Details:

belief

"Der Glaube" refers like its English equivalent to the firm, inner conviction of a Cognizer that things or phenomena are real / true although they are not objectively proven. Most instances of this LU fall within the Awareness frame, although as with the related LU "glauben" ("to believe"), some instances may evoke the Certainty or Opinon frames, as explained below. Note that this noun does not have a plural form. 

"Der Glaube" in the Certainty frame includes uses where the Cognizer has a solid, unshakable belief that something is part of reality. The Certainty sense of "der Glaube" can overlap with the Awareness sense. The difference is that in the Certainty frame, there is a stronger emphasis on the implication that the Content ("the belief") is correct or accurate, rather than a part of the Cognizer's subjective world view (as in the Awareness frame). 

The belief is even weaker in the Opinion frame, where "der Glaube" indicates that the Cognizer holds the Topic or Content simply as an Opinion, not necessarily as part of their reality. Some ambiguity between these senses is possible. However, the preposition "an" ("in") is a clear sign that the Certainty or Awareness frames are at play. Saying that a person believes "in" something implies that they hold that concept as part of their (sometimes subjective) reality. Thus the prepositional phrase with "an" ("in") is used to express the Content (the concept that the Cognizer believes in).

Note that most instances of this LU and its related verb "glauben" ("to believe") fall within the Awareness frame. Note that this noun does not have a plural form. 

Further details:

Word formation:

"das Glaubensbekenntnis" ("creed," "profession of faith," "statement of belief"), "die Glaubensfreiheit" ("religious freedom"), "die Glaubensgemeinschaft" ("denomination," "community of faith"), "die Glaubensrichtung" ("denomination," "creed," "persuation"), "gläubig" ("religious," "believing"), "der Aberglaube" ("superstition"), "der Fortschrittsglaube" ("(naive) belief in progress"), among others

Synonyms:

"das Vertrauen," "die Überzeugung," "die Zuversicht," "das Bekenntnis," "die Konfession," among others

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

„Glaube“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Glaube>, abgerufen am 17.02.2022.

Grammar:

Templates with Frame Elements:

1. COGNIZER hat den Glauben, dass CONTENT.

1. COGNIZER has the belief that CONTENT.

Details:

belief

"Der Glaube" refers like its English equivalent to the firm, inner conviction of a Cognizer that things or phenomena are real / true although they are not objectively proven. Most instances of this LU fall within the Awareness frame, although as with the related LU "glauben" ("to believe"), some instances may evoke the Certainty or Opinon frames, as explained below. Note that this noun does not have a plural form. 

"Der Glaube" in the Certainty frame includes uses where the Cognizer has a solid, unshakable belief that something is part of reality. The Certainty sense of "der Glaube" can overlap with the Awareness sense. The difference is that in the Certainty frame, there is a stronger emphasis on the implication that the Content ("the belief") is correct or accurate, rather than a part of the Cognizer's subjective world view (as in the Awareness frame). 

The belief is even weaker in the Opinion frame, where "der Glaube" indicates that the Cognizer holds the Topic or Content simply as an Opinion, not necessarily as part of their reality. Some ambiguity between these senses is possible. However, the preposition "an" ("in") is a clear sign that the Certainty or Awareness frames are at play. Saying that a person believes "in" something implies that they hold that concept as part of their (sometimes subjective) reality. Thus the prepositional phrase with "an" ("in") is used to express the Content (the concept that the Cognizer believes in).

Note that most instances of this LU and its related verb "glauben" ("to believe") fall within the Awareness frame. Note that this noun does not have a plural form. 

Further details:

Word formation:

"das Glaubensbekenntnis" ("creed," "profession of faith," "statement of belief"), "die Glaubensfreiheit" ("religious freedom"), "die Glaubensgemeinschaft" ("denomination," "community of faith"), "die Glaubensrichtung" ("denomination," "creed," "persuation"), "gläubig" ("religious," "believing"), "der Aberglaube" ("superstition"), "der Fortschrittsglaube" ("(naive) belief in progress"), among others

Synonyms:

"das Vertrauen," "die Überzeugung," "die Zuversicht," "das Bekenntnis," "die Konfession," among others

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

„Glaube“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Glaube>, abgerufen am 17.02.2022.

