verb

erbarmen

have mercy · pity

Definition & meaning

The verb erbarmen is a reflexive verb, meaning it is almost exclusively used in the form sich erbarmen. It refers to the act of feeling pity or compassion for someone or something, often leading to a decision to show mercy or to help a person in a difficult or desperate situation.

Depending on the context, it can have two nuanced meanings:

To have mercy: To show compassion to someone who is in your power or who has done something wrong, choosing not to punish them.
To take pity on: To feel sympathy for someone's suffering or needy state and consequently decide to provide assistance.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar: It is a weak reflexive verb (sich erbarmen). It requires the genitive case when followed by a noun or pronoun (e.g., Er erbarmte sich seiner - He had mercy on him). In modern colloquial German, it is sometimes replaced by sich erbarmen über followed by the accusative case.
Word origin: The word is derived from the Middle High German erbarmen. It consists of the prefix er- (indicating the beginning or the result of a process) and the noun Barmherzigkeit (mercy), which itself comes from barm (the bosom or lap, signifying the heart as the seat of feelings) and herz (heart). Therefore, it literally describes the awakening of compassion in one's heart.