German word

Leid

Pronunciation

IPA/laɪ̯t/

Meaning

  • neuter nounsorrow

Example

Die Nachricht brachte großes Leid.

The news brought great sorrow.

Illustration for Leid (sorrow)

More examples

Nach der Trennung teilte sie ihr Leid mit einer Freundin.

After the separation, she shared her sorrow with a friend.

Core concept

A person carrying a heavy burden after a painful loss or disaster.

Common phrases

  • sein Leid teilen

    share one's sorrow

  • Leid lindern

    alleviate sorrow

  • großes Leid

    great sorrow

Similar words

Kummer: Everyday distress caused by ongoing worries or personal troubles.
Trauer: Deep, lasting grief after a major loss or separation.
Enttäuschung: The feeling of being let down when expectations are not met.
schade: An exclamation expressing mild regret or that something is a pity.

Definition in German

Leid bezeichnet erlittenes Unglück, körperliche oder seelische Schmerzen sowie schweren Kummer.

Word origin

The noun Leid descends from Old High German leid through Middle High German leit, with an older sense of something unpleasant or painful.

Usage tips

  • In Es tut mir leid, Leid is capitalized because it is a noun, but the phrase normally means 'I am sorry' rather than describing major suffering.

Other meanings

  • sufferingnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • Leidenswegpath of sufferingnoun
  • Leidtragendersufferernoun

Word lists with this word