adjectiveadverb
jäh
sudden
Ganz plötzlich und ohne Vorwarnung.
Definition & meaning
Jäh means sudden and abrupt, often describing an unexpected change or interruption.
It can also mean steep or precipitous, especially when describing a slope or drop.
Grammar & Word origin
Jäh is an adjective and can also be used adverbially. Its comparative and superlative forms are jäher and am jähesten.
It comes from Middle High German gæhe, meaning “sudden” or “quick.”
Synonyms & antonyms
- plötzlich — “sudden”; more common and neutral than jäh.
- abrupt — “abrupt”; emphasizes an unexpected or sharp break.
- steil — “steep”; applies to the physical sense of jäh.
- allmählich — “gradual”; the opposite of the “sudden” sense.
- flach — “flat” or “gently sloping”; the opposite of the “steep” sense.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Der Abstieg erfolgte sehr jäh.adverb
The descent was very sudden.
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