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dreckig
dirty
Covered with dirt, dust, or grime; not clean.
example
Nach dem Fußballspielen im Regen war seine Kleidung komplett dreckig.
After playing soccer in the rain, his clothes were completely dirty.
dreckig
dirty
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'dreckig' (dirty) is derived directly from the noun 'der Dreck' (dirt/grime), which means dirt or filth. It is the quality of being covered with dirt.
EXAMPLE
Zieh deine Schuhe aus, sie sind voller Dreck.
Take off your shoes; they are full of dirt.
Figurative meaning
In a figurative sense, 'dreckig' (dirty) describes not only physical dirt, but also morally bad or unfair behavior. Typical combinations are 'dreckige Witze' (dirty jokes), 'dreckige Tricks' (dirty tricks), or 'ein dreckiges Geschäft' (a dirty business/deal).
EXAMPLE
Er hat mit einem dreckigen Trick gewonnen.
He won with a dirty trick.
Feeling bad
The expression 'sich dreckig fühlen' (to feel awful) or 'es geht mir dreckig' (I feel awful) is colloquial and means that someone feels very bad physically or emotionally, e.g., because of illness or sadness.
EXAMPLE
Nach der Trennung ging es ihm wochenlang richtig dreckig.
After the breakup, he felt really awful for weeks.
Typical collocation
The fixed combination 'dreckig lachen' (to laugh dirtily) describes a laugh that does not sound cheerful, but rather maliciously pleased, mean, or suggestive.
EXAMPLE
Als er sah, dass ich hingefallen war, lachte er dreckig.
When he saw that I had fallen down, he laughed dirtily.
Compare with
dreckig vs rein
pure / in
'rein' and 'dreckig' are opposites when it comes to cleanliness. 'rein' means that something is clean and has no dirt. 'dreckig' means that something is covered with dirt or grime. 'dreckig' often sounds a bit stronger and more colloquial than 'schmutzig'. It is used especially when something is visibly or unpleasantly dirty. The contrast is simple: after washing, something can be 'rein'; after gardening, it is often 'dreckig'.
dreckig
Wegen des Regens sind meine Schuhe nach dem Spaziergang dreckig.
Because of the rain, my shoes are dirty after the walk.
rein
Für das Baby nimmt sie nur reine Handtücher aus dem Schrank.
For the baby, she only takes clean towels from the cupboard.
In real life
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