The German word for shock is der Schock.
It describes a sudden, often intense reaction—physical or emotional. From unexpected news to medical conditions, Schock in German is used across daily life, journalism, medicine, and even casual speech.

It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German—short, strong, and unforgettable.

Gender and Pronunciation

It’s a masculine noun: der Schock.
Want to decode German noun genders without memorizing endless tables? This video lesson helps you spot patterns quickly.

Pronunciation:
Schock is pronounced [shok]

• Rhymes with “rock”

• With a firm “sh” at the start
  One syllable: SHOCK

Example sentences

Der Unfall war ein echter Schock für sie.

The accident was a real shock for her.

Er steht noch unter Schock.

He’s still in shock.

Die Nachricht kam völlig überraschend – ein Schock!

The news came completely out of the blue—a shock!

Nuance and usage tips

🚑 Schock is used in both medical and emotional contexts. Medically, it refers to a critical condition like kardiogener Schock (cardiogenic shock) or Schockzustand (shock state). You’ll hear this on hospital dramas and news reports.

😲 Emotionally, it refers to mental or psychological shock from sudden or upsetting news—like ein Schock nach der Kündigung (a shock after being fired).

🗞️ In media and advertising, it’s used for dramatic effect: Preisschock! (price shock), Schockmeldung (shocking news), or im Schockzustand (in a state of shock).

🧃 Bonus: There’s also a playful use in Zuckerschock (sugar shock) when someone eats too much candy.

How does this word come up in real conversations?

"Der Schock sitzt tief."

The shock runs deep.

"Sie hatte nach dem Anruf einen richtigen Schock."

She had a real shock after the call.

"Ich dachte, du machst Witze – war echt ein Schock."

I thought you were joking—it was truly a shock.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Noah: Hast du das gesehen? Der Unfall war heftig.
Lina: Ja... ich bin noch im Schock.
Noah: Geht’s dir gut?
Lina: Ja, nur überrascht. Sowas passiert hier nie.

Translation:
Noah: Did you see that? The accident was intense.
Lina: Yeah… I’m still in shock.
Noah: Are you okay?
Lina: Yes, just surprised. That never happens around here.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Der Schock war groß.

The shock was intense.

Accusative:
Ich habe den Schock noch nicht verarbeitet.

I haven’t processed the shock yet.

Dative:
Er sprach im Schock nur noch wirres Zeug.

He spoke incoherently in shock.

Genitive:
Die Folgen des Schocks sind noch spürbar.

The effects of the shock are still noticeable.

Other ways to say shock in German

While Schock is the go-to word for shock in German, there are alternatives depending on context. Erschütterung can describe deep emotional distress or trauma. Bestürzung is often used in formal writing or news to express dismay or stunned sadness. In casual speech, people might use Schreck to describe a quick fright or scare (as in einen Schreck bekommen). But for both medical and general emotional contexts, Schock remains the most universal and impactful term.

Word variations and tidbits

You’ll encounter Schock in compound expressions like Schockdiagnose (shocking diagnosis), Schockmoment (shock moment), or Schockstarre (frozen in shock). In health care, it appears in terms like Hypovolämischer Schock or anaphylaktischer Schock. And in lighter usage, people joke about Modeschock (fashion disaster) or Kulturschock (culture shock). It’s a word that easily adapts to both the serious and the silly.

🧠 Fun fact: Schock entered German through French choc and shares the same root as the English “shock.” But in Middle High German, Schock also referred to the number 60—so don’t be confused if you see it in very old texts with a numerical meaning.

📘 Duden entry for Schock
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