German word

Dasein

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈdaːˌzaɪ̯n/

Meaning

  • neuter nounexistence

Example

Viele Menschen fragen nach dem Sinn ihres Daseins.

Many people ask about the meaning of their existence.

Illustration for Dasein (existence)

More examples

Die Krise hat viele dazu gebracht, ihr Dasein neu zu bewerten.

The crisis led many to reassess their existence.

Core concept

A person being concretely present in the world, with awareness and behavior rather than existence as a bare abstraction.

Common phrases

  • nach dem Sinn des Daseins fragen

    ask about the meaning of existence

  • das Dasein hinterfragen

    question existence

Similar words

Existenz: The fact that a thing or event exists in reality.
Leben: The active condition of being alive as an organism.
Sein: The state of existing or being present.

Definition in German

Dasein bezeichnet das menschliche Sein in der Welt, also das konkrete Bewusstsein und Verhalten eines Menschen.

Word origin

Dasein combines da, meaning "there," with sein, "to be," and its literal sense of "being there" developed into a term for concrete human existence.

Usage tips

  • Dasein is a neuter noun, so standard forms include das Dasein and the genitive des Daseins.

Other meanings

  • beingnoun

Opposites

  • Nichtexistenznonexistencenoun

Related words

  • Daseinsberechtigungright to existnoun

Word lists with this word