kläglich

miserably, pitifully

adverb KLAEG-likh Rare

Also means

wretchedly, dismally

Usage Note

Kläglich used adverbially means failing or behaving in a pitifully inadequate way. Kläglich scheitern is a set phrase for failing spectacularly. It carries a tone of contempt or pity. The adjective also means 'wretched' in describing a sound or sight.

Examples

"Das Experiment ist kläglich gescheitert."

Natural Translation

The experiment failed miserably.

Literal Translation

The experiment is miserably failed.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

How to Tell Time in German Without Mistakes

Halb sieben means 6:30, not 7:30. Master telling time in German — Viertel nach, halb, vor, the 24-hour clock, and the prepositions that trip up beginners.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

German Modal Particles: doch, mal, ja, eben

German modal particles doch, mal, ja, and eben add attitude, not meaning. Before/after examples show how to use each one so your German stops sounding stiff.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Greetings by Region: Grüß Gott to Grüezi

German greetings change by region: say Moin in Hamburg, Grüß Gott in Bavaria, Grüezi in Switzerland. A map of every hello and goodbye, plus du vs. Sie.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Compound Words: How to Read Any Long Word

Read any long German word by working right-to-left: the last noun sets the meaning and gender, and the small linking letters are just glue. Here's the drill.

June 9, 2026 6 min read