German Kindness & Sympathy Vocabulary
This set covers the vocabulary of being kind and being moved by other people's situations, from everyday words like hilfsbereit and fürsorglich to weightier ones like Barmherzigkeit and Mitleid. The trap for English speakers is sympathisch: it looks like "sympathetic" but actually means likeable or pleasant, with no connection to feeling sorry for someone. German also splits what English calls "sympathy" into Mitleid (pity, a bit distant) and Mitgefühl (compassion, more genuine), a distinction worth getting right if you want to sound sincere rather than pitying.
Learn these 20 words
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All 20 words
plural: die Freundlichkeiten
kindness, friendliness
Ihre Freundlichkeit hat mich sehr gefreut. — Her kindness made me very happy.
helpful, willing to help
Unsere Nachbarn sind immer sehr hilfsbereit. — Our neighbors are always very helpful.
likeable, pleasant
Der neue Chef ist sehr sympathisch. — The new boss is very likeable.
- tröstenA2
to comfort
Er versuchte, seine weinende Schwester zu trösten. — He tried to comfort his crying sister.
- angenehmB1
pleasant, agreeable
Wir wünschen Ihnen eine angenehme Reise. — We wish you a pleasant trip.
caring
Meine Mutter ist eine sehr fürsorgliche Person. — My mother is a very caring person.
sympathy, compassion
Er zeigte großes Mitgefühl für die Opfer. — He showed great compassion for the victims.
plural: die Rücksichten
consideration
Nehmen Sie bitte Rücksicht auf die anderen Gäste. — Please show consideration for the other guests.
- sorgenB1
to care for, worry
Wer sorgt denn für die Kinder? — Who takes care of the children?
comfort, consolation
Ihre Worte gaben mir großen Trost. — Her words gave me great comfort.
willingly / ungrudgingly
Sie half bereitwillig ihrem bedürftigen Freund. — She willingly helped her needy friend.
empathy
Seine Empathie ermöglichte es ihm, andere zu verstehen. — His empathy enabled him to understand others.
poignant (moving / touching)
Die ergreifende Geschichte rührte viele zu Tränen. — The poignant story moved many to tears.
- gnädigB2
gracious / lenient / merciful
Die gnädige Dame half den Bedürftigen. — The gracious lady helped the needy.
compassion/pity
Sie empfand Mitleid für die verletzte Katze. — She felt compassion for the injured cat.
benevolent / well minded
Sie hat eine wohlmeinende Absicht gehabt. — She had a well-intentioned purpose.
plural: die Wohltaten
a blessing / good deed
Eine Wohltat in schwierigen Zeiten ist unbezahlbar wertvoll. — A good deed in difficult times is priceless.
plural: die Wohlwollen
goodwill / benevolence
Das Wohlwollen des Chefs half ihm weiter. — The goodwill of the boss helped him.
compassion / mercy
Die Barmherzigkeit des Arztes linderte das Leiden der Patienten. — The compassion of the doctor eased the suffering of the patients.
devoted / dedicated
Sie kümmert sich hingebungsvoll um die Kranken. — She cares devotedly for the sick.
How to learn this set
Group the nouns by gender as you learn them: die Freundlichkeit, die Rücksicht, die Empathie, die Wohltat, die Barmherzigkeit are all feminine, while das Mitgefühl, das Mitleid, das Wohlwollen are neuter, and der Trost stands alone as masculine. Several of the adjectives are built on nouns you already know from this list: fürsorglich comes from sorgen, wohlmeinend and Wohlwollen share the wohl- root meaning "well," and hingebungsvoll is literally "full of devotion." When drilling, pair each noun with its matching adjective or verb (Trost/trösten, Mitgefühl/mitfühlend-style thinking, Wohlwollen/wohlmeinend) instead of learning them as twenty separate items.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Mitleid and Mitgefühl?
Mitleid is pity, feeling sorry for someone from a bit of a distance, and can sound slightly condescending if overused. Mitgefühl is compassion or empathy, standing with someone in their situation rather than looking down at it. If you want to say you understand and share someone's pain, Mitgefühl is the safer, warmer word.
Is Sympathie the same as sympathy in English?
No, this is a false friend. German sympathisch means likeable or pleasant, describing someone you get a good feeling from on first meeting, not someone you feel sorry for. Use Mitgefühl or Mitleid when you mean sympathy in the English sense of shared sorrow.
What's the difference between der Trost and trösten?
Der Trost is the noun, comfort or consolation as a thing you give or receive, as in jemandem Trost spenden (to give someone comfort). Trösten is the verb, the act of comforting someone, as in Er tröstete sie (He comforted her).
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