nachsichtig
[ˈnaχzɪçtɪç]
The German word for indulgent is nachsichtig.
nachsichtig is used to describe a person's attitude or temperament, specifically when they are being lenient or forgiving toward the mistakes or faults of others.
Which one should you use?
nachsichtig is the opposite of streng, which means strict.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can change the form of the word to express different levels of indulgence: nachsichtiger means more indulgent and nachsichtigste means most indulgent.
Did you know?
- The word nachsichtig is built from the noun Nachsicht, which literally translates to 'after-sight'.
- The concept of 'indulgence' in a religious context, such as the historical sale of indulgences, is called Ablass in German, which is etymologically distinct from nachsichtig.
- German speakers may use gnädig instead of nachsichtig when the indulgence comes from a position of high power, like a king or a deity.
Examples in context
- Sei etwas nachsichtiger!Be a little more indulgent!This sentence is useful for suggesting that someone should be more nachsichtig.Tatoeba #6290373 by raggione, translation #6292153 by carlosalberto
- Die Firma zeigte sich gegenüber den Kunden nachgiebig und erfüllte ihre extravaganten Wünsche.The company was indulgent towards its customers and fulfilled their extravagant desires.
- Ich habe heute ein Stück Kuchen gegessen. Man muss sich ab und zu etwas gönnen.I ate a piece of cake today. You have to treat yourself occasionally.
- Er ist ein sehr nachsichtiger Vater.He is a very indulgent father.
- Meine Großmutter war immer sehr nachsichtig mit mir.My grandmother was always very indulgent with me.
Example conversation
Julia and Lukas are discussing how to discipline a child.
- JuliaDu bist viel zu nachsichtig mit ihm.You are much too indulgent with him.
- LukasIch möchte einfach nur ein guter Vater sein.I just want to be a good father.
- JuliaAber er muss auch Grenzen lernen.But he also needs to learn boundaries.
- LukasDa hast du vielleicht recht, Julia.You might be right there, Julia.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nachsichtig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nachsichtig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
