die Angst
fear
A strong, unpleasant feeling of threat or worry.
EXAMPLE
Bei dem Gedanken an die Prüfung spürte er große Angst.
At the thought of the exam, he felt great fear.
die Angst
fear
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Meanings
Angst haben vor
to be afraid of
To be afraid of a specific person, thing, or situation.
EXAMPLE
Viele Menschen haben Angst vor Spinnen.
Many people are afraid of spiders.
Angst haben um
to fear for
To worry about someone's well-being or safety.
EXAMPLE
Die Mutter hat Angst um ihr krankes Kind.
The mother fears for her sick child.
Usage tips
Correct preposition
The preposition after 'Angst haben' (to be afraid) is very important. 'Angst vor' (+ dative) describes the source of fear. 'Angst um' (+ accusative) expresses worry about someone or something.
EXAMPLE
Das Kind hat Angst vor der Dunkelheit.
The child is afraid of the dark.
Typical collocations
Common verbs with 'Angst' (fear) are 'Angst haben' (to be afraid), 'Angst bekommen' (to suddenly feel afraid), and 'jemandem Angst machen' (to scare someone).
EXAMPLE
Als das Licht ausging, bekam ich große Angst.
When the light went out, I became very afraid.
Sentence structure with subordinate clause
To explain the reason for the fear more precisely, you can use a subordinate clause with 'dass' (that) or an infinitive construction with 'zu' (to).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe Angst, dass ich den Zug verpasse.
I'm afraid that I'll miss the train.
Compare with
Angst vs Panik
panic
Die Angst is the more general word for a strong, unpleasant feeling of threat. Die Panik, on the other hand, refers to sudden, extreme fear in which people lose control and may act irrationally. Use Angst for the feeling in general and Panik for this kind of sudden escalation.
Angst
Vor dem brennenden Haus hatte sie große Angst.
She was very afraid in front of the burning house.
Panik
Als der Rauch dichter wurde, bekam sie Panik und rannte unkontrolliert hinaus.
As the smoke grew thicker, she panicked and ran out uncontrollably.
In real life
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