der Schweiß
sweat
The salty, clear fluid secreted by the sweat glands of the skin to cool the body.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Joggen lief ihm der Schweiß von der Stirn.
After jogging, sweat was running down his forehead.
der Schweiß
sweat
der Schweiß, die Schweiße
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Meanings
der Schweiß
sweat
In a figurative sense, sweat stands for hard work, great effort, and toil.
EXAMPLE
Dieses Unternehmen wurde mit dem Schweiß und der harten Arbeit seiner Gründer aufgebaut.
This company was built with the sweat and hard work of its founders.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Schweiß, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Schweiße |
| genitive | des Schweißes |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Schweiß | die Schweiße |
| accusative | den Schweiß | die Schweiße |
| dative | dem Schweiß | den Schweißen |
| genitive | des Schweißes | der Schweiße |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Uncountable noun
'Schweiß' (sweat) is an uncountable noun and is almost always used in the singular. So you don't say 'viele Schweiße' (many sweats), but 'viel Schweiß' (a lot of sweat).
EXAMPLE
Bei dieser Hitze verliert man viel Schweiß.
In this heat, you lose a lot of sweat.
Typical expressions
For the physical reaction, there are fixed expressions like 'in Schweiß ausbrechen' (to break out in a sweat), 'in Schweiß gebadet sein' (to be drenched in sweat), or 'kalter Schweiß' (cold sweat). These describe sudden or heavy sweating.
EXAMPLE
Als er die Spinne sah, brach er in kalten Schweiß aus.
When he saw the spider, he broke out in a cold sweat.
Nach dem Training war er völlig in Schweiß gebadet.
After training, he was completely drenched in sweat.
Figurative meaning
In the figurative sense, 'Schweiß' (sweat) is often connected with effort and its results. Typical expressions are 'etwas kostet Schweiß und Mühe' (something takes sweat and effort) or the well-known phrase 'Blut, Schweiß und Tränen' (blood, sweat, and tears).
EXAMPLE
Der Aufbau der Firma hat ihn viel Schweiß gekostet.
Building the company cost him a lot of sweat.
Context clue
You can recognize the literal meaning from contexts like sports, heat, or physical reactions (e.g., fear). The figurative meaning is found in contexts involving work, projects, and achieving goals.
EXAMPLE
Beim Saunabesuch kommt man ordentlich ins Schwitzen.
When you visit the sauna, you really start sweating.
In diesem Haus steckt der Schweiß von Generationen.
This house contains the sweat of generations.
Compare with
Schweiß vs Mühe
effort / trouble
Mühe and Schweiß can both express that a task required a great deal of effort. Mühe refers directly to the effort involved, while Schweiß presents it figuratively and more vividly as hard work. Mühe fits a factual statement, while Schweiß adds vivid emphasis.
Schweiß
Die Renovierung des alten Zimmers kostete uns viel Schweiß.
Renovating the old room took a lot of sweat.
Mühe
Die Renovierung des alten Zimmers kostete uns viel Mühe.
Renovating the old room took a lot of effort.
In real life
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