Adjectives… Wonderful, useful adjectives. They make language so much more precise and delightful to use--regardless of what language it is!
See how adjectives described adjectives in the previous sentences? They do make sentences more nuanced, don’t you think? Which is why here in this article, we’ll be learning a big chunk of German adjectives---250 to be exact!
And if you download the PDF, you’ll be getting 50 additional German verbs on the list.
Ready for your list of useful German adjectives? Let's go!
English vs. German Adjectives
While German adjectives do the same things English adjectives do (in fact, there are plenty of cognates in German and English adjectives which we’ll talk about briefly later), the main difference is that:
But this is an altogether different lesson for another day. Today we will just talk about German adjectives in their original form.
Having said that, let’s jump into your list of the most frequently used German adjectives.
250 Useful German Adjectives
| aalglatt | slippery |
| abenteuerlich | adventurous |
| abhängig | dependent |
| aggressiv | aggressive |
| ähnlich | similar |
| ahnungslos | clueless |
| aktiv | active |
| allein | alone |
| alt | old |
| anpassungsfähig | adaptable |
| anständig | decent |
| ärgerlich | annoying |
| arm | poor |
| art | kind |
| attraktiv | attractive |
| aufgeklärt | enlightened |
| aufgeregt | excited, upset, nervous |
| aufgeschlossen | open-minded |
| aufrichtig | sincere, genuine, candid |
| blass | pale |
| begabt | gifted, talented |
| begeistert | excited, enthusiastic, thrilled |
| berühmt | famous |
| beliebt, populär | popular |
| bestimmt | special, certain |
| besser | better |
| bequem | comfortable |
| bescheiden | modest, humble |
| beste | best |
| bezaubernd | enchanting, fascinating |
| billig | cheap, inexpensive |
| blöd | stupid, ignorant |
| blondine | blond |
| boshaft | malicious, mean |
| brav | well-behaved, good |
| charmant | charming |
| dankbar | grateful, thankful |
| dick | thick |
| direkt | direct, straight |
| doof, dumm | stupid, dumb |
| dunkel | dark |
| dünn | thin |
| ehrgeizig | ambitious |
| ehrlich | honest |
| eifersüchtig | jealous |
| einfach | simple, plain, easy |
| eingebildet | conceited, vain |
| einmalig | unique |
| einsam | lonely |
| ekelhaft | nasty, detestable |
| eklig | disgusting, gross |
| empfindlich | sensitive |
| eng | narrow, close |
| engagiert | dedicated, committed |
| engstirnig | narrow-minded |
| entscheidend | decisive |
| entspannend | laidback |
| erfolgreich | successful |
| ernst | serious |
| erste | first |
| erstklassig | first-class, high-quality, topnotch |
| falsch | wrong, false |
| fantastisch | fantastic |
| faszinierend | fascinating |
| faul | lazy |
| feig | cowardly |
| fein | fine |
| fest | solid, strong, firm |
| fett | fat |
| feigling | coward |
| fleißig | diligent, hard-working, industrious |
| fortgeschritten | advanced |
| frech | naughty, cheeky, sassy |
| frei | free |
| fremd | foreign, strange |
| freundlich | friendly, kind |
| froh | happy |
| fröhlich | cheerful |
| fromm | pious |
| früh | early |
| ganz | whole |
| gastfreundlich | hospitable |
| gebildet | educated, cultured |
| geduldig | patient |
| gefährlich | dangerous |
| gefühlvoll | sensitive, emotional |
| geistreich | witty, brilliant |
| geizig | stingy, cheap |
| gemein | low, rude, vulgar |
| gemeinsam | common, mutual |
| gemütlich | pleasant, cozy |
| genial | ingenious, brilliant |
| gerecht | just, righteous |
| geschätzt | dear, valued |
| gescheit | clever, bright |
| geschickt | skillful |
| geschwätzig | talkative, chatty |
| gesellig | sociable, friendly |
| gesund | healthy |
| gierig | greedy |
| glaubwürdig | credible, believable |
| gleich | same, right away, just |
| gleichzeitig | simultaneous |
| glücklich | happy, lucky, blessed |
| grausam | cruel |
| grob | coarse, uncouth, rude |
| großzügig | generous |
| groß | big, large, tall |
| grün | green |
| gut | good, well |
| gut angezogen | well-dressed |
| gut gelaunt | cheerful, in a good mood |
| halb | half |
| halsstarrig | stubborn |
| hart | hard, tough |
| hartnäckig | hard-headed, stubborn |
| hässlich | ugly |
| häufig | frequent |
| heiß | hot |
| heiter | cheerful |
