weh tun
Meaning and Usage
"Weh tun" translates to "to hurt" or "to cause pain" in English. It is commonly used to describe physical or emotional pain, and it can also be used in the context of causing pain to someone else.
Linguistic Analysis
"Weh tun" is a separable verb in German. "Weh" is the root of the verb, which means "pain," and "tun" is the infinitive form of the verb "to do." When used in a sentence, the prefix "weh" is separated from the verb and placed at the end of the clause in a conjugated form, such as "Es tut mir weh" (It hurts me).
Comparisons between German and English
The literal translation of "weh tun" in English would be "pain do," which does not exist as a phrase in English. In English, the concept is conveyed by the single verb "to hurt."
Cultural Context
"Weh tun" is often used in a variety of contexts, from expressing physical pain to empathizing with someone's emotional distress. It is an essential word to understand and use when communicating about pain and discomfort in German.
Example Sentences
- Mir tut der Kopf weh. (My head hurts.)
- Es tut mir weh, dich so traurig zu sehen. (It hurts me to see you so sad.)
Memory Tips
Associate "weh tun" with the English phrase "hurt do" to remember its meaning.
Additional Vocabulary
- Der Schmerz (pain)
- Die Verletzung (injury)
- Wehtun (noun form meaning "pain" or "hurt")
Gender and Plural (for nouns)
N/A
Conjugation (for verbs)
- Ich tue weh (I hurt)
- Du tust weh (You hurt)
- Er/sie/es tut weh (He/she/it hurts)
- Wir tun weh (We hurt)
- Ihr tut weh (You hurt - plural)
- Sie tun weh (They hurt)