Frame description

In this frame someone (the Experiencer) wants something to happen - namely, an Event. The Event is some kind of change that affects someone or something (the Affected). Generally, using lexical units in this frame implies that the Event has not actually happened yet, but that the Experiencer believes they would be happier or better off if it did.

Examples:

1. Er wünschte sich ein Handy zu Weihnachten.1. He wished (for himself) a cell phone for christmas.
2. Peter hatte keine Lust ins Büro zu gehen.2. Peter had no desire to go to the office.
3. Sie hatte eine große Sehnsucht nach ihren Eltern.3. She had a great longing for her parents.
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In this frame someone (the Experiencer) wants something to happen - namely, an Event. The Event is some kind of change that affects someone or something (the Affected). Generally, using lexical units in this frame implies that the Event has not actually happened yet, but that the Experiencer believes they would be happier or better off if it did.

Examples:

1. Er wünschte sich ein Handy zu Weihnachten.1. He wished (for himself) a cell phone for christmas.
2. Peter hatte keine Lust ins Büro zu gehen.2. Peter had no desire to go to the office.
3. Sie hatte eine große Sehnsucht nach ihren Eltern.3. She had a great longing for her parents.

It is common in German and in English for verbs of desire to take the Affected as a direct object without overtly expressing the Event, as in the example 3 above. This is especially common when a form of possession is the implied Event:

GermanEnglish
Ich will ein neues Auto.I want a new car.
Sara möchte einen neuen Job.Sara would like a new job.

Both languages can also omit the verbal expression of the Event with eating and drinking. In contrast to English, however, German also commonly omits the Event verb with "going" ("gehen"). For example:

GermanEnglish
Möchtest du  ins Kino?Would you like [to go] to the movies?
Stefan will nach Hause.Stefan wants [to go] home.

This is made possible by German's case system, where prepositions indicate movement in a way that is not possible in English. In the first example, "ins" indicates "going to" by combining "in" with the accusative "das" as the contraction "ins" ("to," "into").

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Frame Elements

Frame Element descriptions (on hover):

Experiencer

The person/entity who wants something to happen.

Event

The occurrence that the Experiencer wants to happen.

Affected

An entity or object that the Event happens to. 

Details
Examples
Grammar Notes
Sentence Templates
Alternate Forms
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begehren verb to desire, to covet

Details:

to desire, to covet

This verb is a formal way to say that someone strongly wishes for or wants something. Many Germans more often use "Lust haben" for "to desire" instead. This verb can also be used as a noun: "der / die / das Begehrte," meaning that this is a person or entity that is sought after by other people. The adjective "begehrt" means "sought-after" or "popular."

Morcheln sind bei Pilzsammlern sehr begehrt. / Morel mushrooms are highly sought after by mushroom hunters.

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"begehrenswert" ("desirable"), "aufbegehren" ("to protest")

Synonyms:

"ersehnen," "gieren (nach)," "herbeisehnen," "herbeiwünschen," among others

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„begehren“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/begehren>, abgerufen am 18.01.2022.

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Example Sentences:

  1. Ich begehrte sie nicht mehr als Frau.
  2. Er begehrt ihren Körper.
  3. Er begehrte zu wissen, wie oft ich bete.
  4. In Deutschland ist Hering sehr begehrt.
  5. Die Karten für Neujahrskonzerte sind heiß begehrt und sehr schnell ausverkauft.
  1. I desired her no longer as a woman.
  2. He desires her body.
  3. He wanted to know how often I pray.
  4. In Germany, herring is very popular.
  5. Tickets for New Year's concerts are much sought-after and very quickly sold out.
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Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. EXPERIENCER begehrt EVENT.
  2. EXPERIENCER begehrt AFFECTED.
  1. EXPERIENCER desires EVENT.
  2. EXPERIENCER desires AFFECTED.
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Details:

to desire, to covet

This verb is a formal way to say that someone strongly wishes for or wants something. Many Germans more often use "Lust haben" for "to desire" instead. This verb can also be used as a noun: "der / die / das Begehrte," meaning that this is a person or entity that is sought after by other people. The adjective "begehrt" means "sought-after" or "popular."

Morcheln sind bei Pilzsammlern sehr begehrt. / Morel mushrooms are highly sought after by mushroom hunters.

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"begehrenswert" ("desirable"), "aufbegehren" ("to protest")

Synonyms:

"ersehnen," "gieren (nach)," "herbeisehnen," "herbeiwünschen," among others

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„begehren“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/begehren>, abgerufen am 18.01.2022.

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Alternate Forms:

(er) begehrt, begehrte, hat begehrt
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Drang, der noun compulsion, desire, urge

Details:

desire, urge, compulsion

This noun is used when a person (Experiencer) has a great desire for something (Event) or somebody (Affected).

Kinder sind voller Entdeckungsdrang. / Children have a strong urge to explore the world.

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"der Bewegungsdrang" ("urge, need to move, to be active"), "der Abenteuerdrang" ("urge to have an adventure"), "der Eroberungsdrang" ("desire to conquest"), "der Forscherdrang" ("scientific curiosity," "exploratory urge"), "der Freiheitsdrang" ("desire of freedom"), among others

Synonyms:

"der innere Trieb," "das heftige Streben," "das Verlangen," "das Begehren," "der Wunsch"

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Drang“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Drang>, abgerufen am 19.01.2022.

