German word

peinlich

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈpaɪ̯nlɪç/

Meaning

  • adjectiveembarrassing

Example

Ich finde das peinlich.

I find that embarrassing.

Illustration for peinlich (embarrassing)

More examples

Er zog sich zurück, weil ihm der Vorfall peinlich war.

He withdrew because the incident was embarrassing to him.

Core concept

A person caught in a socially awkward moment, with others watching and a strong urge to hide.

Common phrases

  • sich peinlich fühlen

    feel embarrassed

  • etwas peinlich finden

    find something embarrassing

  • jemandem peinlich vorkommen

    seem embarrassing to someone

Similar words

verlegen: Feeling awkward and shy, with difficulty speaking or meeting others' eyes.
unangenehm: Making someone feel uncomfortable or out of place.
beschämend: Causing deep shame or a sense of humiliation.
betreten: Appearing stiff and uncomfortable because of embarrassment.

Definition in German

Peinlich bezeichnet das Gefühl von Scham oder Verlegenheit, das in Gegenwart anderer auftritt.

Word origin

Peinlich combines Pein, historically meaning torment or distress, with -lich; its social sense developed from the idea of painful embarrassment.

Usage tips

  • German commonly marks the experiencer with dative in "Mir ist das peinlich," meaning that the situation feels embarrassing to the speaker.

Other meanings

  • awkwardadjective
  • uncomfortableadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • Peinlichkeitembarrassmentnoun

Word lists with this word