zuversichtlich
The English word confident can be translated into German as zuversichtlich or sicher.
Meaning: being very sure of or positive about something (adj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| zuversichtlich | |
| sicher | /ˈzɪçər/ /ˈsɪçɐ/ |
The choice between these words depends on whether you are expressing an emotional outlook or a factual certainty. Use zuversichtlich to convey a sense of optimism or a positive outlook regarding a future outcome. Use sicher when you want to express that you are certain about a specific fact or piece of information.
Which one should you use?
While both can translate to 'confident' in English, they serve different purposes: zuversichtlich is used for being optimistic or hopeful about the future, whereas sicher is used for being certain or sure about something.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using sicher to mean you are sure of a fact, it is often used with the reflexive pronoun sich, such as in the phrase Ich bin mir sicher.
Did you know?
- While sicher means 'confident' or 'sure', adding a small word creates the phrase sicherlich, which often means 'probably' or 'most likely' rather than absolute certainty.
- The word zuversichtlich comes from Zuversicht, which combines the words for 'to' and 'sight' to describe 'looking toward' a positive future.
- If someone is 'overconfident' in an arrogant or smug way, Germans avoid zuversichtlich and instead use selbstgefällig, which means 'self-satisfied'.
Examples in context
- Da bin ich mir sicher.I'm confident in that.This sentence shows how to express certainty using sicher.Tatoeba #7148240 by Luiaard, translation #5171720 by CK
- Tom ist recht zuversichtlich.Tom is pretty confident.This sentence demonstrates the use of zuversichtlich to describe a person's state.Tatoeba #10133420 by wolfgangth, translation #6531906 by CK
- Wir sind recht zuversichtlich.We're pretty confident.This sentence shows how to use zuversichtlich when referring to a group.Tatoeba #10133379 by wolfgangth, translation #5448880 by CK
- Er ist in seiner Meinung sehr selbstsicherHe is very confident in his opinion
- Ich bin überzeugt, dass wir das Projekt erfolgreich abschließen werdenI am confident that we will successfully complete the project
- Ich bin mir sicher, dass ich das schaffen kannI am confident that I can do it
- Er ist sehr selbstbewusst und kann gut mit Menschen umgehenHe is very confident and interacts well with people
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Felix are discussing a job interview.
- JuliaBist du zuversichtlich wegen des Gesprächs?Are you confident about the interview?
- FelixJa, ich bin sehr zuversichtlich.Yes, I am very confident.
- JuliaDas ist schön zu hören.That is good to hear.
- FelixDanke, Julia, ich habe ein gutes Gefühl.Thanks, Julia, I have a good feeling.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “confident” translations and entries zuversichtlich, sicher, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
