ambitious
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ambitious
Having a strong desire and determination to achieve professional or personal success and reach demanding goals. Can be understood both positively (determined) and negatively (ruthless).
Sie ist eine sehr ehrgeizige Sportlerin und trainiert jeden Tag mehrere Stunden.
She is a very ambitious athlete and trains for several hours every day.
The word is made up of 'die Ehre' (honor) and 'der Geiz' (greed). So it literally describes a person who is 'greedy for honor,' which explains the strong drive for success.
Sein Ehrgeiz ist seine größte Stärke und Schwäche zugleich.
His ambition is both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness.
Whether 'ehrgeizig' (ambitious) is meant positively (determined) or negatively (ruthless) depends on the context. An adverb such as 'zu' (too) or 'übertrieben' (excessively) often signals a negative judgment.
Sie ist eine ehrgeizige Managerin, die ihr Team motiviert.
She is an ambitious manager who motivates her team.
When 'ehrgeizig' (ambitious) does not refer to a person but to a thing, it means 'demanding.' Typical combinations are 'ein ehrgeiziges Ziel' (an ambitious goal), 'ein ehrgeiziger Plan' (an ambitious plan), or 'ein ehrgeiziges Projekt' (an ambitious project).
Der Zeitplan für das Bauprojekt ist äußerst ehrgeizig.
The schedule for the construction project is extremely ambitious.
sporty / athletic
'sportlich' and 'ehrgeizig' can both have to do with high goals. 'ehrgeizig' often describes a person who wants to achieve a lot, or a plan that is very ambitious. In this meaning, 'sportlich' does not describe the person themselves, but rather a goal, schedule, or task that is hard to manage. The words can be confused because an ambitious plan can also be called 'sportlich'. For people, 'ehrgeizig' is correct; for a tight or difficult plan, 'sportlich' sounds colloquial and natural.
Du bist sehr ehrgeizig und willst die Prüfung mit der besten Note bestehen.
You are very ambitious and want to pass the exam with the best grade.
Drei Termine an einem Vormittag sind ein sportlicher Plan.
Three appointments in one morning is an ambitious plan.