übel

Übel is a German word functioning as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it denotes something bad, unpleasant, harmful, or morally wrong. It is commonly used to emphasize severity or negativity, as in üble Absicht (evil intent), eine üble Sache (a nasty matter), or ein übler Geruch (a bad smell). In predicative use, one might say Es ist übel to express that something is unpleasant or reprehensible.

The noun form das Übel refers to evil, harm, misfortune, or a source of evil. It is often found in philosophical, religious, or literary contexts, for example das Übel der Welt (the evil in the world). The term originates from the Old High German form ubil/ubil and is related to other West Germanic terms for harm, with cognates appearing in neighboring languages.

Common phrases and uses include mir ist übel (I feel sick), mir wird übel (I am feeling nauseated), and the verb phrase jem andem etwas übelnehmen (to take offense at something someone has done). The expression das Übel nehmen is widely used to convey resentment or taking something ill.

Grammatical notes: as an attributive adjective, übel declines like other German adjectives (with strong or weak endings depending on article). Examples: ein übler Geruch, das üble Gerücht, eine üble Lüge. The comparative form is übler and the superlative übelst, the latter often appearing in informal or emphatic contexts.

Übel is distinct from böse in nuance; übel emphasizes unpleasantness, harm, or unpleasant moral quality, while böse more directly conveys malice.