01
die Beleidigung
insult
A statement or action intended to injure or demean another person's honor or dignity.
example
Er empfand die unfaire Kritik als persönliche Beleidigung.
He took the unfair criticism as a personal insult.
die Beleidigung
insult
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'die Beleidigung' (the insult) is derived from the verb 'beleidigen' (to insult). The ending '-ung' turns the verb into a feminine noun that describes the action or its result.
EXAMPLE
Er wollte dich mit seiner Aussage nicht beleidigen.
He didn't mean to insult you with his statement.
Typical collocations
Common adjectives are 'persönliche' (personal), 'schwere' (serious), or 'grobe Beleidigung' (gross insult). Typical verbs are 'etwas als Beleidigung auffassen' (to take something as an insult) or 'empfinden' (to perceive/feel).
EXAMPLE
Das war eine schwere Beleidigung für die ganze Familie.
That was a serious insult to the whole family.
Legal context
You can recognize the legal meaning from words such as 'Anzeige' (criminal complaint), 'Gericht' (court), or 'Strafe' (penalty). The preposition 'wegen' (because of/on account of) is often used to state the reason for a lawsuit or complaint.
EXAMPLE
Er hat eine Anzeige wegen Beleidigung erstattet.
He filed a criminal complaint for insult.
Compare with
Beleidigung vs Verletzung
injury / violation
'die Verletzung' and 'die Beleidigung' can both have to do with hurt feelings or injured honor. However, 'Beleidigung' more specifically means a statement or action that puts someone down, for example an insult or swear word. 'Verletzung' is more general: feelings can be hurt by many things, even without a direct insult. Learners may confuse the words because an insult often causes emotional hurt. In practical terms: use 'Verletzung' for the hurt feeling, and 'Beleidigung' for the insulting statement or action.
Beleidigung
Der Satz des Kollegen war keine Kritik mehr, sondern eine klare Beleidigung.
The colleague's sentence was no longer criticism, but a clear insult.
Verletzung
Nach dem Streit spürte Lena eine tiefe Verletzung, obwohl niemand laut geworden war.
After the argument, Lena felt a deep hurt, even though no one had raised their voice.
In real life
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