stolz
/ʃtɔlt͡s/
The English word "proud" is translated into German as stolz.
stolz is an adjective used to describe feeling gratified, honored or satisfied.
Meaning: gratified, feeling honoured, feeling satisfied (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the sense of being "proud of" someone or something, stolz is almost always paired with the preposition auf followed by the accusative case. The full construction for "to be proud of" is stolz auf [accusative] sein. Additionally, if you use the word as an adverb to describe how an action is performed, such as saying "he spoke proudly", the form remains stolz without any additional endings.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃtɔlts/
Did you know?
- The German word stolz is a cognate of the English word 'stout'. Both originate from a root meaning 'stiff' or 'standing', reflecting the rigid posture of a proud person.
- In German, stolz can be used to describe an animal's gait or posture, such as a stolzer Gang, which means walking with a stately or haughty air.
- When stolz is used as a noun der Stolz, it can refer not just to a feeling, but to the actual source of pride, such as a city's landmark.
Examples in context
- Sie ist zu stolz.She is too proud.This sentence shows the use of stolz with the intensifier zu.Tatoeba #11816405 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8368640 by Ergulis
- Tom wäre so stolz.Tom would be so proud.This sentence demonstrates the use of stolz in a conditional context.Tatoeba #10244984 by wolfgangth, translation #2646266 by CK
- Er ist sehr stolz.He's very proud.This sentence shows the use of stolz with the intensifier sehr.Tatoeba #11419135 by mayabe, translation #11141171 by ddnktr
- Ich bin stolz auf dichI am proud of you
- Ich bin mächtig stolz auf dichI am incredibly proud of you
- Du siehst aus wie ein stolzer HahnYou look like a proud rooster
- Herzlichen Glückwunsch zu deinem Erfolg! Ich bin stolz auf dich.Congratulations on your success! I am proud of you.
- Du hast das wirklich gut gemacht. Ich bin mächtig stolz auf dich!You did really well. I am incredibly proud of you!
- Wow, du hast die erste Reihe erobert! Du bist ja ein stolzer Hahn.Wow, you've conquered the front row! You're such a proud rooster.
- 516 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Lukas are discussing a recent promotion at work.
- JuliaHerzlichen Glückwunsch zum neuen Job, Lukas!Congratulations on the new job, Lukas!
- LukasDanke, Julia. Ich bin wirklich stolz.Thanks, Julia. I am really proud.
- JuliaDu hast es dir verdient.You earned it.
- LukasIch bin auch stolz auf mein Team.I am also proud of my team.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “proud” translations and entries stolz, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries stolz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
