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Herzschmerz
/ˈhɛʁt͡sˌʃmɛʁt͡s/
heartbreak
Nach der Trennung hatte sie tagelang nur Herzschmerz.
After the breakup, she felt heartbreak for days.
informal
Emotional pain or distress caused by unrequited love, separation, or loss in a romantic context.
Er litt unter Herzschmerz, als seine Freundin ihn verließ.
He suffered from heartbreak when his girlfriend left him.
Der Film handelt von einem Mann, der an Herzschmerz zugrunde geht.
The film is about a man who succumbs to heartbreak.
Commonly used in everyday speech to describe deep emotional pain in love relationships.
Collocations
Herzschmerz habento be heartbrokenunter Herzschmerz leidento suffer from heartbreakHerzschmerz verursachento cause heartbreak
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoid literal translation
Do not translate 'Herzschmerz' as 'heart pain' in English. While grammatically correct, it sounds unnatural. Use 'heartbreak' or 'being heartbroken' instead.
Gold Rule
Context matters
Herzschmerz is almost always used in romantic contexts. Do not use it for physical pain or non-romantic emotional distress.
Word Origin
Compound of 'Herz' (heart) and 'Schmerz' (pain), first attested in the 18th century. Reflects the metaphorical use of 'heart' to represent emotions in many languages.
Usage Notes
Primarily used in personal or literary contexts. Avoid using in formal or clinical settings where 'emotional distress' or 'romantic grief' would be more appropriate.
Word Breakdown
Herz
heart (as the seat of emotions)
rootSchmerz
pain
rootDeutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch