German word

gönnen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈgœnən/

Meaning

  • verbnot begrudge

Example

Ich gönne dir das Glück.

I don't begrudge you that happiness.

Illustration for gönnen (not begrudge)

More examples

Trotz eigener Probleme gönnt er seinem Freund den Erfolg.

Despite his own problems, he does not begrudge his friend his success.

Core concept

An open hand lets another person keep and enjoy a good thing, or lets the self have a pleasure without restraint.

Common phrases

  • jemandem etwas gönnen

    not begrudge someone something

  • jemandem den Erfolg gönnen

    not begrudge someone their success

  • jemandem das Glück gönnen

    not begrudge someone their happiness

Similar words

missgönnen: To resent someone else's good fortune and dislike seeing them enjoy it.
beneiden: To envy what someone else has and want it for oneself.
sich freuen: To take sincere pleasure in someone else's happiness.
wünschen: To hope that good things or happiness come to someone.

Definition in German

jemandem etwas nicht neiden und ihm das Gute zugestehen

Word origin

Gönnen is an inherited Germanic verb from Old High German gunnan, meaning 'to grant' or 'to allow'; its modern sense developed from granting something to someone.

Usage tips

  • The usual pattern is jemandem etwas gönnen, with the person in the dative and the thing in the accusative; sich etwas gönnen means 'to treat oneself to something.'

Other meanings

  • allowverb

Opposites

  • missgönnenbegrudgeverb
  • beneidenenvyverb

Related words

  • vergönnenallowverb
  • der Gönnerpatronnoun
  • gönnerhaftpatronizingadjective

Word lists with this word