furchtbar
/ˈfuʁçtbaːɐ̯/
The German word for 'dreadful' is furchtbar.
While the literal meaning is 'causing dread', in everyday German, furchtbar is frequently used as an adjective or an intensifier to mean 'terrible' or 'awful'. It is a common way to describe unpleasant things like bad weather or poor-quality food.
Meaning: causing dread (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfuʁçtbaːɐ̯/
Did you know?
- While furchtbar usually means 'terrible', Germans sometimes use it as an intensifier for positive things, similar to how 'terribly' works in 'terribly kind'. For example, one might describe a person as furchtbar nett to mean they are 'extremely nice'.
- German has a distinct difference between furchtbar and schrecklich. While both mean 'terrible', schrecklich is more closely linked to a sudden 'shock' or 'fright', whereas furchtbar relates to the lingering emotion of 'fear'.
- The suffix '-bar' in furchtbar functions exactly like the English suffix '-able', turning the noun 'Furcht' into an adjective that describes the capacity to cause that feeling.
Examples in context
- Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass etwas Furchtbares vor sich ging.I had a feeling that something dreadful was happening.Tatoeba #12710150 by mayabe, translation #25121 by CK
- Die Nachrichten über den Unfall waren einfach fürchterlich.The news about the accident was simply dreadful.
- Der Krieg hat schreckliche Auswirkungen auf uns alle.The war has dreadful effects on all of us.
- Das Essen in diesem Restaurant war furchtbar.The food at this restaurant was dreadful.
- Die Hitze heute ist wirklich grässlich.The heat today is truly dreadful.
- Die alte Kirche hat eine schaurige Atmosphäre.The old church has a dreadful atmosphere.
- Es war ein grauenhafter Anblick nach dem Sturm.It was a dreadful sight after the storm.
- Das Wetter heute ist furchtbar.The weather today is dreadful.
- Ich habe furchtbare Angst vor der Prüfung.I have a dreadful fear of the exam.
Example conversation
Hannah and Julian are discussing a movie they just watched.
- HannahDer Film war wirklich furchtbar.The movie was truly dreadful.
- JulianJa, die Handlung war schrecklich.Yes, the plot was terrible.
- HannahJulian, du hast recht.Julian, you are right.
- JulianLass uns etwas anderes machen.Let's do something else.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry furchtbar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries furchtbar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
