das Übel
evil
Something regarded as bad, harmful, or morally reprehensible; evil.
EXAMPLE
Viele Menschen kämpfen gegen das Übel in der Welt.
Many people are fighting against the evil in the world.
das Übel
evil / ailment
das Übel, die Übel
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Meanings
das Übel
harm / problem
A harmful or unpleasant condition, a social problem, or a grievance.
EXAMPLE
Die steigenden Preise sind ein großes Übel für viele Familien.
Rising prices are a major problem for many families.
das Übel
ailment
A physical complaint, an illness, or a disease.
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt konnte das Übel schnell erkennen.
The doctor was able to quickly identify the ailment.
das kleinere Übel
lesser evil
The less bad or less unpleasant of two bad options.
EXAMPLE
Eine kurze Verspätung war noch das kleinere Übel.
A short delay was still the lesser evil.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Übel, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| plural | die Übel |
| genitive | des Übels |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Übel | die Übel |
| accusative | das Übel | die Übel |
| dative | dem Übel | den Übeln |
| genitive | des Übels | der Übel |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word family
'Das Übel' (evil / ailment) belongs to the word family of 'übel' (bad / unpleasant). The basic idea of something bad or unpleasant connects its moral, social, and physical uses.
EXAMPLE
Die Behörden wollen das Übel an der Wurzel packen.
The authorities want to tackle the problem at its root.
Typical collocations
In its moral sense, 'Übel' (evil) frequently occurs in expressions such as 'das Übel bekämpfen' (to fight evil) or 'das Übel in der Welt' (the evil in the world).
EXAMPLE
Philosophen fragen seit Jahrhunderten, woher das Übel in der Welt kommt.
For centuries, philosophers have asked where the evil in the world comes from.
Social context
For a harmful condition or social problem, 'Übel' (harm / problem) is often combined with evaluative adjectives, such as 'ein großes Übel' (a major problem), 'ein gesellschaftliches Übel' (a social problem), or 'ein notwendiges Übel' (a necessary evil).
EXAMPLE
Korruption gilt in vielen Ländern als ein großes gesellschaftliches Übel.
Corruption is regarded as a major social problem in many countries.
Fixed expression
The fixed expression 'das kleinere Übel' (the lesser evil) refers to a choice between two bad options. It often occurs with verbs such as 'wählen' (to choose), 'akzeptieren' (to accept), or 'in Kauf nehmen' (to put up with).
EXAMPLE
Wir mussten das kleinere Übel wählen und die Reise um einen Tag verschieben.
We had to choose the lesser evil and postpone the trip by a day.
In real life
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