warten vs sich gedulden
German word comparison
Listen to warten
Listen to sich gedulden
| warten | sich gedulden |
|---|---|
WAR-ten verb | zɪç gəˈdʊldn̩ verb |
| to wait | to be patient; to wait patiently (literally: to exercise patience) |
How they differ
'Sich gedulden' highlights the subject's patience or self-control while waiting and is reflexive; 'warten' simply describes the act of waiting without focusing on the subject's patience.
When to use each
When to use warten: Prefer 'warten' when simply describing that someone or something is waiting (neutral, descriptive).
When to use sich gedulden: Prefer 'sich gedulden' when you want to stress patience or instruct someone to be patient (e.g., customer service contexts).
Side-by-side examples
- Warten Sie bitte hier, ich bin gleich zurück.
(Please wait here, I'll be right back.) - Bitte gedulden Sie sich einen Moment, wir helfen Ihnen gleich.
(Please be patient for a moment; we will help you shortly.)
Register & nuance: Slightly more formal or polite than casual 'warten'; common in service phrases and formal requests.