When someone forgives instead of punishing, shows compassion instead of vengeance, or spares someone from a harsh fate—Germans call that Gnade. It’s a word that lives in religion, justice, and everyday acts of human kindness.

The noun Gnade means mercy, grace, clemency, or pardon, depending on context. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and while it often sounds formal or solemn, it’s still very much alive in modern speech.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Gnade.

Pronunciation

Gnade is pronounced [GNAH-duh].

• The “gn” at the start is unusual for English speakers—it’s said together, almost like the “gn” in the French gnocchi, but with a harder g.

• The “a” is like the “a” in “father,” and

• The “e” at the end is softly pronounced, like “uh.”

It has a solemn, slightly archaic sound—fitting for a word with deep moral and spiritual weight.

Example sentences:

• Die Königin zeigte Gnade und begnadigte den Gefangenen.
  The queen showed mercy and pardoned the prisoner.

• Ich bitte dich um Gnade.
  I beg you for mercy.

Nuance and usage tips

Gnade often appears in formal, religious, or legal contexts, but it's also found in expressions of emotional forgiveness or moral compassion.

Contexts where you'll encounter it:

• Legal/judicial:
  Begnadigung – official pardon
  Gnadengesuch – request for clemency

• Religious/theological:
  Gottes Gnade – the grace of God
  gnadenlos – merciless (literally “without mercy”)

• Emotional or poetic:
  aus reiner Gnade – out of pure mercy or grace

Its antonym depends on usage:

• For moral or emotional contexts: Härte (feminine, die Härte) – hardness or severity

• For legal contexts: Strafe (feminine, die Strafe) – punishment

Grammatical case examples:

• Nominative: Die Gnade war seine letzte Hoffnung.
  Mercy was his last hope.

• Accusative: Ich erflehte die Gnade des Richters.
  I pleaded for the judge’s mercy.

• Dative: Mit der Gnade kam auch die Vergebung.
  With mercy came forgiveness.

• Genitive: Wegen der Gnade des Königs wurde er freigelassen.
  Because of the king’s mercy, he was released.

Feminine case pattern: die, die, der, der

Word variations and language tidbits

Variation Station:

• gnädig – merciful, gracious
  eine gnädige Geste – a merciful gesture

• gnadenlos – merciless, ruthless
  ein gnadenloser Gegner – a ruthless opponent

• Begnadigung – official pardon

• Gnadenfrist – final extension or grace period

• Gottes Gnade – God’s grace

Cultural note:
Phrases like “Herr, erbarme dich unser” (“Lord, have mercy on us”) and “um Gnade bitten” are deeply rooted in German Christian liturgy and historical texts. Today, Gnade still carries serious moral force when used.

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Gnade

🎥 Learn Gnade and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/

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