German word

freundlich

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈfʁɔʏ̯ntlɪç/

Meaning

  • adjectivekind

Example

Eine freundliche Frau half mir mit dem Gepäck.

A kind woman helped me with the luggage.

Illustration for freundlich (kind)

More examples

Er gab mir eine freundliche Begrüßung, als ich ankam.

He gave me a friendly greeting when I arrived.

Core concept

A welcoming attitude that signals goodwill toward people and makes situations seem agreeable.

Common phrases

  • freundliches Lächeln

    friendly smile

  • eine freundliche Begrüßung

    friendly greeting

  • der freundliche Verkäufer

    kind salesperson

Similar words

höflich: Showing respect through proper and considerate manners.
nett: Kind and pleasant in speech or behavior.
sympathisch: Naturally creating a favorable and appealing impression.
hilfsbereit: Willing to offer help to someone in need.

Definition in German

durch Wohlwollen und Hilfsbereitschaft gegenüber anderen gekennzeichnet sein

Word origin

The word is formed from Freund, "friend," and -lich, a suffix that forms adjectives expressing a characteristic or quality.

Usage tips

  • In customer service, freundlich often means polite or courteous and does not necessarily imply personal closeness.

Other meanings

  • friendlyadjective
  • favorableadjective

Opposites

  • unfreundlichunfriendlyadjective
  • feindlichhostileadjective

Related words

  • Freundlichkeitkindnessnoun
  • freundlicherweisekindlyadverb

Word lists with this word