If you’re learning German, you’ve probably noticed that Germans have a word to describe almost anything. There are, for example, many different words for “fear”, depending on what type of fear you are referring to.
There’s Todesangst (“fear of death”), Höhenangst (“fear of heights”), Prüfungsangst (“fear of taking tests”), Flugangst (“fear of flying”), Trennungsangst (“fear of being separated”) and Höllenangst (literally “fear of going to hell”, but in context it refers to a deep-seated fear), among others.
One word that many of you might relate to is Zukunftsangst (“fear of the future”). This word describes the fear that follows you (particularly in your younger years) as you try to do well in school and succeed at your internships and in your career. When the course of your future is uncertain, you might develop a Zukunftsangst that haunts you throughout your daily life. Will you be able to get a job after college? Will you be able to afford a place of your own? Will you get that promotion? Will you ever find a husband – or wife? The fear of not getting those things may always be lurking in your mind. For some, this Zukunftsangst may motivate them to work even harder. For others, this fear may be a hindrance.
If you’re secure with the course of your life, you probably don’t have any sort of Zukunftsangst. But no one is fearless, and we’re almost certain that there’s a German word to describe whatever fears you may have!
By Nicole Glass, German Embassy
