01
ängstlich
anxious / fearful
Feeling fear or worry; naturally inclined to become afraid quickly.
example
Mein Hund ist sehr ängstlich bei Gewitter.
My dog is very anxious during thunderstorms.
ängstlich
anxious / fearful
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 02
Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'ängstlich' (anxious / fearful) is derived directly from the noun 'die Angst' (fear). The ending '-lich' here means 'full of' or 'characterized by'. So 'ängstlich' literally means 'full of fear'.
EXAMPLE
Seit dem Unfall ist sie ein sehr ängstlicher Mensch.
Since the accident, she has been a very anxious person.
Preposition 'vor'
When you want to name the reason for the fear, you use the preposition 'vor' followed by the dative. The structure is: 'ängstlich vor etwas sein' (to be afraid of something).
EXAMPLE
Viele Kinder sind ängstlich vor der Dunkelheit.
Many children are afraid of the dark.
Usage pattern
In the meaning 'übertrieben sorgfältig' (overly careful), 'ängstlich' often appears in fixed combinations such as 'ängstlich bemüht sein' (to be anxiously trying) or 'ängstlich darauf bedacht sein' (to be anxious to make sure), followed by an infinitive construction with 'zu'.
EXAMPLE
Er war ängstlich darauf bedacht, einen guten Eindruck zu machen.
He was anxious to make a good impression.
Compare with
ängstlich vs vorsichtig
careful / cautious
'vorsichtig' and 'ängstlich' can both describe someone who does not act quickly or take risks. The difference lies in the reason. 'vorsichtig' usually sounds positive or neutral: someone pays close attention to a situation in order to avoid problems. 'ängstlich' emphasizes fear or strong worry. It can also mean that someone is too afraid and therefore seems insecure. The words are easily confused because careful people can sometimes also seem anxious. But not every careful person is afraid.
ängstlich
Vor dem Gespräch mit dem Chef war Max sehr ängstlich.
Before the conversation with the boss, Max was very anxious.
vorsichtig
Ich bin vorsichtig, wenn ich mit dem neuen Messer schneide.
I am careful when I cut with the new knife.
In real life
Loading video examples...