What does it mean word for word?
erfreut is the past participle of the verb erfreuen, which means "to delight" or "to please".
Which one should you use?
While erfreut is a valid way to express being delighted, in casual spoken German, speakers are more likely to use froh (glad) or glücklich (happy) instead.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
erfreut carries a somewhat formal or polite tone, making it suitable for professional correspondence or polite social encounters. For more formal expressions, you might use Es freut mich sehr (I am very delighted) or Ich bin hocherfreut (I am highly delighted). In informal situations, you can say Ich freue mich riesig (I am incredibly delighted), Das freut mich total (That makes me really happy) or Mir geht das Herz auf (My heart is filled with joy).
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, erfreut follows standard German adjective declension rules based on the gender, case and number of the noun it modifies.
Did you know?
- The word unheimlich used to intensify erfreut literally means 'un-homely' or 'eerie'. In modern German, it has evolved into a general intensifier similar to 'insanely'.
- The word riesig in Ich freue mich riesig literally means 'gigantic'. Using size to describe the scale of one's delight is a staple of colloquial German.
- Using erfreut in a very casual setting among close friends can sometimes be perceived as ironic or sarcastic because of its high level of formality.
Examples in context
- Die Nachricht hat sie erfreut.The news delighted her.This sentence shows how the news can cause someone to be delighted using erfreut.Tatoeba #1445206 by al_ex_an_der, translation #9516816 by sundown
- Ich bin über das Wetter erfreut.I'm delighted about the weather.This sentence demonstrates using the preposition über with erfreut to express delight about the weather.Tatoeba #1112764 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1112790 by sundown
- „Ach, mein lieber Watson“, sagte er, während er ins Zimmer schritt, „ich bin überaus erfreut, Sie zu sehen!“"Ah, my dear Watson," said he, striding into the room, "I am very delighted to see you!"This sentence shows a formal way to express being very delighted to see someone using erfreut.Tatoeba #7985140 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6979719 by Hybrid
- Es freut mich sehr, Sie kennenzulernenI am very delighted to meet you
- Ich freue mich riesig auf die Party!I am incredibly delighted about the party!
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Felix meet for the first time at a business event.
- SarahHallo Felix, ich bin sehr erfreut, Sie kennenzulernen.Hello Felix, I am very delighted to meet you.
- FelixGleichfalls, Sarah! Ich habe schon viel gehört.Likewise, Sarah! I have already heard a lot.
- SarahIch hoffe, es war alles Positives.I hope it was all positive.
- FelixJa, ich bin wirklich erfreut, dass wir uns treffen.Yes, I am really delighted that we are meeting.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry erfreut, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
