Adjective Groups in German (C2 Level – Goethe / CEFR)
In German, adjectives can be intensified (strengthened) or weakened (toned down) by using adverbial modifiers. These words influence the meaning and nuance of an adjective, allowing for more precise and expressive communication.
✅ 1. Adjectives That Strengthen the Meaning (Intensifiers)
A. Absolute Intensifiers (Strong Emphasis)
These words completely or extremely intensify the adjective. They often suggest that the adjective is at the highest degree possible.
Intensifier | Meaning | Example Sentence |
absolut | absolutely | Das ist absolut unmöglich. (That is absolutely impossible.) |
außergewöhnlich | exceptionally | Er ist außergewöhnlich talentiert. (He is exceptionally talented.) |
außerordentlich | extraordinarily | Das Konzert war außerordentlich beeindruckend. (The concert was extraordinarily impressive.) |
äußerst | extremely | Diese Aufgabe ist äußerst kompliziert. (This task is extremely complicated.) |
ausgesprochen | distinctly, particularly | Sie war ausgesprochen freundlich. (She was particularly friendly.) |
besonders | especially | Der Kuchen ist besonders lecker. (The cake is especially delicious.) |
extrem | extremely | Die Temperaturen sind extrem niedrig. (The temperatures are extremely low.) |
höchst | highly, very | Diese Theorie ist höchst interessant. (This theory is highly interesting.) |
sehr sehr | very very | Das war sehr sehr lustig. (That was very very funny.) |
total | totally, completely | Der Film war total spannend. (The film was totally exciting.) |
überaus | exceedingly, extremely | Er ist überaus intelligent. (He is exceedingly intelligent.) |
ungemein | immensely | Sie hat mich ungemein beeindruckt. (She impressed me immensely.) |
ungewöhnlich | unusually | Das Wetter ist heute ungewöhnlich warm. (The weather is unusually warm today.) |
📌 Usage Tip:
- Intensifiers like “absolut” and “total” are more common in spoken German.
- Words like “außerordentlich” and “überaus” sound more formal or literary.
✅ 2. Adjectives That Weaken the Meaning (Mitigators)
These words soften or reduce the intensity** of an adjective. They indicate that something is not completely the case but still applies to some extent.
Mitigator | Meaning | Example Sentence |
beinahe | almost | Ich wäre beinahe gestürzt. (I almost fell.) |
so einigermaßen | somewhat, more or less | Das Essen war so einigermaßen gut. (The food was somewhat good.) |
ruhig etwas | a little | Du kannst es ruhig etwas lauter sagen. (You can say it a little louder.) |
ganz | quite, fairly | Der Film war ganz interessant. (The film was quite interesting.) |
halbwegs | halfway, reasonably | Ich bin halbwegs zufrieden. (I am reasonably satisfied.) |
kaum | hardly, barely | Es war kaum zu glauben. (It was hardly believable.) |
recht | quite, fairly | Das Wetter ist recht angenehm. (The weather is quite pleasant.) |
relativ | relatively | Die Aufgabe war relativ einfach. (The task was relatively easy.) |
vergleichsweise | comparatively | Das Hotel ist vergleichsweise teuer. (The hotel is comparatively expensive.) |
völlig | completely (often negates expectation) | Ich bin völlig verwirrt. (I am completely confused.) |
ziemlich | pretty, fairly | Der Film war ziemlich langweilig. (The film was pretty boring.) |
📌 Usage Tip:
- “Kaum” and “beinahe” indicate something is almost but not quite true.
- “Recht” and “ganz” are common in casual conversations to express a moderate opinion.
✅ 3. Sentence Structure & Word Order
- The intensifier/mitigator always comes before the adjective.
- If an adverb modifies another adverb, it precedes it.
📌 Examples:
- Er ist absolut sicher. (He is absolutely sure.)
- Das ist ziemlich gefährlich. (That is pretty dangerous.)
- Der Plan ist überaus riskant. (The plan is exceedingly risky.)
- Sie ist vergleichsweise ruhig. (She is comparatively calm.)
✅ 4. Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
A. Using Weakening Adverbs with Absolute Adjectives
❌ Das Wetter ist ziemlich perfekt.
✅ Das Wetter ist absolut perfekt.
📌 Tip:
- Absolute adjectives like “perfekt”, “tot”, “einzigartig” should only be intensified, not weakened.
B. Mixing Up Word Order
❌ Das Essen war gut besonders.
✅ Das Essen war besonders gut.
📌 Tip:
- The intensifier must always come before the adjective.
C. Using the Wrong Level of Intensity
❌ Ich bin absolut zufrieden. (Sounds unnatural—absolut is too strong for “zufrieden.”)
✅ Ich bin sehr zufrieden. (I am very satisfied.)
📌 Tip:
- “Absolut” is better for adjectives that express a complete state (e.g., absolut notwendig).