Alternate Forms:

Details:

to believe

This term indicates that the Cognizer holds a particular belief to be true. In the Certainty frame, there is a strong emphasis on the implication that the Content (the belief) is factual and correct. Often, the Certainty frame includes uses where the Cognizer is either very general or is a group of people, as in example 1 where a whole country is construed as the Cognizer.

Just as in English, there is a shorthand way to indicate that the Cognizer believes that what someone claims is true: "Ich glaube ihm" ("I believe him"). Used in this way, "glauben" requires a dative object (the person who is believed), and the Content that the Cognizer believes is the truthfulness of the other person's claims.

The Awareness and Opinion frames also include senses of "glauben," but those are weaker than in this frame; in Certainty, there is the implication that the Content is true and correct, in Awareness, the Content is part of the Cognizer's subjective view of reality, and in Opinion, the Content is simply an opinion, not fact.

Further details:

Word formation:

"glaubhaft" ("plausible," "credible"), "glaubwürdig" ("credible," "believably," "reliable")

Synonyms:

"meinen," "überzeugt sein (von)"

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

„glauben“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/glauben>, abgerufen am 17.02.2022.

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat A1.

Templates with Frame Elements:

1. COGNIZER glaubt, CONTENT.
2. COGNIZER glaubt, dass CONTENT.
3. COGNIZER glaubt an CONTENT.accusative.

1. COGNIZER believes CONTENT.
2. COGNIZER believes that CONTENT.
3. COGNIZER believes in CONTENT.

Details:

to believe

This term indicates that the Cognizer holds a particular belief to be true. In the Certainty frame, there is a strong emphasis on the implication that the Content (the belief) is factual and correct. Often, the Certainty frame includes uses where the Cognizer is either very general or is a group of people, as in example 1 where a whole country is construed as the Cognizer.

Just as in English, there is a shorthand way to indicate that the Cognizer believes that what someone claims is true: "Ich glaube ihm" ("I believe him"). Used in this way, "glauben" requires a dative object (the person who is believed), and the Content that the Cognizer believes is the truthfulness of the other person's claims.

The Awareness and Opinion frames also include senses of "glauben," but those are weaker than in this frame; in Certainty, there is the implication that the Content is true and correct, in Awareness, the Content is part of the Cognizer's subjective view of reality, and in Opinion, the Content is simply an opinion, not fact.

Further details:

Word formation:

"glaubhaft" ("plausible," "credible"), "glaubwürdig" ("credible," "believably," "reliable")

Synonyms:

"meinen," "überzeugt sein (von)"

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

„glauben“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/glauben>, abgerufen am 17.02.2022.

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat A1.

Alternate Forms:

Details:

sure, certain

This adjective is used to indicate that a Cognizer knows some Content to be true or correct; it is well translated as either "sure" or "certain."  Most often, this adjective is used after the verb "sein" to describe a Cognizer as certain, and it can appear with or without mention of a Topic or Content.

Content is often described in a dependent clause, using "dass" ("that"), while the Topic (which is more general and typically consists of only a noun) is less common, and would appear in the genitive case. Note that this use of the genitive is equivalent to using "of" in English; the preposition "von" ("of"), however, is not used with "sicher" to introduce a Topic or Content. This is an important crosslinguistic difference.

Because the Content FE frequently refers to something mentioned previously, it is common to see it appear as "dessen" ("of it/that") or "da" ("of it/that," lit. "there"). "Dessen" is slightly more proper, while "da" is more colloquial and informal.

"Sicher" is also part of a multi-word expression, "sich sicher sein" ("to be sure / certain"), which evokes this same frame (see separate LU entry).

Note: It is important to know that "sicher" has other, related senses that evoke different frames (e.g. "safe, secure" with relation to danger, or "sure" in terms of likelihood). Most notably, its use directly before a noun - as an attributive adjective - indicates that Certainty is not at play. In the Certainty frame, this adjective is not typically used before a Cognizer, so if you see it used directly before a noun, that is a sign it's evoking a different frame.

