German Conversation · Level 27
90 words
German word
stöhnen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈʃtøːnən/
Meaning
- verbgroan
Example
Er stöhnt vor Schmerzen.
He is groaning in pain.
More examples
Sie stöhnt leise, als der Arzt die Wunde berührt.
She groans softly when the doctor touches the wound.
Core concept
A person lets out a low, drawn-out sound on the breath, showing pain, strain, strong feeling, or a complaint.
Common phrases
vor Schmerzen stöhnen
groan in pain
leise stöhnen
groan softly
laut stöhnen
groan loudly
Similar words
seufzen: Release a long, slow breath to express relief or resignation.
jammern: Repeatedly voice sadness or dissatisfaction in a complaining way.
klagen: Express dissatisfaction or pain in words.
ächzen: Let out a breathless groan under heavy strain or from exhaustion.
Definition in German
Mit einem tiefen, klagenden Laut durch Ausatmen Schmerz, Unlust oder starke Gefühle ausdrücken.
Word origin
Stöhnen is an inherited Germanic verb, recorded in Old High German as stōnōn and in Middle High German as stœnen for making a groaning sound.
Usage tips
- For complaints, stöhnen commonly takes über plus the accusative, as in über die Arbeit stöhnen, while vor Schmerzen uses vor plus the dative.