German Conversation · Level 18
90 words
German word
faul
Pronunciation
IPA/faʊ̯l/
Meaning
- adjectivelazy
Example
Ich mag keine faulen Ausreden.
I don't like lazy excuses.
More examples
Am Sonntag fühle ich mich oft faul.
On Sunday I often feel lazy.
Core concept
A person or thing with its healthy inner energy gone: a person does not act, while food has begun to decay.
Common phrases
faule Ausrede
lazy excuse
sich faul fühlen
feel lazy
Similar words
träge: Moving or responding slowly because of low energy.
unmotiviert: Lacking motivation or a clear reason to take action.
bequem: Choosing comfort and trying to avoid difficult or tiring tasks.
passiv: Failing to take initiative or act independently.
Definition in German
ohne Antrieb oder Bereitschaft, etwas zu tun; auch für durch Zersetzung verdorbene Sachen
Word origin
The German adjective faul continues Old High German fūl and Proto-Germanic *fūlaz, the same Germanic family as English foul; the sense of lazy developed from the older sense of rotten.
Usage tips
- For a person, faul can sound blunt or judgmental, while unmotiviert is a more neutral description of low motivation.