I'm trying to find a German word that is the same as »Schadenfreude« but also has a tinge of empathy in it. Is there such a word?
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I would suggest »Häme«. See also this list: synonyme.woxikon.de/synonyme/schadenfreude.php– DevonMay 17, 2017 at 5:03
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5@Devon I'd say_Häme_ comes without 'a tingle of empathy'.– ArsakMay 17, 2017 at 5:38
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2The point of "Schadenfreude" (gloating) is that you're taking pleasure in someone's harm. Thus there is already some empathy involved, just no sympathy.– Kilian FothMay 17, 2017 at 6:12
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1Could you add some context, e.g. a real-life situation where you would need such a word? This would help finding one.– Christian GeiselmannMay 17, 2017 at 9:46
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3 Answers
Maybe Belustigung? It's a more general term, neither restricted to harm nor to malice.
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@Janka: Schadenfreude has always a malicious connotation, Belustigung not necessarily. May 17, 2017 at 9:02
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There is the so called Schmunzelfehler which is an euphemism for a shortcoming in some good which doesn't really matter. For example a scratch on the backside of a cabinet.
It comes from schmunzeln, which means "to smile over something bad", and Fehler (error, mistake, failure).
Ihr Gesang war kaum auszuhalten.
— Oh, im Vergleich zur Band war das doch nur ein Schmunzelfehler.
I couldn't stand her singing.
— Oh? Compared to the band it was merely a Schmunzelfehler.
I assume you are looking for a word that describes reacting to someone's misfortune in a humorous way, without the implied negativity.
I would suggest Stichelei. It is the German word for a taunt. (Note that this word can not be used for non-verbal reactions, a laughter for instance. But then again, the same is true for the English word.)
