sich wehren
To defend oneself
직역: To ward/defend oneself
Use 'sich wehren' whenever you are actively resisting an unfair situation or defending your personal boundaries.
15초 만에
- To resist, fight back, or stand up for yourself.
- Used for both physical defense and verbal pushback.
- Requires reflexive pronouns like 'mich', 'dich', or 'sich'.
뜻
It means standing up for yourself or resisting something you don't like. It can be physical defense, but usually, it's about pushing back against an unfair situation or a bad idea.
주요 예문
3 / 6Discussing a workplace conflict
Du musst dich gegen diesen unfairen Chef wehren.
You have to stand up to that unfair boss.
Talking about a persistent cold
Mein Körper wehrt sich gegen die Erkältung.
My body is fighting off the cold.
Texting a friend about a pushy salesperson
Ich konnte mich kaum gegen sein Verkaufsgespräch wehren!
I could hardly resist his sales pitch!
문화적 배경
In Germany, there is a strong emphasis on 'Mündigkeit' (being a mature, responsible citizen). Being able to 'sich wehren' against injustice is considered a civic duty and a sign of personal strength. It reflects a post-war culture that encourages questioning authority rather than silent obedience.
The 'Against' Rule
Always remember that 'sich wehren' almost always pairs with 'gegen'. If you are resisting something, 'gegen' is your best friend.
Don't Forget the 'Sich'
It is a reflexive verb. If you forget the 'mich/dich/sich', the sentence will sound incomplete to a German ear.
15초 만에
- To resist, fight back, or stand up for yourself.
- Used for both physical defense and verbal pushback.
- Requires reflexive pronouns like 'mich', 'dich', or 'sich'.
What It Means
Sich wehren is all about resistance. Think of it as your personal 'No' in action. It describes the moment you stop being passive. You decide to fight back against a person, a rule, or even a feeling. It is a reflexive verb, so you are always doing the action to yourself (mich, dich, sich).
How To Use It
You use it when someone crosses a boundary. It often takes the preposition gegen (against). For example, Ich wehre mich gegen die Überstunden means you are resisting those extra work hours. You can also use it for physical self-defense, though we hope you only use it for verbal arguments over who ate the last yogurt.
When To Use It
Use it in professional settings when a boss is unfair. Use it with friends if they are teasing you too much. It is perfect for talking about social movements or politics too. If a cold is trying to start, you can even say your body is sich wehren against the virus. It is a very versatile 'warrior' word for everyday life.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it for simple disagreements. If you just dislike a movie, you don't wehren against it; you just don't like it. It implies a struggle or an active effort to stop something. Also, don't confuse it with bewahren, which means to preserve. Defending your honor is wehren; keeping your old stamps is bewahren.
Cultural Background
Germans value 'Zivilcourage' (civil courage). This means standing up for what is right. Sich wehren is the linguistic heart of this concept. Historically and socially, there is a strong respect for people who don't just follow orders blindly. Being able to sich wehren is seen as a sign of a strong, healthy character.
Common Variations
The noun form is die Gegenwehr (the resistance). You might hear wehrlos, which means defenseless—like a turtle without a shell. Another common one is sich zur Wehr setzen. This is a bit more formal and dramatic. It sounds like you are picking up a metaphorical sword to protect your interests.
사용 참고사항
The phrase is neutral and safe for all contexts. Just ensure the reflexive pronoun matches the subject (ich -> mich, du -> dich).
The 'Against' Rule
Always remember that 'sich wehren' almost always pairs with 'gegen'. If you are resisting something, 'gegen' is your best friend.
Don't Forget the 'Sich'
It is a reflexive verb. If you forget the 'mich/dich/sich', the sentence will sound incomplete to a German ear.
The 'Hands and Feet' Idiom
If you are resisting very strongly, say you are doing it 'mit Händen und Füßen'. It's the German version of 'tooth and nail'.
예시
6Du musst dich gegen diesen unfairen Chef wehren.
You have to stand up to that unfair boss.
Here it means verbal or legal resistance.
Mein Körper wehrt sich gegen die Erkältung.
My body is fighting off the cold.
A common way to describe the immune system.
Ich konnte mich kaum gegen sein Verkaufsgespräch wehren!
I could hardly resist his sales pitch!
Used humorously to describe being overwhelmed.
Die Bürger wehren sich gegen die neue Steuer.
The citizens are resisting the new tax.
Formal use describing political opposition.
Der Hund wehrt sich mit Händen und Füßen gegen das Bad.
The dog is fighting tooth and nail against the bath.
Uses an idiom 'mit Händen und Füßen' for emphasis.
Ich habe endlich gelernt, mich zu wehren.
I finally learned how to defend myself.
Reflects personal growth and boundary setting.
셀프 테스트
Choose the correct reflexive pronoun for the sentence.
Wir müssen ___ gegen die Ungerechtigkeit wehren.
Since the subject is 'Wir', the reflexive pronoun must be 'uns'.
Complete the phrase with the correct preposition.
Er wehrt sich ___ den Plan.
'Gegen' (against) is the standard preposition used with 'sich wehren'.
🎉 점수: /2
시각 학습 자료
Formality of 'sich wehren'
Telling a friend to stand up for themselves.
Wehr dich mal!
General use in daily conversation or work.
Ich wehre mich gegen die Entscheidung.
Legal or political contexts.
Der Angeklagte wehrte sich gegen die Vorwürfe.
When to say 'sich wehren'
Workplace
Against extra unpaid hours
Health
Fighting a flu
Social
Against a mean joke
Politics
Protesting a law
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문No, it is actually used more often for verbal or mental resistance, like sich gegen Kritik wehren (defending oneself against criticism).
Not really. You would only use it if someone was forcing you to eat it and you were actively pushing back.
It is a regular verb. In the past, it's er wehrte sich or er hat sich gewehrt.
It is direct, but not necessarily rude. It shows you have clear boundaries, which is generally respected in German culture.
Yes! You can say Die Katze wehrt sich, for example, if she doesn't want to be picked up.
Verteidigen is more like 'to protect' (like a goalkeeper), while wehren is more about the act of 'pushing back'.
Yes, if you are resisting your feelings for someone, you can say Ich wehre mich gegen meine Gefühle.
Not exactly slang, but sich nicht alles gefallen lassen (not putting up with everything) is a very common informal alternative.
The word is wehrlos. For example: Ohne Hilfe ist man wehrlos (Without help, one is defenseless).
Yes, in a military context, you can say Das Land wehrt sich gegen die Invasion.
관련 표현
Widerstand leisten
To offer resistance (more formal/political)
sich verteidigen
To defend oneself (more general)
Paroli bieten
To stand up to someone (idiomatic)
sich nicht unterkriegen lassen
To not let oneself be beaten down
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