Sometimes you see someone struggling, and you want to help — or at least show compassion. Other times, you might feel sorry for someone, but you don’t know what to say. That’s where the word pity comes in — and learning how to say pity in German gives you access to a rich emotional vocabulary.

The German word is das Mitleid. It’s neuter, and it has no plural form. To get more comfortable with articles like das, der, and die, check out my gender video lesson for a fast and practical overview.

Mitleid is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German — and you’ll see it in personal stories, news reports, and heartfelt conversations alike.

Here’s how Mitleid appears in each grammatical case:

Nominative:
Das Mitleid war echt.
The pity was genuine.

Accusative:
Sie zeigte Mitleid mit dem Tier.
She showed pity for the animal.

Dative:
Ich sprach aus Mitleid mit ihm.
I spoke to him out of pity.

Genitive:
Die Worte des Mitleids waren tröstlich.
The words of pity were comforting.

Mitleid is often used with mit (with), showing who the compassion is directed toward:

  • Mitleid haben mit ... — to feel pity for

  • kein Mitleid zeigen — to show no pity

  • aus Mitleid handeln — to act out of pity

  • voller Mitleid — full of compassion

Common verbs: zeigen (to show), haben (to have), empfinden (to feel), ausdrücken (to express)
Adjectives: tief (deep), ehrlich (sincere), falsch (false), kalt (cold), unangebracht (inappropriate)

Note: Mitleid doesn’t always carry the same weight as Empathie. It can sound a bit one-sided or even condescending depending on tone — something to be mindful of in sensitive conversations.

Beginner dialogue using Mitleid:

A: Hattest du Mitleid mit ihm?
B: Ja, er sah wirklich traurig aus.
A: Did you feel pity for him?
B: Yes, he really looked sad.

Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Mitleid.

“Wann hattest du das letzte Mal Mitleid mit jemandem — und warum?”
When was the last time you felt pity for someone — and why?

Say your sentence clearly and with meaning — it’s the best way to make the word yours.

Duden entry for “Mitleid”

German Word of the Day
Now you’ve learned how to say pity in German — and how das Mitleid helps you express compassion, awareness, and even discomfort.

Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and keep learning words that bring real meaning into your conversations.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Revisit Moment — and master how to talk about time, emotion, and meaning.
Or explore Musik — and express taste, rhythm, and energy in any situation.

About the Author Stephan

Stephan has been a professional language teacher since the early 2000s. He's been calling Berlin his home since 2006, when he started managing (and founding his own) language schools in addition to teaching German and English. He's the owner of Deutschable and loves writing about language, history, and game changers.

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