faszinierend
The English word mesmerizing can be translated into German as faszinierend.
If you want to convey the idea of something being mesmerizing or impressive in a formal context, you can also use Beeindruckend. In colloquial speech, you might use the word Hammer to mean something is amazing or mind-blowing.
Meaning: adjective (adj)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the object and the person: use faszinierend to describe the thing that causes the feeling (the mesmerizing object), and use fasziniert to describe the person experiencing the feeling (the fascinated person).
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an attributive adjective directly before a noun, faszinierend must take an adjective ending, such as in the phrase eine faszinierende Aussicht (a mesmerizing view).
Did you know?
- The word faszinierend shares a root with the English word 'fascinate', but both trace back to the Latin fascinare, which originally meant to cast a spell or bewitch someone.
- If something is so mesmerizing that it holds your attention completely, you might describe it as fesselnd, which comes from the noun for 'fetters' or 'shackles'.
- In very old-fashioned German, the word betörend could be used for something mesmerizing. It shares a root with betören, which means to deceive or seduce, suggesting that beauty can be a trick.
Examples in context
- Es war faszinierend.It was mesmerizing.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say that something was mesmerizing using faszinierend.Tatoeba #1492711 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1492715 by CM
- Das Konzert war faszinierend.The concert was mesmerizing.
- Die Kunstausstellung war wirklich beeindruckend.The art exhibition was truly mesmerizing.
- Die Aussicht von hier oben ist faszinierend.The view from up here is mesmerizing.
- Ihre Kunstwerke sind wirklich faszinierend.Her artworks are truly mesmerizing.
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are looking at a beautiful sunset at the beach.
- SarahSchau dir das Licht am Meer an, Lukas.Look at the light on the sea, Lukas.
- LukasJa, der Sonnenuntergang ist absolut faszinierend.Yes, the sunset is absolutely mesmerizing.
- SarahIch könnte stundenlang nur hier sitzen.I could sit here for hours.
- LukasDas verstehe ich, es ist sehr friedlich.I understand that, it is very peaceful.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
