It’s what holds you back, what you admit in honest moments, or what you secretly have for chocolate. In German, it’s die Schwäche. This is your German Word of the Day—emotional, physical, and just as useful when talking about feelings as it is in strategy.
The noun Schwäche means weakness, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It can refer to physical frailty, emotional vulnerability, or even a soft spot for something you like too much.
It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Schwäche (still confused by der, die, das? Our video lesson will help you master it once and for all).
Pronunciation
Schwäche is pronounced [SHVEH-kheh]
Schwä like “shveh” (with short ä as in bed)
che has a soft ch (like in ich)
Stress on the first syllable: SCHWÄche
Example sentences
Jeder Mensch hat seine Schwächen.
Everyone has their weaknesses.Nach der Krankheit fühlte sie eine große Schwäche.
After the illness, she felt a lot of weakness.Ich habe eine Schwäche für Käsekuchen.
I have a weakness for cheesecake.
Nuance and usage tips
Schwäche is used across a variety of contexts:
💪 Physical / health-related
Muskelschwäche – muscle weakness
Kreislaufschwäche – circulatory weakness
Schwächeanfall – fainting spell / sudden weakness
🧠 Emotional or psychological
innere Schwäche – inner weakness
eine Schwäche zeigen – to show weakness
Verletzlichkeit und Schwäche – vulnerability and weakness
🍰 In the sense of having a soft spot
eine Schwäche für etwas haben – to have a weakness for something
(e.g., Ich habe eine Schwäche für alte Bücher.)
💬 Often paired with its opposite:
Stärke und Schwäche – strength and weakness
Schwachstelle – weak spot (also used in tech or arguments)
How does this word come up in real conversations?
"Er hat trotz seiner Schwäche weitergemacht."
He kept going despite his weakness."Was ist deine größte Schwäche?"
What’s your greatest weakness?"Ich habe echt eine Schwäche für Schokolade."
I seriously have a weakness for chocolate.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Jonas: Hast du Schwächen beim Deutschlernen?
Mira: Ja – die Artikel! Ich verwechsel sie ständig.
Jonas: Das geht vielen so.
Mira: Und ich hab eine Schwäche für deutsche Kekse!
Translation:
Jonas: Do you have any weaknesses when learning German?
Mira: Yeah—the articles! I mix them up all the time.
Jonas: A lot of people do.
Mira: And I have a weakness for German cookies!
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:
Die Schwäche war deutlich sichtbar.
The weakness was clearly visible.
Accusative:
Ich habe die Schwäche gespürt.
I felt the weakness.
Dative:
Mit der Schwäche muss man leben.
You have to live with the weakness.
Genitive:
Die Ursache der Schwäche ist unklar.
The cause of the weakness is unclear.
Word variations and language tidbits
Charakterschwäche – character weakness
Willensschwäche – lack of willpower
Schwachpunkt / Schwachstelle – weak point / flaw
Lustschwäche – lack of libido (used medically)
Energiemangel und Schwäche – common pairing in health settings
💡 Fun fact: In job interviews in Germany, if you’re asked about a “Schwäche”, it’s common to mention something minor but honest—and ideally show how you’re working on it. ("Ich bin manchmal zu perfektionistisch...")
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Schwaeche
🎥 Want to turn your German Schwächen into Stärken? Our free video course teaches the 1000 most useful nouns with grammar help, context, and practice you’ll remember.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Start means? Every Schwäche is part of a new one.
And what about Sendung? Sometimes it reveals your secret Schwäche—for late-night snacks.