Schadenfreude
pleasure derived from others' misfortune
Intermediate Noun Feminine
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Pronunciation
/ˈʃaːdn̩ˌfʁɔɪ̯də/
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Cultural Note
So perfectly descriptive that English borrowed it directly. 'Schadenfreude' (Schaden = damage + Freude = joy) describes the guilty pleasure of watching someone else fail. Germans are remarkably honest about this universal human emotion by having a word for it. It's used without moral judgment in everyday conversation.
📝 Example Sentences
Er konnte seine Schadenfreude kaum verbergen.
He could barely hide his Schadenfreude.
Ein bisschen Schadenfreude ist menschlich, oder?
A little Schadenfreude is human, right?
Sie lachte mit unverhohlener Schadenfreude.
She laughed with unconcealed Schadenfreude.