Further details:

Word formation:

"sichergehen" ("to make sure (that)"), "sicherstellen" ("to ensure," "to guarantee"), "sicherlich" ("certainly," "surely")

Synonyms:

"bestimmt," "absolut," "definitiv," "fraglos," "gewiss," "todsicher"

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

„sicher“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/sicher>, abgerufen am 18.02.2022.

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.

Templates with Frame Elements:

1. COGNIZER ist sicher.
2. COGNIZER ist sicher, dass CONTENT.
3. COGNIZER ist da sicher, dass CONTENT.
4. Etwas macht COGNIZER sicher.
5. Etwas macht COGNIZER sicher, dass CONTENT.

1. COGNIZER is certain.
2. COGNIZER is sure that CONTENT.
3. COGNIZER is sure (of it) that CONTENT.
4. Something makes COGNIZER certain.
5. Something makes COGNIZER certain that CONTENT.

Details:

sure, certain

This adjective is used to indicate that a Cognizer knows some Content to be true or correct; it is well translated as either "sure" or "certain."  Most often, this adjective is used after the verb "sein" to describe a Cognizer as certain, and it can appear with or without mention of a Topic or Content.

Content is often described in a dependent clause, using "dass" ("that"), while the Topic (which is more general and typically consists of only a noun) is less common, and would appear in the genitive case. Note that this use of the genitive is equivalent to using "of" in English; the preposition "von" ("of"), however, is not used with "sicher" to introduce a Topic or Content. This is an important crosslinguistic difference.

Because the Content FE frequently refers to something mentioned previously, it is common to see it appear as "dessen" ("of it/that") or "da" ("of it/that," lit. "there"). "Dessen" is slightly more proper, while "da" is more colloquial and informal.

"Sicher" is also part of a multi-word expression, "sich sicher sein" ("to be sure / certain"), which evokes this same frame (see separate LU entry).

Note: It is important to know that "sicher" has other, related senses that evoke different frames (e.g. "safe, secure" with relation to danger, or "sure" in terms of likelihood). Most notably, its use directly before a noun - as an attributive adjective - indicates that Certainty is not at play. In the Certainty frame, this adjective is not typically used before a Cognizer, so if you see it used directly before a noun, that is a sign it's evoking a different frame.

Further details:

Word formation:

"sichergehen" ("to make sure (that)"), "sicherstellen" ("to ensure," "to guarantee"), "sicherlich" ("certainly," "surely")

Synonyms:

"bestimmt," "absolut," "definitiv," "fraglos," "gewiss," "todsicher"

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

„sicher“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/sicher>, abgerufen am 18.02.2022.

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.

Alternate Forms:

Details:

to be sure, to be certain

This multi-word expression is used to indicate that a Cognizer is sure about something. The Cognizer appears as the subject of the verb "sein" ("to be") and also as the dative reflexive pronoun (see grammar note for specific forms). Note that the adjective "sicher" can be used in a very similar way without the dative reflexive as well (see its entry in this frame for details of how to encode Content and Topic), but "sich sicher sein" appears with even more variations. The preposition "bei" ("at, with"), for example, is sometimes used with "sich sicher sein" to introduce a Topic, and can even be elaborated with a "dass" clause to give details about the Content; see examples 9 and 10.

To add the equivalent of "about that" (referring to the Content or Topic),  there are two options, one more grammatically correct and one more colloquial (i.e. more common in spoken language). The former, more proper variant is "dessen" (genitive, "of it/that"), as in "Dessen bin ich mir sicher" ("Of that I am certain"). The latter is "da" ("there"), as in "Da bin ich mir nicht sicher" ("About that I'm not sure").

Further details:

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

„sicher“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/sicher>, abgerufen am 18.02.2022.

Grammar:

Templates with Frame Elements:

1. COGNIZER ist sich sicher.
2. COGNIZER ist sich CONTENT.genitive sicher.
3. COGNIZER ist sich TOPIC.genitive sicher.
4. COGNIZER ist sich sicher, dass CONTENT.
5. COGNIZER ist sich bei TOPIC sicher.
6. COGNIZER ist sich bei TOPIC sicher, dass CONTENT.

