An optically pumped semiconductor laser device having a surface-emitting vertical emission region (1) and at least one monolithically integrated pump radiation source (2) for optically pumping the vertical emission region (1). The semiconductor laser device is distinguished by the fact that the pump radiation enters the vertical emission region (1) in the form of partial bundles of rays of radiation with different radiation directions so that the pump radiation and the fundamental mode of the vertical emission region (1) have an overlap which is suitable for the excitation of this fundamental mode. This device is based on the fact that the fundamental mode of the vertical emission region (1) is preferably excited when the spatial intensity distribution of the pump radiation matches the profile of the fundamental mode.