die  Zumutung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/tsuˈmuːtʊŋ/

🤔 What exactly is a Zumutung?

Die Zumutung (feminine noun) refers to something perceived as unreasonable, excessively demanding, annoying, or impertinent. It's a demand, situation, or condition that exceeds someone's limits of what is bearable or acceptable.

You can zumuten (verb) something to someone, meaning to impose something on them or expect something from them that could be perceived as difficult or unpleasant. Die Zumutung is the result of this action or the thing itself that is being imposed.

Examples of Zumutungen can be:

• An outrageous request or demand (eine unverschämte Bitte).
• Extreme noise or an unpleasant environment (extremer Lärm).
• An action or statement perceived as offensive or disrespectful (eine beleidigende Handlung).
• A very strenuous or thankless task (eine sehr anstrengende Aufgabe).

⚠️ The word has a strong negative connotation and often expresses anger, indignation, or frustration.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar: Die Zumutung in Detail

The word "Zumutung" is a feminine noun. Therefore, the article is always "die".

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

📝 Example Sentences

1. Diese ständige Lärmbelästigung ist eine echte Zumutung!
   (This constant noise pollution is a real imposition/nuisance!)
2. Er empfand die Bitte seines Chefs, am Wochenende unbezahlt zu arbeiten, als Zumutung.
   (He considered his boss's request to work unpaid on the weekend an unreasonable demand.)
3. Welche Zumutungen musstest du denn schon ertragen?
   (What kinds of impositions/unreasonable demands have you had to endure?)
4. Ich finde es eine Zumutung, wie hier mit Kunden umgegangen wird.
   (I find the way customers are treated here an outrage/imposition.)

🗣️ Everyday Usage: When to say Zumutung?

"Die Zumutung" is used to express strong displeasure or indignation about a situation, demand, or behavior. It's an emotionally charged word.

• Typical Contexts: Complaints (Beschwerden), criticism (Kritik), expressing frustration (Frustration ausdrücken), indignation about impertinence (Unverschämtheiten) or inconsiderate behavior (rücksichtsloses Verhalten).
• Formal vs. Informal: Can be used in both formal (e.g., in a letter of complaint) and informal contexts (e.g., talking to friends), where the tone of voice determines the intensity.
• Intensity: It's stronger than "Unannehmlichkeit" (inconvenience) or "Belästigung" (nuisance/harassment) and often implies a moral or social boundary has been crossed. It can be used similarly to "Unverschämtheit" (impertinence/audacity) or "Frechheit" (cheekiness/impertinence), but often refers more to the burden something represents.
• Example Situations: Poor service, excessive prices, unfair treatment, inconsiderate behavior by others, excessive workload.

You can also exclaim: "Das ist ja eine Zumutung!" or "So eine Zumutung!" as an outcry of indignation.

💡 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Think of the imposition or the audacity. Many German feminine nouns end in "-ung" (like die Forderung - the demand, die Belästigung - the nuisance), including die Zumutung.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine someone expects something unreasonable or unpleasant from you (sie muten dir etwas zu). It feels like they are imposing a burden on you (dir zu). This imposition is a Zumutung.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

Similar but potentially misleading words:

• Zumutbarkeit: (Reasonableness, acceptability) The noun related to the adjective "zumutbar" (reasonable, acceptable), refers to the quality of something being acceptable or bearable (opposite of Zumutung in the sense of unreasonableness).
• Mutmaßung: (Assumption, speculation) Has no connection to Zumutung.

😂 A Little Joke

Chef: "Können Sie auch am Wochenende arbeiten?"
Mitarbeiter: "Klar, kein Problem, aber ich erwarte dann eine Zumutungszulage."
Chef: "Eine was?!"
Mitarbeiter: "Naja, für die Zumutung, meine Freizeit für Sie zu opfern!"

--- Translation ---

Boss: "Can you also work on the weekend?"
Employee: "Sure, no problem, but I expect an 'imposition bonus' then."
Boss: "A what?!"
Employee: "Well, for the imposition of sacrificing my free time for you!"

✍️ Poem about the Zumutung

Der Lärm dröhnt laut, die Bitte frech,
Der Nachbar bohrt, ein ständiges Pech.
Die Arbeit viel, der Dank so klein,
Das soll normal und richtig sein?
Man fordert viel, gibt kaum zurück,
Das ist sie nun, Stück für Stück,
Mal laut, mal leis', mal groß, mal schmal –
Die Zumutung, eine Qual.

--- Translation ---

The noise booms loud, the request is bold,
The neighbor drills, a story often told.
The work is much, the thanks so slight,
Should this be normal, day and night?
They demand much, give little back,
It builds up now, on life's track,
Sometimes loud, sometimes low, sometimes grand, sometimes small –
The imposition (die Zumutung), a pain for all.

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich bin feminin und trag' "die" vor mir,
Bin oft unverschämt, das glaube mir.
Man klagt über mich mit Wut und Groll,
Wenn jemand von dir Unmögliches woll'.

Was bin ich?

--- Translation ---

I am feminine and carry "die" before me,
I'm often impertinent, believe me.
People complain about me with anger and ire,
When someone demands the impossible from you, setting you afire.

What am I?

Solution: die Zumutung

ℹ️ Other Information

Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung):

The word "Zumutung" derives from the verb "zumuten". This verb is composed of:

• zu: Preposition/prefix, here indicating direction or addition (imposing something onto someone).
• muten: An older verb related to "Mut" (courage, spirit), which originally meant "to demand", "to require", or "to expect".

So, "jemandem etwas zumuten" literally means to demand something from someone or burden them with something, with the modern meaning often implying that this demand or expectation exceeds acceptable limits.

Cultural Aspect: The concept of "Zumutung" plays a role in German culture regarding directness and complaint. Knowing when something is (or could be) perceived as a Zumutung is part of social competence.