01
das Vergnügen
pleasure
A feeling of joy, fun, or entertainment that one experiences during a particular activity or experience.
example
Es war mir ein großes Vergnügen, Sie kennenzulernen.
It was a great pleasure to meet you.
das Vergnügen
pleasure
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
'Das Vergnügen' (pleasure) is the noun related to the reflexive verb 'sich vergnügen' (to have fun, to enjoy oneself). If you know the verb, you can easily work out the meaning of the noun.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder vergnügten sich den ganzen Nachmittag im Park.
The children enjoyed themselves in the park all afternoon.
Polite expressions
'Vergnügen' (pleasure) is often used in fixed, polite expressions. Examples are 'Viel Vergnügen!' (Have fun! / Enjoy!), 'Mit Vergnügen!' (With pleasure!, as a positive answer), or 'Es ist mir ein Vergnügen' (It is my pleasure).
EXAMPLE
Viel Vergnügen heute Abend im Theater!
Enjoy yourself at the theater tonight!
Sentence structure with preposition
When you want to express what someone takes pleasure in, you often use the construction 'Vergnügen an etwas (Dativ) finden' (to find pleasure in something) or 'Vergnügen an etwas (Dativ) haben' (to take pleasure in something).
EXAMPLE
Er findet großes Vergnügen an der Gartenarbeit.
He finds great pleasure in gardening.
Typical collocations
When 'Vergnügen' (pleasure) describes an activity, it is often combined with adjectives like 'teuer' (expensive), 'kurz' (brief), 'selten' (rare), or 'zweifelhaft' (questionable). This often has a slightly ironic undertone.
EXAMPLE
Jeden Morgen ein Taxi zur Arbeit zu nehmen, ist ein teures Vergnügen.
Taking a taxi to work every morning is an expensive pleasure.
Compare with
Vergnügen vs Spaß
fun / joke
'der Spaß' and 'das Vergnügen' are very close in meaning. Both describe something you enjoy doing and that gives you a good feeling. 'Spaß' is very casual in everyday language and fits especially well with funny, lively situations. 'Vergnügen' sounds a bit more elevated or calmer and also fits pleasant experiences such as theater, food, or music. Learners may confuse the words because both often mean almost the same thing. In conversation, 'Spaß' is usually more natural; 'Vergnügen' sounds somewhat more formal or refined.
Vergnügen
Am Abend ist ein Konzert für mich ein großes Vergnügen.
In the evening, a concert is a great pleasure for me.
Spaß
Beim Streichen der Küche hatten wir heute Morgen mehr Spaß als erwartet.
Painting the kitchen this morning was more fun than we expected.
In real life
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