VocabuoDictionaryGet the app
adjectiveadverb

deftig

hearty

So nennt man etwas, das stark im Geschmack ist, oft würzig und eher schwer. Es kann auch bedeuten, dass etwas grob oder sehr direkt ist.

Definition & meaning

Deftig is an adjective with two main meanings:

  1. Hearty, substantial, and rich in flavor
    It describes food that is filling, often fatty or strongly seasoned, and typical of traditional home cooking.

    • ein deftiges Essen — a hearty meal
    • deftige Hausmannskost — hearty traditional cooking
    • deftige Kartoffelsuppe — a substantial potato soup

  2. Coarse, earthy, or vulgar
    It can describe language, humor, jokes, or behavior that is unusually direct, crude, or slightly offensive.

    • ein deftiger Witz — a crude or risqué joke
    • deftige Worte — coarse or strong words

Depending on context, deftig can be positive when referring to food, but may be critical when referring to speech or behavior.

Grammar & Word origin

Deftig is an adjective.

  • Positive: deftig
  • Comparative: deftiger
  • Superlative: am deftigsten

Examples:

  • Das Essen ist deftig. — The food is hearty.
  • Sie kocht deftiger als früher. — She cooks more heartily than before.
  • Das war der deftigste Witz des Abends. — That was the crudest joke of the evening.

The word originally conveyed the sense of being strong, substantial, or robust. Its modern meanings developed from this idea of strength and intensity.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • kräftig — strong or richly flavored; broader and more neutral than deftig
  • reichhaltig — rich and substantial, especially describing food; less associated with rustic or heavy cooking
  • herzhaft — savory and pleasantly seasoned; usually positive and less heavy than deftig
  • derb — coarse or vulgar; stronger and more negative when describing language or humor
  • grob — crude or rude; focuses more on lack of politeness than deftig

Antonyms

  • leicht — light, especially in reference to food
  • mild — mild in taste or expression
  • fein — delicate or refined, opposite to the robust or rustic sense of deftig
  • vornehm — refined or genteel, opposite to the coarse sense of deftig

Common phrases & collocations

  • deftiges Essen — hearty food
  • deftige Hausmannskost — substantial traditional home cooking
  • deftige Mahlzeit — a hearty meal
  • deftiger Witz — a crude or risqué joke
  • deftige Sprache — coarse or vulgar language
  • deftig zulangen — to eat heartily or help oneself generously to food

Make “deftig” part of your vocabulary.

Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.

Get Vocabuo on the App StoreGet Vocabuo for Android

Examples

Das Essen ist heute sehr deftig.adjective

The food is very hearty today.

Im Winter kocht meine Oma gern deftige Suppen, die uns wärmen.adjective

In winter, my grandma likes to cook hearty soups that warm us.

Keep exploring German

Learn words from the content you love.

Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).

Download on theApp StoreGET IT ONGoogle Play