die Dummheit
stupidity
A lack of intelligence, judgment, or wisdom; the quality of being stupid.
EXAMPLE
Seine Entscheidung zeugte von unglaublicher Dummheit.
His decision showed incredible stupidity.
die Dummheit
stupidity
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Meanings
die Dummheit
stupid thing
A single thoughtless, foolish action or statement.
EXAMPLE
Es war eine Dummheit, bei diesem Sturm segeln zu gehen.
It was a stupid thing to go sailing in this storm.
Usage tips
Word structure
The noun 'Dummheit' (stupidity) is derived from the adjective 'dumm' (stupid). The ending '-heit' is a typical way in German to form abstract feminine nouns from adjectives.
EXAMPLE
Die Weisheit eines Menschen zeigt sich oft erst im Alter, die Dummheit leider schon früher.
A person's wisdom often only shows itself in old age; their stupidity, unfortunately, shows itself earlier.
Countable vs. uncountable
'Dummheit' (stupidity) as a quality is uncountable. But when the word refers to a single unwise action, it is countable and can appear in the plural, 'Dummheiten' (stupid things).
EXAMPLE
Aus reiner Dummheit hat er den Schlüssel im Auto vergessen.
Out of sheer stupidity, he forgot the key in the car.
Typical collocations
When referring to a single action, 'Dummheit' (a stupid thing) is often combined with the verbs 'machen' (to do/make) or 'begehen' (to commit). 'Eine Dummheit begehen' (to commit a stupid act) is somewhat more formal than 'eine Dummheit machen' (to do something stupid).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe eine große Dummheit gemacht und mich nicht entschuldigt.
I did something really stupid and didn't apologize.
Compare with
Dummheit vs Blödsinn
nonsense
Blödsinn refers to a stupid or childish activity, often done for fun. A Dummheit is more likely to be a single thoughtless action or remark judged to be a mistake. Blödsinn is therefore suitable for silly behavior, while Dummheit is more suitable for a specific blunder.
Dummheit
Aus Unachtsamkeit beging der Jugendliche die Dummheit, seinen Schlüssel liegen zu lassen.
Through carelessness, the teenager made the stupid mistake of leaving his key behind.
Blödsinn
Aus Langeweile machten die Jugendlichen Blödsinn und versteckten die Stühle.
Bored, the teenagers fooled around and hid the chairs.
In real life
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