German Conversation · Level 13
89 words
German word
riesig
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈʁiːzɪç/
Meaning
- adjectivehuge
Example
Das riesige Haus steht am See.
The huge house stands by the lake.
More examples
Die Zuschauerzahl war riesig.
The number of spectators was huge.
Core concept
A house or amount expands past normal limits until its dimensions become the most noticeable feature.
Common phrases
ein riesiges Problem
a huge problem
eine riesige Auswahl
a huge selection
von riesiger Bedeutung
of huge importance
Similar words
groß: Larger than usual in size or amount.
enorm: Very large in degree or amount.
gigantisch: Extraordinarily large in scale and likely to inspire amazement.
riesengroß: Extremely large, with strong emphasis in casual speech.
Definition in German
außerordentlich groß oder umfangreich; in Stärke, Zahl oder Ausdehnung sehr ausgeprägt
Word origin
The adjective was formed from Riese, giant, by adding -ig, a suffix that means having the character or quality of the base noun.
Usage tips
- As an attributive adjective, riesig takes normal adjective endings, as in ein riesiges Haus, but it has no ending after sein, as in Das Haus ist riesig.