selfish
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selfish
Thinking and acting only in one's own interest, without regard for the needs or feelings of other people.
Es war egoistisch von dir, den letzten Kuchen zu nehmen, ohne die anderen zu fragen.
It was selfish of you to take the last piece of cake without asking the others.
The word is made up of 'Ego' (Latin for 'I') and the ending '-istisch'. The ending '-istisch' is often used for adjectives that describe an attitude or behavior.
Sein Verhalten basiert auf reinem Egoismus.
His behavior is based on pure egoism.
A very typical construction for criticizing a person's behavior is: 'Es ist egoistisch von + dative, etwas zu tun' (It is selfish of + person to do something). With this, you evaluate a specific action.
Es war egoistisch von ihm, nicht mit den anderen zu teilen.
It was selfish of him not to share with the others.
'Egoistisch' (selfish) is often used to describe actions, decisions, or character traits. Common combinations are 'egoistisch handeln' (to act selfishly), 'eine egoistische Entscheidung' (a selfish decision), or 'egoistisches Verhalten' (selfish behavior).
Er hat aus rein egoistischen Motiven gehandelt.
He acted out of purely selfish motives.
antisocial
'egoistisch' and 'asozial' can both describe behavior where someone shows no consideration for others. 'egoistisch' mainly means that someone thinks only about their own advantage. 'asozial' is stronger and harsher; it describes behavior that harms the community or other people, and it is often used as an insult. Learners may confuse the words because both are negative. In many everyday situations, 'egoistisch' is more precise and less harsh. 'asozial' fits better when the behavior is especially inconsiderate or disturbing to others.
Es ist egoistisch, den letzten Kuchen zu nehmen, ohne die anderen zu fragen.
It is selfish to take the last piece of cake without asking the others.
Im Park einfach Müll liegen zu lassen, finden viele Leute asozial.
Many people find it antisocial to just leave trash lying around in the park.