böse
mad · angry · evil
Jemand mit schlechten Absichten, der anderen schadet oder unfreundlich ist.
Definition & meaning
The German adjective böse is a common word with several nuances depending on the context:
- Evil or wicked: Describing someone or something that lacks moral virtue, is malicious, or performs harmful deeds (e.g., a villain in a story).
- Angry or mad: Describing a state of being upset, furious, or irritable (e.g., being angry at someone).
- Bad or nasty: Referring to things that are unpleasant, painful, or severe (e.g., a nasty wound or a bad cold).
- Naughty: Often used when speaking to children to describe misbehavior (e.g., "Don't be naughty").
Grammar & Word origin
- Grammar: Böse is an adjective. When used before a noun, it follows standard German declension rules (e.g., ein böser Hund, eine böse Tat, ein böses Kind).
- Word origin: It traces back to the Old High German word bōsi, which originally meant "of low value," "weak," or "insignificant." Over time, the meaning shifted from the idea of being "worthless" to being "morally bad" or "wicked."
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- Für das moralische Konzept von "böse": schlecht, boshaft, bösartig, niederträchtig.
- Wenn es um Wut geht: wütend, sauer, erzürnt.
Antonyms:
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Examples
Sie ist böse auf mich.adjective
She is mad at me.
Der Hund sieht böse aus.adjective
The dog looks angry.
Der Hund schaut mich böse an.adverb
The dog looks at me angrily.
Das Kind schaut böse, wenn es sein Spielzeug nicht bekommt.adverb
The child looks angry when it does not get its toy.
Sie ist heute irgendwie böse auf mich.adjective
She is somehow angry at me today.
Einige Leute sind wirklich böse.adjective
Some people are truly evil.
In alten Märchen gibt es oft böse Hexen.adjective
There are often evil witches in old fairy tales.
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