German words for kids · Feelings
How to say “sad” in German
Sad is an important word to have, and songs give kids a calm, safe way to talk about it before they need it.
Sad in German
traurig
Sounds like ≈ TROW-rikh
Good to know: The -ig at the end is said like "ikh" in most of Germany. Traurig doesn't change for boys or girls.
Hear it in a song
Real lines from our German songs, with the English meaning shown in the app:
Ich bin traurig.
I feel sad.
from Manchmal traurig (Sometimes Sad)
Bist du traurig? Komm, lach mit!
Are you sad? Come laugh with us!
from Das Gegenteil-Spiel (The Opposites Game)
2 songs that teach it
“Sad” is one of the key words in these songs. Every line is shown in German with its English meaning.
Also sung in: Wie fühlst du dich?.
Practice ideas for parents
- 1When a book character is sad, name the feeling and talk about what might help.
- 2Show a sad face and a happy face and ask which is traurig.
- 3Offer a hug and use the word gently when your child is sad.
Related German words
“Sad” in other languages
Sing it in German, free
The first unit, 6 greeting songs with lyrics and English translation, is free forever. No card needed. Premium unlocks all 134 songs.
About the pronunciation: the “sounds like” spellings are rough English approximations for parents (capital letters show the stressed syllable). Germanhas sounds English doesn't, so treat them as a starting point and let the songs be the model. Songs are original and produced with AI music tools. Ideas for using German songs with your family.