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bewegend
moving
Causing strong feelings such as being touched, sadness, or joy; emotionally affecting.
example
Die Abschiedsrede des Direktors war für alle sehr bewegend.
The director's farewell speech was very moving for everyone.
bewegend
moving
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word formation
'Bewegend' (moving) is the present participle of the verb 'bewegen' (to move). It describes something that causes movement—either emotional movement inside or physical movement in the real world.
EXAMPLE
Seine Dankesrede war ein sehr bewegender Moment für die ganze Familie.
His thank-you speech was a very moving moment for the whole family.
Context clue
The emotional meaning is the most common. You can recognize it by the fact that 'bewegend' (moving) describes abstract things such as a film, a story, or a moment. The literal meaning refers to concrete, physical objects.
EXAMPLE
Das Ende des Buches war wirklich bewegend.
The ending of the book was truly moving.
Typical collocations
In its emotional meaning, 'bewegend' (moving) is often combined with nouns such as 'Film' (film), 'Geschichte' (story), 'Rede' (speech), 'Moment' (moment), or 'Erlebnis' (experience).
EXAMPLE
Es war ein bewegendes Erlebnis, meine Großeltern nach so langer Zeit wiederzusehen.
It was a moving experience to see my grandparents again after such a long time.
Compare with
bewegend vs emotional
emotional
'emotional' and 'bewegend' both have to do with feelings. 'emotional' describes something that is strongly shaped by feelings, or a person who clearly shows feelings. 'bewegend', on the other hand, describes the effect on others: a speech, a film, or a story touches people and triggers strong feelings. The words can be confused because a moving moment is often emotional too. Practically speaking: 'emotional' describes the content or the person, while 'bewegend' describes what something triggers in others.
bewegend
Die Abschiedsrede der Lehrerin war so bewegend, dass viele im Raum still wurden.
The teacher's farewell speech was so moving that many people in the room fell silent.
emotional
Der Fahrer wurde nach dem Unfall sehr emotional und sprach nur noch leise.
After the accident, the driver became very emotional and only spoke quietly.
In real life
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