schwach
weak
Having little physical strength or energy; the opposite of strong.
EXAMPLE
Nach der Grippe fühlte sie sich noch wochenlang schwach.
After the flu, she still felt weak for weeks.
schwach
weak
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Meanings
schwach
weak / poor
Showing low performance, quality, or intensity.
EXAMPLE
Das war eine schwache Vorstellung der Heimmannschaft.
That was a weak performance by the home team.
schwach
weak / faint
Of low intensity; barely perceptible. Refers to light, sounds, signals, or even memories.
EXAMPLE
Das WLAN-Signal ist in diesem Zimmer sehr schwach.
The Wi-Fi signal is very weak in this room.
schwach werden
to give in
To be unable to resist a temptation or desire.
EXAMPLE
Immer wenn ich Kuchen sehe, werde ich schwach.
Whenever I see cake, I give in.
schwach in
weak in
To have limited skills or knowledge in a particular area or subject.
EXAMPLE
Ich war in der Schule immer schwach in Physik.
At school, I was always weak in physics.
schwach
weak / flimsy
Not convincing or poorly supported. Refers to arguments, evidence, or excuses.
EXAMPLE
Seine Ausrede für die Verspätung war ziemlich schwach.
His excuse for being late was pretty weak.
Usage tips
Word family
'Schwach' (weak) belongs to a word family. The noun is 'die Schwäche' (weakness), and the verb is 'schwächen' (to weaken). All three words refer to the concept of low strength or intensity.
EXAMPLE
Jeder Mensch hat Stärken und Schwächen.
Every person has strengths and weaknesses.
Fixed expression
The expression 'schwach werden' (to give in) means not being able to resist a temptation. It describes the moment of decision when you give in.
EXAMPLE
Bei Schokolade werde ich immer schwach.
I always give in when it comes to chocolate.
Sentence structure: schwach in
To express that you are not good at a particular subject or skill, you use the fixed structure 'schwach in' (weak in) + dative. Typical examples are school subjects or sports.
EXAMPLE
Mein Sohn ist schwach in Mathematik, aber gut in Sprachen.
My son is weak in mathematics, but good at languages.
Context clue
The noun that 'schwach' (weak) describes reveals the exact meaning. A 'schwacher Kaffee' (weak coffee) has little aroma, a 'schwaches Argument' (weak argument) is not convincing, and a 'schwaches Herz' (weak heart) is a medical problem.
EXAMPLE
Dieser Kaffee ist mir zu schwach, ich mag ihn stärker.
This coffee is too weak for me; I like it stronger.
Typical collocations: intensity
To describe low intensity, 'schwach' (weak/faint) is often combined with sensory perceptions or signals: 'schwaches Licht' (weak/faint light), 'schwacher Wind' (weak/light wind), 'schwache Stimme' (weak/faint voice), or 'schwaches Signal' (weak signal).
EXAMPLE
Im Keller ist das Licht ziemlich schwach.
The light in the basement is pretty weak.
Typical collocations: argumentation
When it is about the quality of ideas or justifications, typical collocations are 'ein schwaches Argument' (a weak argument), 'ein schwacher Beweis' (weak evidence), or 'eine schwache Ausrede' (a weak excuse).
EXAMPLE
Für seine Verspätung hatte er nur eine schwache Ausrede.
He only had a weak excuse for being late.
Compare with
schwach vs leicht
light / easy
Leicht and schwach can both express low intensity. Leicht generally reduces the perceived strength, while schwach emphasizes the limited force or effect in particular. Use leicht for a gentle wind; when its lack of force is important, schwach is more appropriate.
schwach
Der Wind ist so schwach, dass sich die Fahne kaum bewegt.
The wind is so weak that the flag hardly moves.
leicht
Ein leichter Wind sorgt auf der Terrasse für angenehme Abkühlung.
A light breeze provides pleasant cooling on the patio.
In real life
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