.)

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Gefühl, oft ungeladen,
mal' Zukunft aus in dunklen Faden.
Ich flüster' 'Was, wenn doch was schiefgeht?'
Bevor es überhaupt geschieht.

Was bin ich?

(I am a feeling, often uninvited,
Painting the future in dark threads recited.
I whisper 'What if something goes wrong?'
Before it even comes along.)

(Solution: Die Befürchtung - The apprehension/fear)

ℹ️ Other Interesting Details

Word Formation (Wortbildung):

The word 'Befürchtung' is composed of:

• The prefix be-: often used for intensification or to denote a process.
• The verb stem fürcht-: from the verb 'fürchten' (to fear).
• The suffix -ung: used to form nouns from verbs, usually feminine.

So, it describes the process or the result of 'befürchten' (fearing something specific, apprehending).

Cultural Context: German culture often emphasizes planning and caution (Vorsicht), which can lead to Befürchtungen being discussed more frequently or taken more seriously than in some other cultures. The proverb "Vorsicht ist die Mutter der Porzellankiste" (Caution is the mother of the porcelain box, meaning: better safe than sorry) reflects this attitude.