arrogant
/aʁoˈɡant/
The English word 'arrogant' is translated into German as arrogant. If unsure, use arrogant. Wiktionary also lists hochmütig.
Meaning: having excessive pride (adj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| arrogant | /aʁoˈɡant/ |
| hochmütig | /ˈhoːχˌmyːtɪç/ (Germany, uncommon) /ˈhoːχˌmyːtɪk/ |
The word is used to describe someone having excessive pride.
Which one should you use?
While arrogant is a direct cognate used in everyday speech, hochmütig is a more formal, literary term often used to describe a sense of haughtiness or looking down on others.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective arrogant must take different endings depending on the gender, case and article used in the sentence, such as arrogantem in the dative masculine singular.
How do you pronounce it?
/aʁoˈɡant/
Did you know?
- To describe someone as 'stuck-up' in a colloquial way, Germans might use hochnäsig, which literally translates to 'high-nosed'.
- The word hochmütig comes from hoch, meaning 'high', and Mut, which in modern German means 'courage' but originally meant 'spirit' or 'mind'.
- An arrogant person might be described as eingebildet, which comes from the idea of someone who is 'imagined' or 'built up' within their own head.
Examples in context
- Er ist so arrogant!He's so arrogant!This sentence is useful for showing how to express that someone is very arrogant using arrogant.Tatoeba #4066645 by studybrick_samuel, translation #3527180 by adamtrousers
- Tom ist so arrogant.Tom is so arrogant.Tatoeba #8072313 by Luiaard, translation #4494967 by CK
- Du bist so arrogant.You’re so arrogant.Tatoeba #10248265 by wolfgangth, translation #9202956 by DJ_Saidez
- Die Art und Weise, wie er über andere redet, ist einfach überheblich.The way he talks about others is just arrogant.
- Deine Angeberei wirkt auf viele Menschen abschreckend.Your boasting comes across as off-putting to many people.
- Sie ist so hochnäsig, immer macht sie sich über andere lustig.She is so arrogant, always making fun of others.
- 48 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Felix are talking about a new colleague.
- JuliaFindest du den neuen Kollegen auch so arrogant?Do you also find the new colleague so arrogant?
- FelixJa, er denkt, er weiß alles besser.Yes, he thinks he knows everything better.
- JuliaIch mag seine arrogante Art überhaupt nicht.I don't like his arrogant manner at all.
- FelixDas stimmt, er ist wirklich sehr anmaßend.That's true, he is really very presumptuous.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “arrogant” translations and entries arrogant, hochmütig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hochmütig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
