to sob
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to sob
To cry violently and convulsively, drawing in air in short, audible bursts. It describes very emotional, often uncontrolled crying.
Nach der traurigen Nachricht saß sie auf dem Bett und schluchzte hemmungslos.
After the sad news, she sat on the bed and sobbed uncontrollably.
The verb 'schluchzen' (to sob) is closely related to the noun 'der Schluchzer' (sob). A 'Schluchzer' is the single, convulsive sound made while crying.
Man hörte nur ihre leisen Schluchzer in dem stillen Raum.
All you could hear were her quiet sobs in the silent room.
'Schluchzen' (to sob) is an onomatopoeic word. It imitates the sound you make when you breathe in deeply and in bursts while crying.
Das Kind schluchzte bitterlich, nachdem es hingefallen war.
The child sobbed bitterly after falling down.
To indicate the reason for the sobbing, the preposition 'vor' is often used followed by the dative. Typical reasons are strong emotions.
Als sie die gute Nachricht hörte, schluchzte sie vor Freude.
When she heard the good news, she sobbed with joy.
to laugh
'lachen' and 'schluchzen' are clear opposites because they show very different feelings. 'lachen' fits joy, fun, or amusement. 'schluchzen' describes strong, audible crying, often when someone is very sad or overwhelmed. Both words describe a physical reaction involving the voice and face, but the mood is opposite. 'lachen' is usually positive or light, while 'schluchzen' is clearly sad and strongly emotional.
Nach der schlechten Nachricht hat das Kind lange geschluchzt.
After the bad news, the child sobbed for a long time.
Bei der Feier lachen alle, weil Paul eine lustige Rede hält.
At the celebration, everyone laughs because Paul gives a funny speech.