Empfinden

Empfinden is a German noun and the verb empfinden, meaning to perceive, feel, or sense. As a noun, das Empfinden denotes the subjective experience of sensation or emotion, and Empfindungen are such experiences or impressions. The verb is used similarly in everyday language, as in Ich empfinde Schmerz or Ich empfinde Freude. In ordinary speech, Empfinden covers both physical sensations (Kälte, Wärme, Schmerz) and emotional states (Traurigkeit, Freude, Mitgefühl). In contrast to Empfindung, which often refers to a raw sense impression, and Gefühl, which tends to denote a more enduring or complex emotion, Empfinden emphasizes the act or state of perceiving inwardly or outwardly.

In philosophy and psychology, Empfinden is used to describe the subjective data of perception and inner experience. It is the inner counterpart to external objects and events that are apprehended by the senses. The term appears in discussions of phenomenology and consciousness to denote how things are felt or experienced rather than how they are objectively described.

The word remains common in German, with a flexible range of nuance. Its everyday use ranges from immediate bodily sensation to subtle mood or affect, making it a central term in discussions of perception, emotion, and subjectivity.