misery / complaining
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misery
A state of great sorrow, misery, or suffering. It describes a deep feeling of sadness or a pitiable situation.
Nach der Flutkatastrophe war der Jammer in der betroffenen Region unermesslich.
After the flood disaster, the misery in the affected region was immeasurable.
'Der Jammer' (misery / complaining) is closely related to the verb 'jammern' (to complain, to lament). The noun describes either the state of sorrow or the act of complaining itself.
Sein lautes Jammern ging allen auf die Nerven.
His loud complaining got on everyone's nerves.
The word 'Jammer' (misery / complaining) is used almost exclusively in the singular. Even when talking about many problems or great suffering, you speak of 'großer Jammer' (great misery), not 'die Jammern'.
Der Jammer nach dem Hochwasser war unbeschreiblich.
The misery after the flood was indescribable.
A common fixed expression is 'ein Bild des Jammers bieten' (to present a picture of misery). This describes a sight that is very sad, miserable, or chaotic.
Nach der Party bot das Wohnzimmer ein Bild des Jammers.
After the party, the living room presented a picture of misery.
When 'Jammer' (complaining) has the meaning of 'Klagen' (complaints / lamenting), it often appears with a possessive pronoun such as 'sein' (his), 'ihr' (her), or 'dein' (your). This shows that it is about a person's personal complaining.
Ihr ständiger Jammer über das Wetter ist ermüdend.
Her constant complaining about the weather is tiring.
The expression 'ein Jammer sein' (to be a pity) is often used in the fixed structure 'Es ist ein Jammer, dass ...' (It's a pity that ...), followed by a subordinate clause, or with 'zu + Infinitiv' (to + infinitive).
Es ist ein Jammer, dass du nicht zur Feier kommen kannst.
It's a pity that you can't come to the celebration.
happiness / luck
'das Glück' and 'der Jammer' describe opposite emotional states or situations. 'das Glück' means joy, contentment, or a very positive state. 'der Jammer' means great sorrow, suffering, or a very sad and bad situation. The contrast is clear: 'Glück' is about something good and fulfilling, while 'Jammer' is about something burdensome and sad. 'Jammer' often sounds stronger and somewhat more dramatic than simple sadness.
Nach dem Brand war der Jammer im ganzen Dorf groß.
After the fire, there was great misery throughout the village.
Nach der langen Reise war das Glück groß, als die Familie endlich ankam.
After the long journey, the family was overjoyed when they finally arrived.