What does it mean word for word?
The word großartig is a compound of groß (large/great) and artig (kind/type/like), which literally translates to 'great-like' or 'of a great kind'.
Which one should you use?
While großartig is a strong, slightly more formal or emphatic way to say 'awesome', toll is a very common, more casual alternative used in everyday speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Depending on the setting, you might choose different words: Ausgezeichnet is a formal way to say 'excellent', while Geil is a slang term that can mean cool, great, hot or sexy. For colloquial speech, you can use Hammer to express excitement or admiration or klasse as an exclamation meaning 'awesome!' or 'great!' In informal conversations, Sensationell (sensational) and Spitze (great or top-notch) are also used.
How does it change in a sentence?
When großartig is used as an attributive adjective before a feminine or plural noun, it takes an inflectional ending, such as großartige.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡʁoːsˌʔaːɐ̯tɪç/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using erstaunlich to mean 'awesome' in a positive sense. While it can mean 'amazing', it often carries the connotation of being 'surprising' or 'astonishing' rather than simply being 'excellent'.
Did you know?
- The slang term geil is extremely common among young people to mean 'awesome', but it is technically a vulgar term for 'horny' or 'lustful'. Using it in a professional setting can be quite embarrassing.
- The word toll is a fascinating example of linguistic evolution because it used to mean 'crazy' or 'insane'. Over time, the meaning shifted from 'crazy' in a negative sense to 'crazy' in an exciting or 'awesome' way.
- In German, the word artig can be used as a standalone adjective to mean 'well-behaved' or 'polite', particularly when describing children. It is a complete reversal from its role in großartig where it describes a 'type' or 'kind'.
Examples in context
- Tom sieht großartig aus.Tom looks awesome.This sentence shows how to use großartig to describe someone's appearance.Tatoeba #6618951 by Felixjp, translation #2237205 by CK
- Das ist doch großartig, oder?That's awesome, right?This example demonstrates using großartig to seek agreement in a conversation.Tatoeba #705951 by jakov, translation #704173 by jakov
- Ich denke, das wäre großartig.I think that would be awesome.This sentence illustrates expressing a preference or opinion using großartig.Tatoeba #5346514 by RandomUsername, translation #5302493 by CK
- Wow, diese Veranstaltung war einfach grandios! Ich hatte eine wirklich wunderbare Zeit und die Musik war phänomenal.Wow, this event was simply grandiose! I had a truly wonderful time, and the music was phenomenal.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia are talking about a music festival they just attended.
- MaximilianDas Konzert war einfach großartig!The concert was simply awesome!
- JuliaJa, die Stimmung war echt großartig.Yes, the atmosphere was really great.
- MaximilianIch finde die Band großartig.I think the band is awesome.
- JuliaDas stimmt, sie spielen großartig.That's true, they play excellently.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry großartig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
