to whine / lament
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to whine
To complain in a self-pitying and plaintive way about (often minor) problems or inconveniences; to whine.
Hör auf zu jammern, so schlimm ist die Erkältung nun auch wieder nicht!
Stop whining; the cold really isn’t that bad!
to lament
To express deep pain, grief, or suffering through loud complaining and crying.
Nach der schrecklichen Nachricht jammerte sie stundenlang untröstlich.
After the terrible news, she lamented inconsolably for hours.
When you want to state the reason for the whining or lamenting, you usually use the preposition 'über' followed by the accusative. You complain about something: 'über etwas jammern'.
Er jammert ständig über seine Arbeit.
He is constantly whining about his work.
The meaning of 'jammern' (to whine/lament) depends heavily on the context. If it is about small, everyday problems, it means to complain in a self-pitying way. In a context of great misfortune or pain, it means to lament loudly.
Er jammert, weil der Kaffee kalt ist.
He is whining because the coffee is cold.
In the meaning 'sich beschweren' (to complain), 'jammern' (to whine) has a negative connotation. It implies that the person complaining is self-pitying and exaggerating. A typical command is the imperative 'Jammer nicht!' (Don’t whine!).
Jammer nicht wegen des bisschen Regens!
Don’t whine about a little bit of rain!
To express the cause of deep pain or grief, the preposition 'vor' with the dative is often used. Typical combinations are 'vor Schmerz jammern' (to lament in pain) or 'vor Trauer jammern' (to lament with grief).
Der Verletzte jammerte vor Schmerz.
The injured man lamented in pain.
to cry
Weinen and jammern can both express suffering. Weinen emphasizes that a person is shedding tears, while jammern highlights self-pitying, plaintive complaints and is not necessarily connected with tears. Use weinen when tears are visible and jammern when someone is complaining about a problem in a plaintive way.
Nach dem Sturz jammerte das Kind lange über die Schmerzen.
The child complained about the pain for a long time after falling.
Nach dem Sturz weinte das Kind wegen der Schmerzen.
The child cried from the pain after falling.
