adjectiveadverbinterjection

super

super · great

Ein Ausdruck, der etwas sehr gut, beeindruckend oder erfreulich beschreibt.

Definition & meaning

super is an informal, very common German word meaning great, excellent, or fantastic. It can describe something directly or intensify another word:

Das Essen ist super. — “The food is great.”
super schnell — “really fast.”

Used on its own, Super! is an enthusiastic way to say “Great!” or “Excellent!”

As a prefix, super- can mean “above,” “beyond,” or “especially,” as in supermodern . In Supermarkt , it appears in the name for a supermarket.

Super can also be a neuter noun referring informally to premium-grade petrol: das Super .

Grammar & Word origin

As an adjective, super is commonly used after verbs such as sein , where it stays unchanged: Der Film ist super . It is also often used informally before another adjective or adverb as an intensifier.

The word comes from Latin super, meaning “above” or “beyond.” As a prefix, it is written with a hyphen when it is attached to a following word in some contexts; established compounds may be written as one word.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

toll — “great” or “lovely”; an everyday, broadly useful alternative.
großartig — “magnificent” or “excellent”; often sounds more emphatic.
hervorragend — “outstanding”; more formal and evaluative.
klasse — “great” or “awesome”; similarly informal and enthusiastic.
prima — “excellent” or “fine”; friendly and sometimes a little old-fashioned.

Antonyms:

schlecht — “bad”; the most general opposite.
miserabel — “miserable” or “awful”; stronger and more emphatic.
enttäuschend — “disappointing”; emphasizes that something failed to meet expectations.