German Conversation · Level 24
90 words
German word
fürchterlich
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈfʏɐ̯çtɐlɪç/
Meaning
- adjectiveterrible
Example
Das Wetter ist fürchterlicher als gestern.
The weather is worse than yesterday.
More examples
Er hat einen fürchterlichen Fehler gemacht.
He made a terrible mistake.
Core concept
A scene is so alarming or bad that fear becomes the natural response, with the same force also marking an extreme degree.
Common phrases
fürchterlicher Fehler
terrible mistake
eine fürchterliche Nachricht
terrible news
fürchterliches Wetter
terrible weather
Similar words
schrecklich: Causing strong fear, shock, or discomfort.
furchtbar: Causing fear or disgust and making circumstances seem exceptionally bad.
schlimm: Unpleasant or harmful enough to create a difficult situation or result.
entsetzlich: Extremely horrifying or shocking in its severity.
Definition in German
Bezeichnet etwas sehr Schlimmes, das Furcht hervorruft, und dient der starken Betonung.
Word origin
Fürchterlich combines Furcht 'fear' with -lich and originally meant 'causing fear'; Furcht goes back to Old High German forhta and is related to English fright.
Usage tips
- As an intensifier, fürchterlich stays unchanged before an adjective or adverb, as in fürchterlich müde for 'terribly tired'.