schaam

Schaam is the Dutch verb schamen in its infinitive form, meaning to experience or cause shame. It is used reflexively as zich schamen, with common present forms such as ik schaam me, jij schaamt je, hij schaamt zich. The related noun schaamte denotes the emotion of shame itself—a self-conscious, morally tinged feeling that arises when a person believes they have violated social norms or exposed themselves to judgment. Together, schamen and schaamte are part of a broader vocabulary for social and moral regulation.

Linguistically, schaam and schaamte belong to the Germanic family of words that also yields the English word shame. They share roots in the historical development of West Germanic languages and reflect the social function of regulating behavior through normative expectations.

In psychology and social life, shame is considered a self-conscious emotion that involves both self-evaluation and concern about others’ judgments. It can motivate corrective behavior, repair social bonds, and reinforce norms. However, excessive or chronic shame can be detrimental to mental health and self-esteem, and in some contexts can contribute to social withdrawal or decline in well-being. Shame differs from guilt in that shame centers on the self as a whole or on identity, whereas guilt is more often tied to a specific action.

In everyday Dutch usage, the phrase je moet je schamen is a common admonition signaling disapproval. People may also say ik schaam me in reaction to a past action or social faux pas. Related terms include schaamte (shame) and the verb schamen itself.