01
britisch
British
Relating to Great Britain, its inhabitants, its culture, or its language.
example
Der britische Humor ist für seine Ironie bekannt.
British humor is known for its irony.
britisch
British
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
Usage tips
Word formation with '-isch'
The ending '-isch' is often used in German to form an adjective from a country or region. In this way, 'Brite' (Briton) or 'Großbritannien' (Great Britain) becomes the adjective 'britisch' (British).
EXAMPLE
Ich trinke gerne italienischen Wein.
I like drinking Italian wine.
Common mistake
Adjectives derived from geographical names and ending in '-isch' are written in lowercase in German. This also applies when they are used as part of a name.
EXAMPLE
Das Britische Museum befindet sich in London.
The British Museum is located in London.
Geographical reference
The adjective 'britisch' (British) refers to the entire United Kingdom, that is, to England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is a more comprehensive term.
EXAMPLE
Die Queen war das Oberhaupt der britischen Monarchie.
The Queen was the head of the British monarchy.
Typical collocations
Common combinations are 'britisches Königshaus' (British royal family), 'britisches Pfund' (British pound, the currency), 'britisches Englisch' (British English, the language variety), and 'britische Inseln' (British Isles).
EXAMPLE
In der Schule lernen wir britisches Englisch.
At school, we learn British English.
Compare with
britisch vs englisch
English
'englisch' and 'britisch' can both have to do with language, people, or culture from the English-speaking world. 'englisch' is used especially for the language and for things that belong directly to England. 'britisch' means British, referring to Great Britain, so not only England but also Scotland and Wales. Learners often confuse the words because English is the most important language in Great Britain. For the language, you usually say 'englisch'; for a passport, government, culture, or people from Great Britain, 'britisch' is often a better fit.
britisch
In der Schule spricht sie über britische Geschichte.
At school, she talks about British history.
englisch
Vor dem Termin liest du den englischen Text noch einmal.
Before the appointment, you read the English text once more.
In real life
Loading video examples...