01
eitel
vain
Being overly concerned with one's own appearance and the impression one makes on others; self-satisfied.
example
Er ist so eitel, dass er vor jedem Spiegel stehen bleibt.
He is so vain that he stops in front of every mirror.
eitel
vain
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context clue
The meaning of 'eitel' depends strongly on the context. If it describes a person, it means 'self-satisfied' or 'vain'. If it appears in the fixed expression 'eitel Sonnenschein' (nothing but sunshine), it means 'pure' or 'nothing but'.
EXAMPLE
Mein Kollege ist ziemlich eitel und achtet immer perfekt auf seine Kleidung.
My colleague is quite vain and always pays perfect attention to his clothes.
Use as an adjective
As an adjective, 'eitel' (vain) can stand before a noun and is then declined, or it can stand alone after a verb like 'sein' (to be), predicatively. It always describes a characteristic of a person.
EXAMPLE
Sie ist nicht nur intelligent, sondern auch ein bisschen eitel.
She is not only intelligent, but also a little vain.
Fixed expression
The expression 'eitel Sonnenschein' (nothing but sunshine) describes a perfect, problem-free situation. It is often negated ('nicht nur eitel Sonnenschein' — not just sunshine and roses) to express that there are also difficulties.
EXAMPLE
Eine gute Ehe besteht nicht nur aus eitel Sonnenschein.
A good marriage is not just sunshine and roses.
Compare with
eitel vs nur
only
'nur' and 'eitel' can both mean 'nothing but' or 'pure' in one special case. 'nur' is the normal word for limiting something: it is about not more than one thing, person, or amount. 'eitel' has this meaning almost only in the fixed expression 'eitel Sonnenschein' (nothing but sunshine). This means a completely good, harmonious mood without problems. Outside this expression, 'eitel' usually means something else, namely being too concerned with one's own appearance. That is why you can use 'nur' almost everywhere, but 'eitel' in this meaning only in a very limited way.
eitel
Nach der Einigung war im Team wieder eitel Sonnenschein.
After the agreement, everything in the team was harmonious again.
nur
Ich habe nur zehn Euro dabei.
I only have ten euros with me.
In real life
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