01
der Mut
courage
The ability and willingness to do something difficult or risky despite fear or danger; bravery.
example
Es erforderte viel Mut, dem Chef die eigene Meinung zu sagen.
It took a lot of courage to tell the boss your own opinion.
der Mut
courage
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
'Der Mut' belongs to a word family. The related adjective is 'mutig' (brave). The verb 'jemanden ermutigen' means to encourage someone.
EXAMPLE
Sie ist ein sehr mutiges Mädchen.
She is a very brave girl.
Use without an article
'Mut' is an uncountable noun and is often used without an article, especially in the fixed expression 'Mut haben' (to have courage). So you say 'Er hat Mut' (He has courage), not 'Er hat einen Mut'.
EXAMPLE
Man braucht viel Mut, um vor so vielen Menschen zu sprechen.
You need a lot of courage to speak in front of so many people.
Typical collocations
There are several fixed expressions with 'Mut'. Common ones are 'Mut fassen' (to take heart), 'jemandem Mut machen' (to encourage someone), and 'seinen ganzen Mut zusammennehmen' (to summon all one's courage).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Schock musste sie erst wieder Mut fassen.
After the shock, she first had to take heart again.
Sentence structure and usage pattern
This expression is typically followed by an infinitive construction with 'zu'. It follows the pattern: 'den Mut haben, etwas zu tun' (to have the courage to do something).
EXAMPLE
Er hatte nicht den Mut, die Wahrheit zu sagen.
He did not have the courage to tell the truth.
Compare with
Mut vs Angst
fear
'die Angst' and 'der Mut' are often opposites. 'Angst' is the unpleasant feeling you have when you feel threatened or are afraid of something. 'Mut' means doing something difficult or risky despite fear. So courage does not necessarily mean having no fear. Often, you show courage precisely when you feel fear and act anyway.
Mut
Das Team hat den Mut, dem Chef ehrlich seine Meinung zu sagen.
The team has the courage to tell the boss its honest opinion.
Angst
Vor der Prüfung spürt Lena große Angst.
Before the exam, Lena feels great fear.
In real life
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