die Torheit
a foolish act
An unwise or senseless action, statement, or decision.
EXAMPLE
Es war eine Torheit, bei diesem Wetter ohne Jacke hinauszugehen.
It was folly to go outside without a jacket in this weather.
die Torheit
folly
die Torheit, die Torheiten
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Meanings
die Torheit
foolishness
A lack of sense or reason; foolish behavior.
EXAMPLE
Seine Torheit wurde ihm erst klar, als er die Folgen sah.
He only realized his foolishness when he saw the consequences.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Torheit, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Torheiten |
| genitive | der Torheit |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Torheit | die Torheiten |
| accusative | die Torheit | die Torheiten |
| dative | der Torheit | den Torheiten |
| genitive | der Torheit | der Torheiten |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Register and style
„Torheit“ (folly) belongs more to elevated or literary language and is especially common in written texts. In everyday speech, the word often sounds old-fashioned or deliberately formal.
EXAMPLE
Der Schriftsteller bezeichnete den Krieg als menschliche Torheit.
The writer described the war as human folly.
Countable action
For a single unwise action or decision, „Torheit“ (folly) is often used with the indefinite article: „eine Torheit“ (a folly). Typical collocations include „eine Torheit begehen“ (to commit a folly) and „eine Torheit sein“ (to be a folly).
EXAMPLE
Mit dem Verkauf des Hauses hat er eine große Torheit begangen.
Selling the house was a great folly on his part.
Abstract quality
When „Torheit“ (foolishness) refers to a lack of reason or to foolish behavior in general, it is often used without an article or with a possessive determiner such as „seine“ (his) or „ihre“ (her/their). The context then usually refers to a person or their behavior.
EXAMPLE
Ihre Torheit zeigte sich besonders in ihren riskanten Entscheidungen.
Her foolishness was especially apparent in her risky decisions.
In real life
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