neugierig
/ˈnɔʏ̯ˌɡiːʁɪç/
The English word curious translates to German as neugierig.
neugierig describes someone who is tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate. While it can be a neutral description of interest, it often carries a slightly negative connotation of being 'nosy' in German, similar to English.
Meaning: tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
When used attributively before a noun, the adjective takes various endings such as -e, -er, -es or -en (for example, ein neugieriger Junge). The noun form of the adjective is die Neugier.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnɔʏ̯ˌɡiːʁɪç/
Did you know?
- While English uses 'curious' to describe something strange or odd, German uses kurios for that meaning, which is a distinct word from neugierig.
- The word neugierig literally translates to 'new-greedy'. It suggests a person who is hungry or greedy for new information.
- The phrase aus Neugier is used to explain that an action was motivated by curiosity rather than a specific purpose or malice.
Examples in context
- Ich war nur neugierig.I was just curious.This sentence is useful for saying you were just curious.Tatoeba #1670013 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1669987 by Spamster
- Er ist sehr neugierig.He's very curious.This sentence is useful for saying he is very curious.Tatoeba #1985909 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1981502 by Spamster
- Ich bin sehr neugierig.I am very curious.This sentence is useful for saying I am very curious.Tatoeba #2300348 by Zaghawa, translation #1441222 by Balamax
- Ich bin neugierig, mehr über Ihr Unternehmen zu erfahren.I am curious to learn more about your company.
- Ich bin so neugierig, was du mir zum Geburtstag schenken wirst!I'm so curious about what you'll give me for my birthday!
- Ich bin echt interessiert, welche Filme du gerne magst.I'm really curious about which movies you like.
- Ich bin brennend interessiert daran, wie Sie es geschafft haben, Ihre Firma aufzubauen.I am incredibly curious about how you managed to build your company.
- Ich bin gespannt, wie sich die neue Regelung auf die Produktivität auswirken wird.I am curious to see how the new regulation will impact productivity.
- Meine Tochter ist sehr wissbegierig und liest gerne Bücher über verschiedene Kulturen.My daughter is very curious and enjoys reading books about different cultures.
- 143 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Laura are talking about a new book.
- FelixBist du neugierig auf das Ende?Are you curious about the ending?
- LauraJa, ich bin sehr neugierig.Yes, I am very curious.
- FelixLaura ist immer so neugierig.Laura is always so curious.
- LauraDas stimmt, ich möchte alles wissen.That's true, I want to know everything.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “curious” translations and entries neugierig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries neugierig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
