bedeutend
/bəˈdɔɪ̯tn̩t/
The German phrase for "major" (in the sense of being greater in significance or importance) is bedeutend. Wiktionary also lists wichtig.
Meaning: greater in significance or importance (adj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| bedeutend | /bəˈdɔɪ̯tn̩t/ /bəˈdɔɪ̯tənt/ |
| wichtig | /ˈvɪçtɪç/ (Northern Germany) /ˈvɪʃtɪʃ/ |
When describing something as having great significance, you use bedeutend or wichtig. If you are referring to a military rank, use the noun Major. If you want to express the verb "to major in something," use sich spezialisieren.
Which one should you use?
While both words can translate to "major," they carry different nuances. bedeutend implies that something has great influence, fame or historical weight. In contrast, wichtig is a more general term that can mean simply "important" or "necessary".
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/bəˈdɔɪ̯tn̩t/
Did you know?
- Unlike English, which uses 'major' for both a musical key and a degree of importance, German uses the word Dur for a major musical key.
- German uses the adjective schwerwiegend to describe serious or 'grave' matters, which translates literally to 'weight-dragging'. It functions similarly to the English 'weighty' when discussing consequences.
- The word wichtig is etymologically linked to the word Gewicht, meaning 'weight'. This suggests that in German, something 'important' is literally something that possesses 'weight'.
Examples in context
- Algier ist eine bedeutende Stadt.Algiers is a major city.This sentence is useful for illustrating how to describe a city as bedeutend.Tatoeba #11890194 by Naina, translation #9237995 by Amastan
- Verkehr ist ein bedeutendes städtisches Problem.Traffic is a major urban problem.This sentence shows the use of bedeutend when describing an urban problem.Tatoeba #639888 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #240309 by CM
- Das neue Gesetz stellte eine bedeutende Reform dar.The new law was a major reform.This sentence demonstrates using bedeutend to characterize a reform.Tatoeba #756006 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #681873 by Source_VOA
- Mein Hauptfach ist Mathematik.My major is mathematics.
- Mein Studienschwerpunkt liegt auf Wirtschaftswissenschaften.My major field is economics.
- Mein Fachgebiet ist Ingenieurwesen.My major is engineering.
- Mein Schwerpunkt liegt auf Psychologie.My major is psychology.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are discussing a news report about a scientific breakthrough.
- SarahHast du die Nachrichten über die Forschung gesehen?Did you see the news about the research?
- LukasJa, das ist eine bedeutende Entwicklung für die Medizin.Yes, that is a major development for medicine.
- SarahStimmt, Lukas, das könnte alles verändern.True, Lukas, that could change everything.
- LukasIch bin auch sehr beeindruckt von diesem Erfolg.I am also very impressed by this success.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “major” translations and entries bedeutend, wichtig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bedeutend, wichtig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
