hell
/hɛl/
The German word for bright is hell. If unsure, use hell. Wiktionary also lists glänzend and strahlend.
Meaning: emitting much light, visually dazzling (adj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| hell | /hɛl/ |
| glänzend | |
| strahlend | /ˈʃtraːlənt/ |
The term is used to describe things that emit much light or are visually dazzling.
Which one should you use?
Use hell to describe the intensity of light or brightness. In contrast, glänzend refers to a shiny or lustrous surface and strahlend is used when something is actively radiating light or when describing a person who is beaming with joy.
How do you pronounce it?
/hɛl/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes confuse the German word hell (meaning bright) with the English word 'hell' (referring to the underworld). Please note that they are pronounced differently.
Did you know?
- A hellhöriges house is one where the walls are 'bright-hearing', meaning it is very easy to hear noises from the next room. This is a common German idiom for thin walls.
- In the phrase hellsehen, the word hell is combined with 'see' to mean 'to be clairvoyant' or to have psychic visions. Literally, it means to 'see brightly'.
- The word hell actually shares a common ancestor with words meaning 'loud' or 'resounding'. In its earliest forms, it described something that was not just visually bright, but also sonically striking.
Examples in context
- Es ist sehr hell.It's very bright.This sentence is useful for describing the level of brightness in a space.Tatoeba #8315908 by GuidoW, translation #4211991 by CK
- Der Mond ist hell.The moon is bright.This sentence is useful for describing the brightness of the moon.Tatoeba #1779896 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1779858 by Spamster
- Die Sonne ist hell.The sun is bright.This sentence is useful for describing the brightness of the sun.Tatoeba #12909763 by papago, translation #1517925 by Spamster
- Die Sonne scheint hellThe sun is shining brightly
- Ein helles RotA bright red
- Der Raum ist lichtdurchflutetThe room is bright
- Er hat ein strahlendes LächelnHe has a bright smile
- Der Diamant ist strahlendThe diamond is bright
- Es ist hier so hellIt's so bright in here
- Schau mal, wie hell das Licht ist!Look how bright the light is!
- Wow, deine Jacke ist echt knallig!Wow, your jacket is really bright!
- Die grelle Beleuchtung hat meine Augen geblendetThe bright lighting blinded my eyes
- Heute ist ein sonniger Tag. Die Bäume sehen hell und grün aus.Today is a sunny day. The trees look bright and green.
- Der neue Anstrich der Fassade hat dem Haus ein frisches und strahlendes Aussehen verliehen.The new paint on the facade has given the house a fresh and bright look.
- Lisa trägt gerne knallige Farben. Ihre Wohnung ist voller bunter Kissen und greller Wandgemälde.Lisa likes to wear bright colors. Her apartment is full of vibrant pillows and garish wall paintings.
- Der Morgenhimmel erstrahlt in den schönsten Farben. Es ist ein wahrhaftig atemberaubender Anblick.The morning sky is bright with the most beautiful colors. It truly is a breathtaking sight.
- Die Zimmerpflanze benötigt viel helles Licht, um gut zu gedeihen.The houseplant needs a lot of bright light to thrive.
- Die strahlende Sonne hat den Schnee zum Glitzern gebracht.The bright sun made the snow sparkle.
- 88 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Maximilian are decorating a room together.
- HannahIst diese Lampe nicht zu hell?Isn't this lamp too bright?
- MaximilianJa, sie blendet mich ein bisschen.Yes, it's dazzling me a bit.
- HannahIch suche eine weniger helle Birne.I am looking for a less bright bulb.
- MaximilianDas ist eine gute Idee, Hannah.That is a good idea, Hannah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bright” translations and entries hell, glänzend, strahlend, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hell, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
