schüchtern
/ˈʃʏçtɐn/
The English word shy is translated into German as schüchtern or scheu.
Meaning: reserved (adj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| schüchtern | /ˈʃʏçtɐn/ |
| scheu | /ʃɔɪ̯/ |
Which one should you use?
schüchtern is the standard term used to describe a person who is shy or reserved as a personality trait.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, schüchtern changes its ending depending on the gender, case and the type of article used with the noun it modifies. For example, you might see a form like schüchternen when modifying a masculine noun in the accusative or dative case with a definite article.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃʏçtɐn/
Did you know?
- In some Upper German dialects, a related old form of scheu evolved to mean 'ugly' instead of 'shy'.
- While schüchtern is the standard word for a shy person, scheu is more frequently used to describe animals that are skittish or afraid of humans.
- German uses the noun Scheu to describe a feeling of apprehension or dread, not just a personality trait.
Examples in context
- Ich war zu schüchtern.I was too shy.This sentence is useful for expressing a past state of being using schüchtern.Tatoeba #2554076 by ieflicca, translation #2549718 by CK
- Er ist sehr schüchtern.He's very shy.This sentence is useful for describing someone's current temperament using schüchtern.Tatoeba #2315605 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2311413 by Hybrid
- Tom war nie schüchtern.Tom never was shy.This sentence is useful for noting the absence of shyness in a person using schüchtern.Tatoeba #8826234 by wolfgangth, translation #3409288 by CK
- Er ist ein schüchterner Junge.He is a shy boy.
- Sie wirkt sehr zurückhaltend in großen Gruppen.She seems very shy in large groups.
- Ich bin ein bisschen schüchtern, wenn ich neue Leute treffe.I'm a bit shy when meeting new people.
- Sie ist ein bisschen verschlossen und mag nicht so gerne im Mittelpunkt stehen.She is a bit shy and doesn't like to be in the spotlight.
- 211 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Julian are at a party with many new people.
- SarahJulian, bist du heute so schüchtern?Julian, are you so shy today?
- JulianNein, ich kenne nur kaum jemanden.No, I just hardly know anyone.
- SarahKomm, wir lernen neue Leute kennen.Come on, let's meet some new people.
- JulianOkay, das machen wir.Okay, let's do that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shy” translations and entries schüchtern, scheu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries scheu, schüchtern, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
