gemütlich
/ɡəˈmyːtlɪç/
The German word for cosy is gemütlich. Wiktionary also lists behaglich.
Meaning: affording comfort and warmth (adj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| gemütlich | /ɡəˈmyːtlɪç/ (Germany) /ɡeˈmyːtlɪç/ |
| behaglich | /bəˈhaːklɪç/ (Germany) /b̥eˈhaːklɪç/ |
gemütlich is used to describe a sense of cosiness or a pleasant atmosphere. This can refer to physical spaces, such as a room or to social situations, such as a gemütlicher Abend (a cosy or pleasant evening) spent with friends.
Which one should you use?
gemütlich is the most common way to express a sense of cosiness or a pleasant atmosphere. In contrast, behaglich is more formal and focuses more specifically on physical comfort or well-being.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, gemütlich takes standard inflectional endings depending on its role in a sentence, such as ein gemütlicher Abend for 'a cosy evening'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡəˈmyːtlɪç/
Did you know?
- The word gemütlich is rooted in the noun Gemüt, which refers to a person's 'mind', 'soul', or 'emotional temperament'.
- In German, you can describe a person as being gemütlich, which often implies they have a calm, easy-going, and perhaps slightly slow temperament.
- Unlike 'cosy', which is purely positive, describing a situation as gemütlich can sometimes be used subtly to imply it is almost too slow or unstimulating.
Examples in context
- Dieses Café ist gemütlich.This cafe is cosy.This sentence shows how to describe a cafe using gemütlich.Tatoeba #661774 by kolonjano, translation #11930960 by sundown
- Hier ist es sehr gemütlich.It's very cosy here.This sentence demonstrates how to say it is cosy in a specific location using gemütlich.Tatoeba #2887428 by al_ex_an_der, translation #11904010 by sundown
- Hier drin ist es sehr gemütlich.It's very cosy in here.This sentence shows how to express that it is cosy inside using gemütlich.Tatoeba #12106128 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #12194831 by sundown
- Lasst uns heute Abend einen gemütlichen Filmabend machen!Let's have a cosy movie night tonight!
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sitting in their living room on a cold evening.
- JuliaEs ist so gemütlich hier.It is so cosy here.
- JulianJa, das Sofa ist sehr gemütlich.Yes, the sofa is very cosy.
- JuliaMöchtest du noch einen Tee, Julian?Would you like another tea, Julian?
- JulianGerne, das macht es noch gemütlicher.Gladly, that makes it even more cosy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cosy” translations and entries gemütlich, behaglich, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries behaglich, gemütlich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
