Winning the lottery? That’s Glück. Feeling deeply content and at peace? Also Glück. In German, one word covers both the randomness of chance and the lasting feeling of joy.
The noun Glück means both luck and happiness, depending on the context. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and you’ll hear it in greetings, fairy tales, philosophical discussions, and lottery commercials alike.
It’s a neuter noun, so we say das Glück.
Pronunciation
Glück is pronounced [glük], with a short, sharp ü—similar to the French u in lune.
- The “Gl” is pronounced just like in “glue,”
- And “ück” ends with a crisp “k,” giving the whole word a bouncy but compact feel.
It’s quick to say but emotionally rich—just like a sudden stroke of luck or a burst of joy.
Example sentences:
- Ich wünsche dir viel Glück!
I wish you good luck! - Wahres Glück findet man in den kleinen Dingen.
True happiness is found in the little things.
Nuance and usage tips
Glück has two main meanings, and German speakers often rely on context to distinguish them:
- Luck / Fortune – chance-based, often external
- Viel Glück beim Test! – Good luck on the test!
- Er hatte Glück im Unglück. – He had luck in misfortune.
- Happiness / Joy – internal, emotional, enduring
- Das größte Glück ist Gesundheit. – The greatest happiness is health.
- Glück empfinden – to feel joy
To specify which meaning you intend, Germans often qualify it:
- das persönliche Glück – happiness
- ein glücklicher Zufall – a lucky coincidence
Its antonyms vary:
- For luck: Pech (neuter, das Pech) – bad luck
- For happiness: Unglück (neuter, das Unglück) – unhappiness / misfortune
Grammatical case examples:
- Nominative:
Das Glück war auf seiner Seite.
Luck was on his side. - Accusative:
Ich suche das Glück, aber finde es nicht.
I’m searching for happiness, but I can’t find it. - Dative:
Mit dem Glück kam auch der Erfolg.
With luck came success. - Genitive:
Trotz des Glücks fühlte sie sich leer.
Despite the happiness, she felt empty.
Neuter pattern: das, das, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- glücklich – happy, fortunate
- beglücken – to bring joy (a bit formal or poetic)
- Glücksfall – stroke of luck
- Glückspilz – lucky person ("lucky mushroom"—yes, really!)
- Glücksbringer – good luck charm
- Unglück – bad luck or misfortune
Cultural note: The dual meaning of Glück reflects a deep German cultural theme: that life is a blend of Fate and Feeling. Philosophers like Schopenhauer and poets like Goethe have wrestled with the idea of whether Glück is something you find—or something you create.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Glueck
🎥 Learn Glück and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Alternate translations note:
For luck, Germans also use Zufall (coincidence) or Chance in certain contexts. For happiness in a more emotional or psychological sense, Freude (joy) or Zufriedenheit (contentment) might be more precise. But only Glück covers both luck and happiness—and that makes it uniquely powerful.
Ready for two more German words of the day? How about Grund or Hitze?