1. COGNIZER is sure.
2. COGNIZER is sure of CONTENT.
3. COGNIZER is sure of TOPIC.
4. COGNIZER is sure that CONTENT.
5. COGNIZER is sure when it comes to TOPIC.
6. COGNIZER is sure when it comes to TOPIC that CONTENT.

Details:

to be sure, to be certain

This multi-word expression is used to indicate that a Cognizer is sure about something. The Cognizer appears as the subject of the verb "sein" ("to be") and also as the dative reflexive pronoun (see grammar note for specific forms). Note that the adjective "sicher" can be used in a very similar way without the dative reflexive as well (see its entry in this frame for details of how to encode Content and Topic), but "sich sicher sein" appears with even more variations. The preposition "bei" ("at, with"), for example, is sometimes used with "sich sicher sein" to introduce a Topic, and can even be elaborated with a "dass" clause to give details about the Content; see examples 9 and 10.

To add the equivalent of "about that" (referring to the Content or Topic),  there are two options, one more grammatically correct and one more colloquial (i.e. more common in spoken language). The former, more proper variant is "dessen" (genitive, "of it/that"), as in "Dessen bin ich mir sicher" ("Of that I am certain"). The latter is "da" ("there"), as in "Da bin ich mir nicht sicher" ("About that I'm not sure").

Further details:

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

„sicher“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/sicher>, abgerufen am 18.02.2022.

Alternate Forms:

Details:

doubt

"Der Zweifel" refers to the uncertainty of a Cognizer about the correctness of some Content or Topic. It is used as in English.

Further details:

Word formation:

"der Zweifelsfall" ("case of doubt;" "im Zweifelsfalls," "in case of doubt"), "zweifelsfrei" ("doubtless," "beyond doubt," "absolutely certain"), "zweifelsohne" ("hands down," "without any doubt," "undoubtedly," "doubtless"), "zweifelhaft" ("doubtful," "dubious"), "die Gewissenszweifel (pl.)" ("moral doubts"), "bezweifeln" ("to doubt"), among others

Synonyms:

"der Argwohn," "das Misstrauen," "die Skepsis," "die Ungewissheit," "die Unsicherheit," among others

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

„Zweifel“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Zweifel>, abgerufen am 28.11.2022.

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.

Templates with Frame Elements:

1. COGNIZER hat / äußert / hegt Zweifel.
2. COGNIZER äußert / hegt Zweifel an CONTENT / TOPIC.
3. COGNIZER äußert / hegt Zweifel, ob CONTENT / TOPIC.
4. COGNIZER meldet Zweifel an.
5. [Zweifel an CONTENT / TOPIC]
6. [Zweifel, ob CONTENT / TOPIC]
7. [nagende / quälende / bange / grundlose / berechtigte / leise / ernsthafte / etc. Zweifel]
   

1. COGNIZER has / expresses / entertains, has doubt(s).
2. COGNIZER has / expresses / entertains, has doubt(s) about CONTENT / TOPIC.
3. COGNIZER has / expresses / entertains, has doubt(s) whether CONTENT / TOPIC.
4. COGNIZER announces doubt.
5. [doubt about CONTENT / TOPIC]
6. [doubt whether CONTENT / TOPIC]
7. [lurking / nagging / fearful / unfounded / legitimate / slight / serious / etc. doubts]

Details:

doubt

"Der Zweifel" refers to the uncertainty of a Cognizer about the correctness of some Content or Topic. It is used as in English.

Further details:

Word formation:

"der Zweifelsfall" ("case of doubt;" "im Zweifelsfalls," "in case of doubt"), "zweifelsfrei" ("doubtless," "beyond doubt," "absolutely certain"), "zweifelsohne" ("hands down," "without any doubt," "undoubtedly," "doubtless"), "zweifelhaft" ("doubtful," "dubious"), "die Gewissenszweifel (pl.)" ("moral doubts"), "bezweifeln" ("to doubt"), among others

Synonyms:

"der Argwohn," "das Misstrauen," "die Skepsis," "die Ungewissheit," "die Unsicherheit," among others

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

„Zweifel“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Zweifel>, abgerufen am 28.11.2022.

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.

Alternate Forms: