krass
intense · awesome
Definition & meaning
The word krass is a versatile German adjective and adverb used to describe something extreme, intense, or glaring. Depending on the context, its meaning can shift significantly:
- Extreme or Blatant: It is used to describe a sharp contrast or a glaring difference. For example, a "krasser Gegensatz" refers to a stark or blatant contradiction.
- Colloquial/Slang (Shock or Disbelief): In everyday conversation, especially among younger people, it is used as an exclamation to express that something is shocking, heavy, or hard to believe. In this sense, it is often negative (e.g., "That is a krass story" meaning it is disturbing or intense).
- Colloquial/Slang (Positive): It can also be used to mean "awesome," "cool," or "impressive." If someone performs an incredible feat, a witness might simply say, "Krass!" to show admiration.
Essentially, the word acts as an intensifier that highlights that something deviates strongly from the norm.
Grammar & Word origin
Grammar: krass is an adjective. It can be used attributively (ein krasser Typ), predicatively (Das ist krass), or adverbially (Er hat krass übertrieben). It follows standard declension patterns and can be compared: krass, krasser, am krassesten.
Word origin: The word originates from the Latin term crassus, which means "thick," "fat," "coarse," or "gross." It entered the German language in the 18th century, initially appearing in student slang to describe something crude or unrefined. Over time, it evolved from describing physical coarseness to describing metaphorical intensity and eventually became a staple of modern German youth slang.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- extrem : Used when something is at the far end of a scale.
- heftig : Often used interchangeably with krass to describe intensity or power.
- intensiv : Used for high degrees of feeling or activity.
- auffällig : When something is conspicuous or stands out.
- derb : Relates more to the original meaning of coarse or rough.
- wahnsinnig : Used colloquially to mean "crazy" or "insane" as an intensifier.
Antonyms:
Make “krass” part of your vocabulary.
Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Das ist wirklich krass!adjective
That is really intense!
Die Show gestern war echt krass und alle haben sie gefeiert.adjective
The show yesterday was really awesome and everyone loved it.
Keep exploring German
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad