01
verzweifelt
desperate
Describes a person who has no hope left and no longer knows what to do.
example
Nachdem er seinen Job verloren hatte, war er völlig verzweifelt.
After he had lost his job, he was completely desperate.
verzweifelt
desperate
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 03
Usage tips
Word family
The word 'verzweifelt' (desperate) is derived from the verb 'verzweifeln' (to despair), which in turn comes from the noun 'der Zweifel' (doubt). So it describes a state in which you are overwhelmed by doubts and no longer see a solution.
EXAMPLE
Aus reiner Verzweiflung rief sie die Polizei an.
Out of sheer desperation, she called the police.
Adjective or adverb
'Verzweifelt' (desperate/desperately) can describe a person (adjective) or the manner of an action (adverb). Pay attention to its position in the sentence: before a noun or after 'sein' (to be), it describes a person; with a verb, it describes the action.
EXAMPLE
Ein verzweifelter Vater bat im Fernsehen um Hilfe.
A desperate father asked for help on television.
Typical collocations
When 'verzweifelt' (desperately) describes an action, it often appears with verbs that express effort or searching. Common combinations are: 'verzweifelt suchen' (to search desperately), 'verzweifelt versuchen' (to try desperately), 'verzweifelt rufen' (to call desperately), or 'verzweifelt kämpfen' (to fight desperately).
EXAMPLE
Die Rettungskräfte kämpften verzweifelt gegen die Fluten.
The rescue workers fought desperately against the floods.
Compare with
verzweifelt vs kritisch
critical
'kritisch' and 'verzweifelt' can both show that a situation is very serious or bad. 'kritisch' describes a dangerous or decisive situation in a more objective way. 'verzweifelt' emphasizes hopelessness more strongly: a person no longer knows what to do, or a situation seems hopeless. So you can still analyze a critical situation calmly, but a desperate person is under strong emotional strain. The words are easy to confuse because both sound negative. 'kritisch' fits more with danger and decision, while 'verzweifelt' fits more with a lack of hope.
verzweifelt
Nach dem Gespräch waren die Eltern verzweifelt, weil sie keine Lösung sahen.
After the conversation, the parents were desperate because they saw no solution.
kritisch
Die Lage im Krankenhaus bleibt kritisch, weil noch Personal fehlt.
The situation in the hospital remains critical because there is still a shortage of staff.
In real life
Loading video examples...