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Example Sentences:

  1. Das Volk hatte einen Drang nach einer demokratischen Entscheidung.
  2. Sie hat einen Drang nach Verbesserung ihres Lebensstandards.
  3. Er besaß den Drang zu terroristischem Handeln.
  4. Sonja widersteht dem Drang nach Süßigkeiten.
  5. Sie verspürt den Drang auf eine Party zu gehen.
  6. Der Betroffene verspürt einen unwiderstehlichen Drang, einkaufen zu müssen.
  1. The people had an urge for a democratic decision.
  2. She had an urge to improve her standard of living.
  3. He possessed a compulsion toward terrorist action.
  4. Sonja resists the urge for sweets.
  5. She feels the urge to go to a party.
  6. The affected person feels an irresistible urge to have to go shopping.
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Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. EXPERIENCER hat Drang nach EVENT.
  2. EXPERIENCER hat Drang, EVENT.Infinitivsatz.
  3. EXPERIENCER hat Drang zu EVENT.
  4. EXPERIENCER hat einen Drang nach AFFECTED.
  1. EXPERIENCER has desire for EVENT.
  2. EXPERIENCER has desire EVENT.infinitive_clause.
  3. EXPERIENCER has a compulsion toward EVENT.
  4. EXPERIENCER has an urge for AFFECTED.
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Details:

desire, urge, compulsion

This noun is used when a person (Experiencer) has a great desire for something (Event) or somebody (Affected).

Kinder sind voller Entdeckungsdrang. / Children have a strong urge to explore the world.

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"der Bewegungsdrang" ("urge, need to move, to be active"), "der Abenteuerdrang" ("urge to have an adventure"), "der Eroberungsdrang" ("desire to conquest"), "der Forscherdrang" ("scientific curiosity," "exploratory urge"), "der Freiheitsdrang" ("desire of freedom"), among others

Synonyms:

"der innere Trieb," "das heftige Streben," "das Verlangen," "das Begehren," "der Wunsch"

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Drang“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Drang>, abgerufen am 19.01.2022.

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Alternate Forms:

(pl.) die Dränge (rarely used)
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Ehrgeiz, der noun ambition

Details:

ambition

In German, "der Ehrgeiz" is a strong wish to accomplish something that distinguishes the Experiencer from others, that makes them stand out and provides them with some kind of reward, e.g. reputation, privileges, honor etc. Like with English "ambition," it can require a long(er) time period to achieve the goal and usually involves considerable effort, but it often has a slightly negative tinge in German. The German noun is only used in singular, it does not have a plural form.

This noun is used similarly to its English equivalent. It is not to be confused with the noun "Geiz," which means "stinginess!" The adjective "ehrgeizig" is often used to describe a very ambitious person.

Leistungssportler müssen Ehrgeiz haben, um erfolgreich zu sein. / Competitive athletes must have ambition in order to be successful.

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"der Ehrgeizler," "der Ehrgeizling" ("overachiever"), "ehrgeizbesessen" ("extremely ambitious")

Synonyms:

"die Ambition / (mostly pl.) die Ambitionen"), "die Bemühung," "der Wetteifer," "die Zielstrebigkeit," "das Strebertum"

Idiom:

Germans often say: "von Ehrgeiz zerfressen" which means that an Experiencer is consumed by ambition, e.g. "Ida ist von Ehrgeiz zerfressen, träumt von einer Karriere, Geld, Ruhm und Luxus." ("Ida is consumed by ambition, dreams of a carrier, money, fame and luxury.").

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Ehrgeiz“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Ehrgeiz>, abgerufen am 19.01.2022.

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Example Sentences:

  1. Der Trainer klagte über den fehlenden Ehrgeiz seiner Spieler.
  2. Ihr Ehrgeiz ist außergewöhnlich.
  3. Er ist voller Ehrgeiz und Tatendrang.
  4. Vermutlich ist es sein Ehrgeiz, die Stadt mit sich selbst bekannt zu machen.
  5. Vielen Beschäftigten fällt es im Homeoffice schwer, Ehrgeiz zu entwickeln.
  1. The coach complained about the lacking ambition of his players.
  2. Her ambition is extraordinary.
  3. He is full of ambition and enterprise.
  4. Presumably it is his ambition to make the city with himself famous.
  5. It is hard for many employees in the home office to develop ambition.
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Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. [EXPERIENCERs Ehrgeiz]
  2. EXPERIENCER ist voll Ehrgeiz.
  3. Es ist EXPERIENCERs Ehrgeiz, EVENT.Infinitivsatz.
  1. [EXPERIENCER's ambition]
  2. EXPERIENCER is full of ambition.
  3. It is EXPERIENCER's ambition, EVENT.infinitive_clause.
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Details:

ambition

In German, "der Ehrgeiz" is a strong wish to accomplish something that distinguishes the Experiencer from others, that makes them stand out and provides them with some kind of reward, e.g. reputation, privileges, honor etc. Like with English "ambition," it can require a long(er) time period to achieve the goal and usually involves considerable effort, but it often has a slightly negative tinge in German. The German noun is only used in singular, it does not have a plural form.

This noun is used similarly to its English equivalent. It is not to be confused with the noun "Geiz," which means "stinginess!" The adjective "ehrgeizig" is often used to describe a very ambitious person.

Leistungssportler müssen Ehrgeiz haben, um erfolgreich zu sein. / Competitive athletes must have ambition in order to be successful.