German word

heil

Pronunciation

IPA/haɪ̯l/

Meaning

  • adverbsafely

Example

Sie kam heil nach Hause.

She got home safely.

Illustration for heil (safely)

More examples

Trotz des Unfalls kam das Auto heil davon.

Despite the accident, the car came away unscathed.

Core concept

Someone comes through a risky event with body and belongings preserved.

Common phrases

  • heil und gesund

    safe and sound

  • heil davonkommen

    come away unscathed

  • heil aus einer Gefahr herauskommen

    get out of danger safely

Similar words

sicher: Free from danger and protected from harm.
unversehrt: Remaining physically intact and free from visible damage.
wohlbehalten: Arriving safely and without problems after traveling.
glimpflich: Turning out with minor harm rather than serious injury or damage.

Definition in German

So, dass etwas unversehrt bleibt oder ohne Schaden geschieht

Word origin

German heil is inherited from the Germanic word for whole or sound and retains that older sense in descriptions of safe outcomes.

Usage tips

  • With verbs such as "bleiben" and "ankommen", heil describes the resulting condition rather than the general precautions meant by "sicher".

Other meanings

  • unharmedadverb
  • intactadjective

Related words

  • Heilmittelremedynoun
  • Heilanstaltsanatoriumnoun

Word lists with this word