die Schadenfreude
pleasure derived from others' misfortune
Intermediate Noun Feminine
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Pronunciation
/ˈʃaː.dn̩.fʁɔʏ̯.də/
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Cultural Note
Schadenfreude is one of the most famous German loanwords in English. While Germans acknowledge this emotion exists, openly displaying it is considered poor taste. The ironic proverb 'Schadenfreude ist die schönste Freude' is used self-deprecatingly.
📝 Example Sentences
Er empfand eine gewisse Schadenfreude, als sein Rivale scheiterte.
He felt a certain Schadenfreude when his rival failed.
Schadenfreude ist die schönste Freude, sagt man scherzhaft.
Schadenfreude is the finest joy, as the saying jokingly goes.