German Conversation · Level 58
74 words
German word
Schuld
Pronunciation
IPA/ʃʊlt/
Meaning
- feminine nounfault
Example
Das war seine Schuld.
That was his fault.
More examples
Er hat endlich seine Schuld eingestanden.
He finally admitted his guilt.
Core concept
A balance remains unsettled between a person and others, with settlement taking the form of payment or moral reckoning.
Common phrases
jemandes Schuld sein
be ___'s fault
die Schuld eingestehen
admit one's guilt
eine Schuld zurückzahlen
repay a debt
die Schuld tragen
bear the blame
Similar words
Schulden: Financial obligations that must be repaid.
Schuldgefühl: Distress caused by feeling morally responsible for wrongdoing.
Definition in German
Schuld bezeichnet sowohl die moralische Verantwortung für ein Unrecht als auch die Verpflichtung, eine finanzielle Verbindlichkeit zu begleichen.
Word origin
Schuld comes from Old High German sculd and shares its Germanic root with schulden, to owe; both financial and moral uses grew from obligation.
Usage tips
- For financial obligations, German commonly uses the plural Schulden, while Schuld is often singular for blame or fault.