langsam
/ˈlaŋzaːm/
The German word for slowly is langsam.
langsam is used to describe an action performed at a slow pace.
Meaning: at a slow pace (adv)
Which one should you use?
In English, you often add a suffix like '-ly' to turn an adjective into an adverb, but in German, the base form langsam functions as both the adjective 'slow' and the adverb 'slowly'.
How does it change in a sentence?
langsam can be used as an adjective or an adverb. To express degrees of slowness, you can use the comparative form langsamer (slower) or the superlative form am langsamsten (slowest).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlaŋzaːm/
Did you know?
- In German, langsam is often used as a gentle way to tell someone to calm down or stop doing something, similar to saying 'easy does it' or 'slow down' in English.
- The word langsam contains the root lang, which means 'long'. This suggests that to a German speaker, performing an action 'slowly' is conceptually linked to making it 'long'.
- In some contexts, langsam can be used as a synonym for 'gradually' or 'little by little', such as describing a slow change in weather.
Examples in context
- Er geht sehr langsam.He is walking very slowly.This sentence shows how to use langsam to describe walking.Tatoeba #1856357 by Zaghawa, translation #320510 by CK
- Der Bus fuhr langsam.The bus travelled slowly.This sentence shows how to use langsam to describe a bus travelling.Tatoeba #3766641 by Jens_Odo, translation #12141130 by sundown
- Er ging sehr langsam.He walked very slowly.Tatoeba #8843572 by wolfgangth, translation #6617188 by Hybrid
- 302 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are hiking on a steep mountain trail.
- JuliaMaximilian, kannst du bitte langsamer laufen?Maximilian, can you please walk more slowly?
- MaximilianTut mir leid, Julia, ich bin zu schnell.I am sorry, Julia, I am too fast.
- JuliaIch möchte langsam und vorsichtig gehen.I want to go slowly and carefully.
- MaximilianIn Ordnung, ich passe mein Tempo an.Alright, I will adjust my pace.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slowly” translations and entries langsam, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries langsam, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
