English is not my first language, so I hope native speakers will correct me if I´ve misunderstood or overlooked the subtler differences between these words, but I´ll give it a go: Awkward can be understood in a few different ways. Referring to a situation/moment/happening it means "unpleasant, embarrassing" (It was awkward to see mom kiss dad) Referring to a person it means "clumsy, unelegant" These are the two most common uses. To be embarrassed usually means to feel bad about your own appearance in some way, often because you have done something stupid and feel like a fool. A person can be embarrassed, while a situation is "embarrassing" (causing someone to be embarrassed). Fx I was embarrassed when I spilt my milk all over my teacher. It was embarrassing to spill my milk all over my teacher. As a verb: You embarrassed me when you pulled down my pants in front of the whole school.

Akward means 1.Causing inconvenience "they arrived at an awkward time" 2.Lacking grace or skill in manner or movement or performance "an awkward dancer"; "an awkward gesture"; "too awkward with a needle to make her own clothes"; "his clumsy fingers produced an awkward knot" 3.Difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape "an awkward bundle to carry" 4.Not elegant or graceful in expression "an awkward prose style" 5.Hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment "awkward moments in the discussion"; "an awkward pause followed his remark" 6.Socially uncomfortable; unsure and constrained in manner "awkward and reserved at parties" While embarrassed means 1.Feeling or caused to feel uneasy and self-conscious "was embarrassed by her child's tantrums" 2.Made to feel uncomfortable because of shame or wounded pride "too embarrassed to say hello to his drunken father on the street" cowboy...

Steinar, I think your answer is very clear. I would add that I think you CAN be embarassed by more than your own appearance.... I might feel embarassed if my boss gets angry at me in front of other people in the office. As Steinar correcly states, there is a difference between a person being awkward and a situation being awkward. When a situation is awkward I always imagine there being a short silence as nobody knows what to say.... It is a more objective term than embarassing. If you say a situation is embarassing you are describing it from one person's point of view.

what an awkward situation! I'm so embarrassed! :P