“Feel” is one of those words that are hard to translate perfectly into German because English uses it so widely. Many circumstances are all combined into this general English verb that is related to “sensing” things. As such, when we look at German, we need to separate those situations in order to get proper translations. Let’s go over how to say “feel” in German.
I + feel + adjective
Just like look, sound, smell, and taste, feel is also a way to give in an opinion on something’s characteristics.
In English, we say things like “I feel happy,” which is a comment on the sensation on the situation. In German, this will be expressed with sichakk fühlen.
I feel happy.
= Ich fühle mich glücklich.
My dog feels safe in this house.
= Mein Hund fühlt sich sicher in diesem Haus.
Notice that because the adjective is a predicate, it does not decline to match the subject.
feel + noun
When you talk about a thing you are sensing, you can use fühlen (not reflexive) or spüren. We are talking about the general perception of a thing, not the physical sensation of touch.
Ich setze mich draußen gerne weil ich die Wärme der Sonne fühlen kann.
= Ich setze mich draußen gerne weil ich die Wärme der Sonne spüren kann.
= I like to sit outside because I can feel the warmth of the sun.
These two words are pretty interchangeable. The important thing to remember is that a noun follows them, not an adjective.
something + feels + adjective
If we are talking about the physical texture of something else or your opinion of the physical texture of something else, you will use sichakk anfühlen.
Gerade jetzt habe ich mich rasiert, und meine Haut fühlt sich so weich an.
= I just shaved, and my skin feels so soft.
The key point is that the speaker is not the subject. You are commenting on the characteristics of the subject.
Dieses Bett fühlt sich an wie jemand darin geschlaft hat.
= This bed feels like someone slept in it.
Summary
- sichakk fühlen: I feel + adjective
- fühlen: feel + noun
- spüren: feel + noun
- sichakk anfühlen: something feels + adjective
Now, you can use the correct word in German when you need “feel.”
If you want to read more articles about German, you can find more on my blog.
I have a YouTube channel where you can watch my language progress and see some tips.
Ich hoffe, Sie fühlen sich mehr inspiriert, Deutsch zu lernen!
