A medicine that kicks in, a movie that stays with you, a speech that moves the crowd—Germans call that impact a Wirkung. Whether it’s physical, emotional, or symbolic, if something produces a result, it has a Wirkung.
The noun Wirkung means effect, impact, influence, or result, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll hear it in science, medicine, marketing, and art—anywhere something causes something else to happen.
It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Wirkung.
Pronunciation
Wirkung is pronounced [VEER-koong].
- The “W” is pronounced like an English “V.”
- The “i” is like “ear,”
- And “-kung” ends with a nasal “ng” sound, like in “song.”
The word has a deliberate, energetic sound—appropriate for something that produces a result.
Example sentences:
- Das Medikament zeigte sofortige Wirkung.
The medication showed immediate effect. - Die Rede hatte eine starke Wirkung auf das Publikum.
The speech had a strong impact on the audience.
Nuance and usage tips
Wirkung can refer to:
- Medical/pharmaceutical effects:
Nebenwirkungen – side effects
Langzeitwirkung – long-term effect - Visual or emotional impact:
eine beeindruckende Wirkung – an impressive effect - Social or symbolic influence:
Wirkung auf andere Menschen – impact on other people
It can be used with haben ("to have an effect") or zeigen ("to show an effect"), and it’s often paired with adjectives like:
- stark – strong
- schwach – weak
- schnell – fast
- verzögert – delayed
There’s no exact antonym, but in some contexts, Wirkungslosigkeit (ineffectiveness) or Ergebnislosigkeit (lack of result) could function as opposites.
Grammatical case examples:
- Nominative:
Die Wirkung war verblüffend.
The effect was astonishing. - Accusative:
Ich habe die Wirkung sofort gespürt.
I felt the effect immediately. - Dative:
Mit der Wirkung kam auch die Müdigkeit.
With the effect came fatigue. - Genitive:
Wegen der Wirkung wurde das Mittel vom Markt genommen.
Because of the effect, the drug was taken off the market.
Feminine article pattern: die, die, der, der
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- wirken – to take effect / to work (in a literal or figurative sense)
Das wirkt! – “That works!” or “That’s effective!” - Nebenwirkung – side effect
- Auswirkung – consequence, result
- Wirkstoff – active ingredient
- Wirkungskreis – sphere of influence
Cultural note: In German pharmaceutical and scientific culture, Wirkung is a technical term—it carries precision and seriousness. But it’s just as common in conversation about art, people, and ideas.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Wirkung
🎥 Learn Wirkung and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Ready for two more German words of the day? How about Woche or Wunsch?