das Selbstvertrauen
self-confidence
Belief in one's own abilities, strengths, and judgments; trust in oneself.
EXAMPLE
Durch die bestandene Prüfung hat sie viel Selbstvertrauen gewonnen.
By passing the exam, she gained a lot of self-confidence.
das Selbstvertrauen
self-confidence
das Selbstvertrauen
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Selbstvertrauen, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| genitive | des Selbstvertrauens |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Selbstvertrauen | – |
| accusative | das Selbstvertrauen | – |
| dative | dem Selbstvertrauen | – |
| genitive | des Selbstvertrauens | – |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word composition
The word is a clear compound of 'Selbst' (self) and 'Vertrauen' (trust/confidence). So it literally means having trust in yourself.
EXAMPLE
Ein gesundes Selbstvertrauen ist wichtig für den Erfolg im Beruf.
Healthy self-confidence is important for success at work.
Typical verbs
'Selbstvertrauen' (self-confidence) is often combined with certain verbs that describe a change. Typical ones are: to have, gain, strengthen, build up, or lose self-confidence.
EXAMPLE
Durch das positive Feedback konnte er sein Selbstvertrauen wieder aufbauen.
Thanks to the positive feedback, he was able to build up his self-confidence again.
Er hat nach dem Fehler viel Selbstvertrauen verloren.
He lost a lot of self-confidence after the mistake.
Typical adjectives
To describe the degree of self-confidence, the adjectives 'groß' (great), 'stark' (strong), 'wenig' (little), or 'gering' (low) are frequently used. The combination 'mangelndes Selbstvertrauen' (lack of self-confidence) is also very common.
EXAMPLE
Sie ist eine Sportlerin mit einem starken Selbstvertrauen.
She is an athlete with strong self-confidence.
Sein Problem ist sein mangelndes Selbstvertrauen vor Prüfungen.
His problem is his lack of self-confidence before exams.
Compare with
Selbstvertrauen vs Selbstbewusstsein
self-confidence / self-awareness
Selbstvertrauen and Selbstbewusstsein can both express belief in one’s own abilities. Selbstvertrauen focuses more on inner confidence, while Selbstbewusstsein can additionally describe confident behavior outwardly. When it is about confidence before taking on a task, Selbstvertrauen is appropriate; for visible confidence in one’s manner, Selbstbewusstsein can also be used.
Selbstvertrauen
Sein Selbstvertrauen wuchs, nachdem er die Prüfung bestanden hatte.
His self-confidence grew after he passed the exam.
Selbstbewusstsein
Ihr Selbstbewusstsein zeigte sich darin, dass sie sicher vor der Gruppe sprach.
Her self-confidence showed in the way she spoke confidently in front of the group.
In real life
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