German Conversation · Level 14
87 words
German word
weinen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈvaɪ̯nən/
Meaning
- verbcry
Example
Das Baby weint laut.
The baby is crying loudly.
More examples
Aus Erleichterung weinte er leise.
He cried quietly out of relief.
Core concept
Tears come to the eyes and spill out as a visible response to strong feeling, from pain and grief to happiness.
Common phrases
vor Freude weinen
cry with joy
aus Verzweiflung weinen
cry out of despair
vor Glück weinen
cry with happiness
Similar words
schluchzen: Sob in short bursts with trembling breaths.
heulen: Weep loudly and forcefully, with an intense, wailing quality.
schniefen: Weep softly with frequent nose-sniffing.
Definition in German
Tränen zeigen oder vergießen wegen innerer Bewegung; kann Trauer, Schmerz oder auch Freude ausdrücken.
Word origin
Weinen descends from Old High German weinan through Middle High German weinen and is inherited Germanic vocabulary.
Usage tips
- German weinen normally means shedding tears, while shouting or crying out is usually expressed with schreien.