German Conversation · Level 64
76 words
German word
obdachlos
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈɔpˌdaxloːs/
Meaning
- adjectivehomeless
Example
Viele Menschen sind obdachlos.
Many people are homeless.
More examples
Er verlor seine Wohnung und wurde obdachlos.
He lost his apartment and became homeless.
Core concept
A person has no secure roof or home base and must rely on temporary places to sleep.
Common phrases
obdachlos werden
become homeless
als obdachlos gelten
be regarded as homeless
Similar words
heimlos: Lacking a home or settled place to live, often staying on the street or in shelters.
wohnungslos: Living without a dwelling or a fixed address.
Definition in German
Ohne Unterschlupf oder Unterkunft; keine feste Adresse und keinen festen Wohnsitz haben.
Word origin
Obdachlos combines Obdach, meaning shelter or lodging, with the suffix -los, meaning "without," so it describes lacking shelter.
Usage tips
- As an adjective, obdachlos is lowercase, but nominalized forms are capitalized, as in ein Obdachloser and die Obdachlosen.
Opposites
- sesshaftsettledadjective
- wohnhaftresidentadjective
Related words
- Obdachlosenheimshelter for homeless peoplenoun
- Obdachlosigkeitthe state of homelessnessnoun