Schmerzen vs. wehtun vs. verletzen
The German words schmerzen, wehtun, and verletzen all relate to the concept of to hurt, but they are not interchangeable. They differ in formality, grammatical use, and the specific type of pain or injury they describe, ranging from a general ache to a specific wound.
Schmerzen
B1This verb describes a more formal or medical type of pain. It often refers to a continuous, deep, or dull ache. The thing causing the pain is the subject of the sentence. Think of it as to ache or to be painful.
Meine alte Narbe schmerzt, wenn das Wetter umschlägt.
(My old scar aches when the weather changes.)
Die Wunde am Bein schmerzt höllisch.
(The wound on my leg hurts like hell.)
Sein Verrat schmerzt mich immer noch.
(His betrayal still hurts me.)
Es schmerzt, die Wahrheit zu akzeptieren.
(It is painful to accept the truth.)
Wehtun
A1This is the most common, everyday word for to hurt or to ache. It is a separable verb (weh tun). It can describe both physical and emotional pain. It's often used with a dative object to indicate who is feeling the pain (e.g., Mir tut der Kopf weh).
Mein Kopf tut schon den ganzen Morgen weh.
(My head has been hurting all morning.)
Pass auf, das heiße Wasser tut weh!
(Be careful, the hot water hurts!)
Deine gemeinen Worte haben mir sehr wehgetan.
(Your mean words really hurt me.)
Wo genau tut es denn weh?
(Where exactly does it hurt?)
Verletzen
A2This verb specifically means to injure or to wound. It implies damage, often a physical break in the skin or body. It is also used reflexively as sich verletzen (to injure oneself) and to describe hurting someone's feelings.
Er hat sich beim Skifahren das Bein verletzt.
(He injured his leg while skiing.)
Ein Glassplitter hat seine Hand verletzt.
(A shard of glass injured his hand.)
Ich wollte deine Gefühle nicht verletzen.
(I didn't want to hurt your feelings.)
Bei dem Unfall wurden mehrere Menschen verletzt.
(Several people were injured in the accident.)
Summary
In essence, use wehtun for general, everyday aches and pains, both physical and emotional. Use schmerzen for a more formal, deeper, or more clinical ache. Use verletzen when talking about a specific injury or wound, whether it's a physical cut or a metaphorical blow to someone's feelings. Verletzen implies that an external force or action caused damage, while wehtun and schmerzen describe the resulting sensation of pain.