neugierig
curious
Man möchte gerne mehr wissen oder etwas herausfinden.
Definition & meaning
The German adjective neugierig describes a person who is eager to know or learn something, often characterized by a strong desire for information or details about others or about new things.
Depending on the context, it can have two primary nuances:
- Curious/Inquisitive: Having a healthy interest in learning, discovering new facts, or exploring new topics.
- Nosy/Prying: Having an intrusive interest in the private affairs of others.
Grammar & Word origin
Grammar:
- Part of speech: Adjective.
- Declension: It is a regular adjective. For example: ein neugieriger Mensch (a curious person), eine neugierige Frage (a curious question).
Word origin: The word is a compound noun:
- Neu: meaning "new".
- Gier: meaning "greed" or "craving" (derived from gierig ). Historically, it translates to having a "greed for new [information or things]."
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- wissbegierig (describing a thirst for knowledge)
- interessiert (interested)
- forschend (investigative)
- aufdringlich (when used in the sense of being nosy)
- neugiernig (a rare/dated variant)
Antonyms:
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Examples
Ich bin neugierig auf deine Geschichte.adjective
I am curious about your story.
Der Hund schaut neugierig durch den Zaun.adjective
The dog looks curiously through the fence.
Er ist sehr neugierig.adjective
He is very curious.
Der Hund schaut neugierig um die Ecke.adjective
The dog looks curiously around the corner.
Das Kind blickt neugierig aus dem Fenster.adjective
The child looks curiously out of the window.
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