01
der Wurm
worm
A small, long, invertebrate animal without legs that lives in the soil, such as an earthworm.
example
Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm.
The early bird catches the worm.
der Wurm
worm
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 04
Usage tips
Context clues
You can recognize the meaning of 'Wurm' (worm) from the context. If it is about computers and technology, it means malware. In the idiom 'der Wurm ist drin' (something is wrong), it is about a general problem. In the context of nature or fishing, it means the animal.
EXAMPLE
Mein Laptop ist langsam, vielleicht habe ich mir einen Wurm eingefangen.
My laptop is slow; maybe I picked up a worm.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'der Wurm drin sein' (for something to be wrong) describes that something is not working or is faulty. The subject of the sentence is often the thing that has the problem, or you use the structure 'bei etwas ist der Wurm drin' (something is wrong with something).
EXAMPLE
Der Drucker funktioniert schon wieder nicht – da ist der Wurm drin.
The printer isn’t working again — something is wrong with it.
Well-known proverb
The proverb 'Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm' (the early bird catches the worm) is very well known. It means that it is worth getting up early or starting a task early in order to be successful.
EXAMPLE
Ich gehe schon um sechs Uhr morgens joggen. Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm!
I go jogging at six in the morning. The early bird catches the worm!
Typical collocations
In an IT context, 'Wurm' (worm) is often combined with verbs like 'sich verbreiten' (to spread), 'einen Computer infizieren' (to infect a computer), or 'Schaden anrichten' (to cause damage). People also often speak of a 'Computerwurm' (computer worm).
EXAMPLE
Der Wurm verbreitete sich schnell über das gesamte Firmennetzwerk.
The worm spread quickly throughout the entire company network.
Strong insult
When a person is called a 'Wurm' (worm), it is a strong insult. It expresses that one considers this person spineless, weak, or contemptible.
EXAMPLE
Er nannte ihn einen elenden Wurm, weil er ihn betrogen hatte.
He called him a miserable worm because he had betrayed him.
Compare with
Wurm vs Insekt
insect
'das Insekt' and 'der Wurm' can both be small animals, so they are easy to confuse. The important difference is the body: an insect has six legs and often wings. A worm is long, soft, and has no legs. In everyday speech, people sometimes imprecisely call many small animals 'Wurm' or 'Insekt'. But that is not accurate. For animals like flies, ants, or bees, you say 'Insekt'. For an earthworm in the soil, you say 'Wurm'.
Wurm
Nach dem Regen liegt ein Wurm auf dem Weg.
After the rain, there is a worm lying on the path.
Insekt
Das Kind beobachtet ein Insekt mit sechs Beinen auf dem Tisch.
The child is observing an insect with six legs on the table.
In real life
Loading video examples...