01
gemein
mean
Malicious, unfair, or hurtful toward other people.
example
Es war gemein von dir, deinem kleinen Bruder das Spielzeug wegzunehmen.
It was mean of you to take the toy away from your little brother.
gemein
mean / common
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Main modern meaning
In modern everyday language, 'gemein' (mean) almost always means 'malicious,' 'unfair,' or 'hurtful.' It describes negative behavior toward others.
EXAMPLE
Hör auf, so gemein zu deiner Schwester zu sein!
Stop being so mean to your sister!
Word family
'Gemein' (mean/common) is related to 'gemeinsam' (together/shared) and 'die Gemeinschaft' (community). The original meaning was 'belonging to everyone.' From that, the modern negative meaning developed through 'ordinary' and 'vulgar.'
EXAMPLE
Früher bezeichnete man die einfachen Bürger als das „gemeine Volk“.
In the past, ordinary citizens were referred to as the 'gemeine Volk' (common people).
Fixed expression
The old meaning 'gemeinsam' (shared/common) has been preserved in the fixed expression 'etwas gemein haben' (to have something in common). Here the word has no negative meaning.
EXAMPLE
Trotz ihrer Unterschiede haben die beiden vieles gemein.
Despite their differences, the two have a lot in common.
Compare with
gemein vs einfach
simple / just
'einfach' and 'gemein' can only be close in meaning in an old sense: 'gemein' used to be able to mean 'simple' or 'ordinary'. Today, however, this meaning is outdated. In modern German, 'gemein' almost always means unfair, nasty, or hurtful. For that reason, confusing the two can be problematic. If you want to say that something is plain or without luxury, use 'einfach'. Today, 'gemein' is used for unfair behavior or a hurtful action.
gemein
Es war gemein, dass Max den anderen Kindern nichts von dem Spiel erzählt hat.
It was mean that Max did not tell the other children anything about the game.
einfach
Im Urlaub wohnen wir in einem einfachen Zimmer ohne Balkon.
On vacation, we are staying in a simple room without a balcony.
In real life
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