01
böse
angry
To be annoyed or angry with someone.
example
Ich bin böse auf dich, weil du mein Geheimnis verraten hast.
I'm angry with you because you revealed my secret.
böse
angry / evil / bad
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Meaning in context
The meaning of 'böse' (angry/evil/bad) depends heavily on the context. In connection with a person, often with 'auf' (at/with) or in the dative, it means 'angry'. Before nouns like 'Hexe' (witch) or 'Plan' (plan), it means 'morally bad'. Before nouns like 'Verletzung' (injury) or 'Überraschung' (surprise), it means 'serious' or 'severe'.
EXAMPLE
Sei mir nicht böse, dass ich zu spät bin.
Don't be angry with me for being late.
Two sentence patterns
To express that you are angry with someone, there are two common constructions. You can say 'böse auf jemanden sein' (to be angry with someone), with the preposition 'auf' and the accusative, or 'jemandem böse sein' (to be angry with someone), with the person in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Bist du immer noch böse auf mich?
Are you still angry with me?
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'moralisch schlecht' (morally bad), 'böse' (evil) is often used for characters in stories or for bad intentions. Typical combinations are 'der böse Wolf' (the big bad wolf), 'eine böse Hexe' (an evil witch), 'böse Mächte' (evil powers), or 'böse Absichten' (evil intentions).
EXAMPLE
In vielen Märchen kämpft das Gute gegen das Böse.
In many fairy tales, good fights against evil.
Bad or severe
To describe something as 'schlimm' (bad/serious) or 'heftig' (severe/intense), 'böse' (bad/nasty) is often combined with negative events or conditions. Common phrases are 'eine böse Überraschung erleben' (to be in for a nasty surprise), 'eine böse Ahnung haben' (to have a bad feeling), or 'ein böser Sturz' (a bad fall).
EXAMPLE
Als er die Rechnung sah, erlebte er eine böse Überraschung.
When he saw the bill, he was in for a nasty surprise.
When dealing with children
The meaning 'unartig' (naughty) is used almost exclusively when speaking to or about children. It is a typical wording in parenting or in children's stories.
EXAMPLE
Sei kein böses Kind und iss dein Gemüse auf!
Don't be a naughty child, and finish your vegetables!
Compare with
böse vs gut
good
'gut' and 'böse' are opposites when it comes to morality or intentions. In this sense, 'gut' describes behavior that is kind, right, or decent. 'böse' describes something bad, evil, or intentionally harmful. This contrast fits especially well for stories, actions, or people in a moral evaluation. Important: 'böse' can also mean that someone is angry, for example 'böse auf jemanden' (angry at someone). In this meaning, it is not simply the opposite of 'gut'.
böse
Im Märchen hat der böse König das ganze Dorf bedroht.
In the fairy tale, the evil king threatened the whole village.
gut
Es war gut von dir, der alten Nachbarin beim Tragen zu helfen.
It was good of you to help the elderly neighbor carry her things.
In real life
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