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die Tragödie
tragedy
A very sad, terrible, or catastrophic event that causes great suffering.
example
Der Unfall auf der Autobahn war eine furchtbare Tragödie.
The accident on the highway was a terrible tragedy.
die Tragödie
tragedy
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The adjective for 'Tragödie' (tragedy) is 'tragisch' (tragic). It describes events or situations that are sad and unfortunate.
EXAMPLE
Es war ein tragischer Unfall mit vielen Verletzten.
It was a tragic accident with many injured people.
Typical collocations
In connection with a terrible event, 'Tragödie' (tragedy) is often specified more closely. Typical expressions are 'eine persönliche Tragödie' (a personal tragedy), 'eine Familientragödie' (a family tragedy), or 'eine nationale Tragödie' (a national tragedy).
EXAMPLE
Der frühe Tod ihres Mannes war eine persönliche Tragödie für sie.
The early death of her husband was a personal tragedy for her.
Context clue
You can tell from context whether a real event or a literary work is meant. Words like 'Theater' (theater), 'Autor' (author), 'Drama' (drama), or names of writers like 'Shakespeare' point to the literary meaning.
EXAMPLE
Die griechische Tragödie ist ein wichtiger Teil der Weltliteratur.
Greek tragedy is an important part of world literature.
Compare with
Tragödie vs Drama
drama
'Das Drama' and 'die Tragödie' are close in meaning because both can describe serious, sad, or very emotional situations. 'Die Tragödie' is usually stronger: it refers to a very sad event involving great suffering, or, in theater, a serious form that ends unhappily. 'Das Drama' is broader. It can be a serious play, but in everyday language it can also simply mean a very emotional or exaggerated situation. Learners may confuse the words because both sound serious. If it is really about great suffering or a terrible ending, 'Tragödie' fits better. If it is generally about strong emotions, conflict, or theater, 'Drama' is often more natural.
Tragödie
Der Unfall war eine Tragödie für das ganze Dorf.
The accident was a tragedy for the whole village.
Drama
Im Unterricht lesen wir ein Drama über eine schwierige Familie.
In class, we're reading a drama about a difficult family.
In real life
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