| hell | bright, vivid |
| hemmungslos | uninhibited, unrestrained |
| herrlich | wonderful, magnificent, marvelous |
| herzlos | heartless, unfeeling |
| hilfreich | helpful |
| hinterlistig | deceitful, treacherous |
| hoch | high |
| hochmütig | haughty, proud |
| hochnäsig | snooty, stuck up |
| höflich | polite |
| hübsch | pretty, handsome |
| hundemüde | dog-tired |
| hungrig | hungry |
| idealistisch | idealistic |
| intelligent | intelligent |
| interessant | interesting |
| intolerant | intolerant |
| jung | young |
| kalt | cold, unfriendly |
| kindisch | childish |
| kindlich | childlike |
| klar | clear |
| klasse, toll, super | great, super |
| klein | small, little, short |
| kleinlich | petty, nit-picky |
| klug | smart, clever |
| komisch | funny, comical, odd |
| kompliziert | complicated |
| konservativ | conservative |
| kontaktfreudig | sociable, outgoing |
| kräftig | strong |
| krank | sick |
| kreativ | creative |
| kritisch | critical |
| krumm | crooked, hunched, bent |
| labil | unstable, frail |
| lang | long |
| langsam | slow |
| langweilig | boring |
| launisch | moody, temperamental |
| laut | loud, rowdy |
| lebendig | alive, lively |
| leicht | light, easy |
| leidenschaftlich | passionate |
| leise | quiet, soft |
| letzte | last |
| lieb | dear, beloved |
| liebenswürdig | lovable, amiable |
| lustig | funny |
| merkwürdig | unusual, strange |
| misstrauisch | mistrustful, distrustful |
| modisch | fashionable, stylish |
| mollig | plump, chubby |
| möglich | possible |
| moralisch | moral, ethical |
| mutig | brave |
| nächste | next |
| nachlässig | careless, negligent |
| nah | near |
| naß | wet |
| neidisch | envious |
| nervös | nervous |
| nett | kind, nice (person) |
| neu | new |
| neugierig | curious |
| niedergeschlagen | depressed, dejected |
| niedlich | cute |
| niedrig | low |
| notwendig | necessary |
| oberflächlich | superficial, shallow |
| offen | open |
| öffentlich | public |
| optimistisch | optimistic |
| ordentlich | orderly |
| passiv | passive |
| parteiisch | partial, biased, one-sided |
| peinlich | embarrassing |
| pessimistisch | pessimistic |
| praktisch | practical |
| privat | private |
| pünktlich | punctual, prompt |
| radikal | radical, revolutionary |
| raffiniert | refined, elegant |
| rauh | rough |
| rebellisch | rebellious |
| rechthaberisch | self-opinionated |
| redlich | honest |
| reich | rich |
| reif | mature |
| rein | pure, clean, clear |
| religiös | religious |
| richtig | correct, proper |
| riesig | huge |
| romantisch | romantic |
| rot | red |
| rücksichtslos | ruthless, inconsiderate |
| rücksichtsvoll | considerate |
| ruhig | calm |
| sauber | clean |
| sauer | angry, sour |
| schick | chic, stylish, fancy |
| schlampig | messy, sloppy |
| schlau | clever, cunning |
| schlecht, schlimm | bad, awful |
| schmutzig | dirty, filthy, soiled |
| schnell | fast, quick |
| schön | beautiful, pretty, nice |
| schüchtern | shy |
| schwach | weak, frail |
| schwarz | black |
| schwer, schwierig | difficult, heavy |
| schwerfällig | cumbersome, heavy, sluggish |
| schwermütig | gloomy, melancholic |
| selbstlos | unselfish |
| selbstsicher | self-confident |
| selbstsüchtig | selfish |
| selten | rare |
| seltsam | strange, weird |
| sensationell | sensational |
| sensibel | sensitive |
| sicher | safe, secure, certainly |
| sorgenlos, sorgenfrei | carefree |
| sorgfältig | careful |
| spät | late |
| spontan | spontaneous |
| sportlich | athletic |
| spöttisch | mocking, scornful |
| ständig | constant |
| stark | strong, powerful |
| stolz (auf) | proud (of) |
If you want to download a longer list of 300 German adjectives, download your copy of the PDF below.
German Cognate Adjectives
There are lots of German adjectives that you could recognize easily if you’re an English speaker. These are some of them:
This cognate list should already add several German adjectives in your vocabulary!
Conclusion
Adjectives are an important part of any language such as German. I hope this list of 250 (or 300 of you downloaded the PDF) will help broaden your German vocabulary.
To learn new German words painlessly, check out our e-book German Short Stories with Audio.
A FUN AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO LEARN GERMAN
