Learn the German Word for Suffering with Examples

Some words carry quiet emotional weight. Leid is one of them - a word that appears in apologies, sympathy, and expressions of pain. If you want to say you’re sorry, express grief, or understand what others feel, you need to learn how to say suffering in German.

The word is das Leid. It’s neuter, and it doesn’t have a plural form. You’ll see das Leid used in fixed phrases, emotional descriptions, and even in religious and poetic contexts.

Need help keeping your articles straight? My gender video lesson will walk you through everything you need to know.

Leid is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and while not as common in small talk, it’s essential for emotional understanding and polite conversation.

Examples in all four cases:

Nominative:Das Leid war nicht zu ertragen.The suffering was unbearable.

Accusative:Er hat das Leid nicht verdient.He didn’t deserve the suffering.

Dative:Mit dem Leid kam auch die Wut.With the suffering came the anger.

Genitive:Das Ausmaß des Leids war erschreckend.The extent of the suffering was shocking.

Real-World Tips for Learners

You’ll often see Leid in set expressions:

• Es tut mir leid. - I’m sorry.

• jemandem Leid zufügen - to cause someone suffering

• großes Leid - great suffering

• Mitleid haben - to feel compassion / sympathy (literally: co-suffering)

• leidtun - to be sorry; to feel sorry for (spelled as one word)

The separable verb leidtun is written together in the infinitive and participle: leidtun, leidgetan. In a main clause, it separates: Es tut mir leid. The noun Leid stays capitalized in jemandem Leid zufügen. For example: