das Pech
Translation
bad luck, misfortune, pitch, tar
Examples
Er hatte Pech und verpasste den Zug.
He had bad luck and missed the train.
Pech ist eine schwarze, klebrige Masse.
Pitch is a black, sticky substance.
Grammar Patterns
Pech haben to have bad luck, to be unlucky He had bad luck and missed the bus.
Similar Words
Synonyms: Unglück, Missgeschick; Antonyms: Glück, Erfolg
Etymology
From Old High German 'peh', from Latin 'pix'. The figurative meaning 'bad luck' arose from its use in bird trapping, which was unlucky for the bird.
Memory Tips
Imagine stepping in black, sticky pitch ('Pech') and thinking what bad luck ('Pech') it is. The word covers both.