miserable
elendig – elendiger – am elendigsten
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miserable
Very bad, wretched, or characterized by great hardship; in this sense, the word often describes living conditions, circumstances, or situations.
Die Familie musste jahrelang unter elendigen Bedingungen leben.
The family had to live in miserable conditions for years.
feeling miserable
Physically very unwell, weak, or sick; someone feels particularly uncomfortable and lacking in energy.
Nach der langen Reise fühlte sie sich elendig.
After the long journey, she felt miserable.
wretched
Morally despicable or contemptible; the word expresses a strongly negative judgment of a person or their behavior.
Dieser elendige Betrüger hat mehrere Menschen um ihr Geld gebracht.
That wretched fraudster cheated several people out of their money.
| basic form | elendig |
|---|---|
| comparative | elendiger |
| superlative | am elendigsten |
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -e | -e | -e | -en |
| acc. | -en | -e | -e | -en |
| dat. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| gen. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Add the ending to elendig.
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -er | -e | -es | -en |
| acc. | -en | -e | -es | -en |
| dat. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| gen. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Add the ending to elendig.
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -er | -e | -es | -e |
| acc. | -en | -e | -es | -e |
| dat. | -em | -er | -em | -en |
| gen. | -en | -er | -en | -er |
Add the ending to elendig.
When referring to someone's physical or emotional state, 'elendig' (miserable) is often used with 'sich fühlen' (to feel). The affected person is the subject, and 'elendig' comes after the reflexive verb.
Seit gestern fühle ich mich richtig elendig.
I've been feeling really miserable since yesterday.
When describing conditions and living circumstances, 'elendig' (miserable) often comes directly before words such as 'Bedingungen' (conditions), 'Zustände' (conditions), or 'Verhältnisse' (circumstances). The combination describes an especially bad or difficult situation.
In dem Flüchtlingslager herrschten elendige Zustände.
Miserable conditions prevailed in the refugee camp.
Before a word referring to a person, 'elendig' (wretched) expresses a harsh personal judgment and can be insulting. In this usage, the word clearly conveys the speaker's anger or contempt.
Dieser elendige Lügner soll mir nie wieder unter die Augen kommen!
That wretched liar had better never show his face to me again!
