schlimm
Appearance
German
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From earlier slim, from Middle High German slimp (“slanting, awry”), from Proto-Germanic *slimbaz (“oblique, crooked”). Compare English slim (“thin”), Dutch slim (“clever, smart”), Middle Dutch slim (“bad, crooked”).
Pronunciation
[edit]Adjective
[edit]schlimm (strong nominative masculine singular schlimmer, comparative schlimmer, superlative am schlimmsten)
- bad, terrible, serious (seriously bad), dire, horrible, awful
- noch schlimmer ― even worse
- Am schlimmsten... ― Worst of all...
- Das Schlimmste an... ― The worst thing about...
- hurting, ill, infected
- ein schlimmer Fuß ― an aching foot
Usage notes
[edit]- Schlecht and schlimm are widely synonymous. However, schlecht is used more of things that are objectively bad, while schlimm is more subjective and therefore perhaps also more intensive.
Declension
[edit]Positive forms of schlimm
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | |||
predicative | er ist schlimm | sie ist schlimm | es ist schlimm | sie sind schlimm | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | schlimmer | schlimme | schlimmes | schlimme |
genitive | schlimmen | schlimmer | schlimmen | schlimmer | |
dative | schlimmem | schlimmer | schlimmem | schlimmen | |
accusative | schlimmen | schlimme | schlimmes | schlimme | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der schlimme | die schlimme | das schlimme | die schlimmen |
genitive | des schlimmen | der schlimmen | des schlimmen | der schlimmen | |
dative | dem schlimmen | der schlimmen | dem schlimmen | den schlimmen | |
accusative | den schlimmen | die schlimme | das schlimme | die schlimmen | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein schlimmer | eine schlimme | ein schlimmes | (keine) schlimmen |
genitive | eines schlimmen | einer schlimmen | eines schlimmen | (keiner) schlimmen | |
dative | einem schlimmen | einer schlimmen | einem schlimmen | (keinen) schlimmen | |
accusative | einen schlimmen | eine schlimme | ein schlimmes | (keine) schlimmen |
Comparative forms of schlimm
Superlative forms of schlimm
Related terms
[edit]- verschlimmern
- Verschlimmerung
- verschlimmbessern
- Verschlimmbesserung (a supposed improvement that, in fact, makes a situation worse)
Adverb
[edit]schlimm
See also
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- “schlimm” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “schlimm” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
- “schlimm” in Duden online
Pennsylvania German
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Compare German schlimm, Dutch slim, English slim.
Adjective
[edit]schlimm
Categories:
- German terms inherited from Middle High German
- German terms derived from Middle High German
- German terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- German terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- German 1-syllable words
- German terms with IPA pronunciation
- German terms with audio pronunciation
- German lemmas
- German adjectives
- German terms with usage examples
- German adverbs
- Pennsylvania German lemmas
- Pennsylvania German adjectives