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Wenigkeit, -en

humble self

Definition & meaning

Wenigkeit is a feminine German noun meaning smallness, insignificance, or a small amount.

It is mainly used in two ways:

  1. A small amount or trifle
    eine Wenigkeit means “a little bit,” “a small sum,” or “a trifle.”

    • Das kostet nur eine Wenigkeit. — “That costs only a small amount.”
    • Er ist um eine Wenigkeit älter. — “He is slightly older.”

  2. “My humble self”
    In the expression meine Wenigkeit, the speaker refers to themselves in a modest, humorous, or self-deprecating way.

    • Auch meine Wenigkeit war eingeladen. — “Even my humble self was invited.”

The word can sound somewhat formal, literary, or humorous. In everyday speech, ein bisschen or eine Kleinigkeit is often more natural when referring to a small amount.

Grammar & Word origin

  • Gender: feminine
  • Article: die Wenigkeit
  • Plural: die Wenigkeiten; uncommon because the noun usually refers to an abstract small amount
  • Declension:
    • nominative: die Wenigkeit
    • genitive: der Wenigkeit
    • dative: der Wenigkeit
    • accusative: die Wenigkeit

The word is formed from wenig (“little,” “few”) and the noun-forming suffix -keit , which creates abstract nouns. Thus, Wenigkeit literally expresses the quality or state of being little.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • eine Kleinigkeit — “a small thing” or “a trifle”; more common and often more neutral in everyday language
  • ein bisschen — “a little bit”; informal and generally used with quantities or degrees
  • eine geringe Menge — “a small quantity”; more precise and neutral
  • Unbedeutsamkeit — “insignificance”; focuses on lack of importance rather than small quantity

Antonyms

The appropriate antonym depends on the meaning:

  • eine große Menge — “a large quantity,” as the opposite of a small amount
  • Vielheit — “abundance” or “multiplicity”; relatively formal and less common
  • Bedeutsamkeit — “importance” or “significance,” as the opposite of insignificance
  • Größe — “greatness” or “large size,” depending on the context

Common phrases & collocations

  • eine Wenigkeit — a small amount; a trifle
  • für eine Wenigkeit — for very little money
  • um eine Wenigkeit — by a small amount; slightly
  • meine Wenigkeit — my humble self
  • nicht der Rede wert — “not worth mentioning,” often conveying that something is insignificant or only a trifle

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Examples

Dieses Lob gilt nur meiner bescheidenen Wenigkeit.other

This praise is only for my humble self.

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