wunderbar
/ˈvʊndəʁˌbaːʁ/
The German word for wonderful is wunderbar. Wiktionary also lists wundervoll.
Meaning: excellent, extremely impressive (adj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| wunderbar | /ˈvʊndəʁˌbaːʁ/ |
| wundervoll | /ˈvʊndɐfɔl/ |
Both wunderbar and wundervoll are used to describe something as excellent or extremely impressive.
What does it mean word for word?
wundervoll is composed of wunder (wonder) and voll (full).
Which one should you use?
While both mean wonderful, wunderbar is often used to describe things that are excellent or highly satisfactory. In contrast, wundervoll often carries a more poetic or emotional sense of being 'full of wonder'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In southern Germany, Switzerland and parts of Austria, the informal term super is frequently used in casual conversation to mean wonderful or great.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈvʊndəʁˌbaːʁ/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, wunderbar can be used ironically to mean the opposite. If someone says Das ist ja wunderbar with a specific tone, they may actually be expressing extreme annoyance.
- While wunderbar describes an excellent result, the word Wunder (wonder) is also used in the term Wirtschaftswunder, which refers to the 'economic miracle' of West Germany after World War II.
- The suffix -bar in wunderbar functions similarly to the English suffix '-able', meaning that the word literally translates to 'able to be wondered at'.
Examples in context
- Tom ist wirklich wunderbar.Tom is really wonderful.This sentence shows how to use wunderbar to describe a person.Tatoeba #8834239 by wolfgangth, translation #2273402 by CK
- Wie wundervoll ist das denn?How wonderful is that?This sentence demonstrates the use of wundervoll to express wonder at something.Tatoeba #12425677 by Waldelfe, translation #1248943 by sundown
- Frisches Essen ist wunderbar.Fresh food is wonderful.This sentence uses wunderbar to describe the quality of food.Tatoeba #759324 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #681018 by Source_VOA
- Die Präsentation war ausgezeichnet! Bravo!The presentation was excellent! Bravo!
- Deine Arbeit ist wirklich hervorragend!Your work is truly outstanding!
- Das Essen hier ist wirklich toll!The food here is really great!
- Das Konzert gestern Abend war fantastisch!The concert last night was fantastic!
- Der Ausblick von hier oben ist super!The view from up here is wonderful!
- Der Kuchen schmeckt einfach prima!The cake tastes simply wonderful!
- 131 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are looking at a beautiful view from a mountain top.
- JuliaSchau mal, die Aussicht ist einfach wunderbar!Look, the view is simply wonderful!
- MaximilianJa, ich bin echt beeindruckt von diesem Ort.Yes, I am really impressed by this place.
- JuliaDas Wetter heute ist auch wunderbar.The weather today is also wonderful.
- MaximilianDas stimmt, es ist der perfekte Tag.That's true, it is the perfect day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wonderful” translations and entries wunderbar, wundervoll, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries wunderbar, wundervoll, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
