die  Wehmut

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈveːmʊt/

😢 What does "die Wehmut" mean?

Die Wehmut describes a feeling of gentle, melancholic sadness, often connected to memories of the past or a soft sense of regret. It's a kind of bittersweet ache, a quiet longing, or a tender look back at something beautiful that is no more.

It is an abstract noun and is feminine (grammatical gender).

⚠️ Important: Wehmut is generally uncountable and is therefore mostly used in the singular without an article or with the definite article "die".

🧐 Grammar of Wehmut in Detail

The word "Wehmut" is a feminine noun. Since it's mostly uncountable, it's almost exclusively used in the singular. A plural form ("die Wehmuten") is very rare and rather poetic or archaic.

Declension Singular

Example Sentences

• Ein Anflug von Wehmut überkam ihn, als er die alten Fotos betrachtete.
  (A touch of wistfulness overcame him as he looked at the old photos.)
• Mit leiser Wehmut dachte sie an ihre Kindheit zurück.
  (With quiet melancholy, she thought back to her childhood.)
• Der Abschied war von tiefer Wehmut geprägt.
  (The farewell was marked by deep wistfulness.)
• In seiner Stimme schwang ein Hauch von Wehmut mit.
  (A hint of melancholy resonated in his voice.)

💬 When to use "Wehmut"?

"Wehmut" is used to describe a specific, rather gentle feeling of sadness, often with a nostalgic component:

• Looking back: When thinking about beautiful but past times (e.g., childhood, an old friendship, a trip).
• Farewells: During a goodbye that is not just sad but also marked by fond memories.
• Transience: When reflecting on the fleeting nature of life or beautiful moments.
• Bittersweet feelings: When joy and sadness are felt simultaneously.

Distinction from other words:

• Trauer (grief): Usually stronger, more painful, and often related to a specific loss (e.g., death).
• Sehnsucht (longing): Refers more strongly to a future or unattainable desire. Wehmut tends to look back.
• Melancholie (melancholy): A very similar concept, often used as a synonym. Wehmut might be slightly softer and more specifically tied to memories.

"Wehmut" often carries a slightly poetic or elevated connotation but is also used in everyday language.

💡 Mnemonics for Wehmut

For the article (die): Think of other feminine emotional words in German like die Melancholie or die Nostalgie. Wehmut fits into this category of feminine feelings.

For the meaning: Imagine it *weighs* (sounds like 'weh') on your *mood* (related to 'Mut'/'Gemüt'). It's the *weighty mood* you feel when looking back wistfully. Or, 'Weh' means *woe* or *pain*, and 'Mut' (here from *Gemüt*) relates to *mood*. So it's a 'woeful mood' tied to memory.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Different Words:

• Trauer: (Grief, mourning) Intense pain over a loss.
• Sehnsucht: (Longing, yearning) Strong desire for something absent or future.
• Kummer: (Sorrow, distress, worry) Often related to current problems.

😄 A Little Joke

Optimist: "Ist das Glas halb voll oder halb leer?"
Pessimist: "Halb leer natürlich!"
Wehmütiger: "Ach, erinnerst du dich noch an die Zeit, als es ganz voll war? Das war schön..."

Translation:
Optimist: "Is the glass half full or half empty?"
Pessimist: "Half empty, of course!"
Person feeling Wehmut: "Oh, do you remember when it was completely full? That was nice..."

📜 A Poem about Wehmut

Ein leiser Hauch, ein stiller Blick zurück,
Auf Tage voller altem, süßem Glück.
Ein Lächeln zart, von Tränen leicht benetzt,
Das Herz von sanfter Wehmut sanft verletzt.
Kein Schmerz, der brennt, nur leises Saitenspiel,
Der schönen Zeit gedenk' ich gern und viel.

Translation:
A quiet breath, a silent look back,
At days full of old, sweet luck (happiness).
A tender smile, lightly touched by tears,
The heart by gentle wistfulness softly sears (is hurt).
No pain that burns, just soft strings playing,
Of the beautiful time, I fondly think, much saying (remembering).

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin ein Gefühl, zart und leis,
Erinnere dich an manchen Preis,
Der längst vergangen, doch noch nah,
Ein bittersüßes „Es war einmal da“. Ich bin nicht Trauer, nicht Verdruss,
Nur ein melancholischer Kuss
Der Zeit, die flieht. Wie nennst du mich,
Wenn Altes sanft umfängt dich?

Translation:
I am a feeling, tender and low,
Reminding you of prices (things cherished) you used to know,
Long gone, yet seeming near,
A bittersweet "Once upon a time was here".
I am not grief, nor annoyance's sting,
Just a melancholic kiss
Of time that flees. What name do you call,
When the past gently enthralls?

(Solution: die Wehmut)

✨ Other Information

Word Composition:

The word "Wehmut" is composed of:

• Weh: Old High German/Middle High German for pain, sorrow, woe, lament.
• Mut: Not in the sense of courage here, but related to "Gemüt" (mood, disposition, spirit). It originally meant something like 'state of mind', 'disposition'.

So, "Wehmut" literally means something like a "painful state of mind" or "sorrowful mood", often in the context of remembering.

Cultural Aspect: The feeling of Wehmut is often explored in German Romanticism (literature, music) and is sometimes considered a feeling that can be expressed with particular nuance in German.