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entspannt
relaxed
Describes a person who is internally calm, composed, and not stressed.
example
Nach dem Yoga-Kurs fühlte er sich völlig entspannt.
After the yoga class, he felt completely relaxed.
entspannt
relaxed
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
'Entspannt' (relaxed) is the past participle of the verb 'sich entspannen' (to relax). The corresponding noun is 'die Entspannung' (relaxation). All three words describe a state of calm and composure.
EXAMPLE
Nach einem langen Bad fühle ich mich immer total entspannt.
After a long bath, I always feel totally relaxed.
Word structure
The prefix 'ent-' often means the opposite or the removal of something. 'Spannen' means 'to tense', so 'entspannen' literally means 'to take away the tension'.
EXAMPLE
Atme tief durch, damit sich deine Muskeln entspannen.
Take a deep breath so that your muscles relax.
Typical collocations
When describing a person, 'entspannt' (relaxed) is often intensified with adverbs like 'völlig' (completely), 'total' (totally), or 'tief' (deeply) to express the degree of calm.
EXAMPLE
Er wirkte vor der Prüfung erstaunlich entspannt.
He seemed surprisingly relaxed before the exam.
Typical collocations
To describe a situation, 'entspannt' (relaxed) is often combined with nouns like 'Atmosphäre' (atmosphere), 'Stimmung' (mood), 'Lage' (situation), or 'Gespräch' (conversation).
EXAMPLE
Wir hatten einen sehr entspannten Abend mit Freunden.
We had a very relaxed evening with friends.
Compare with
entspannt vs cool
cool
'cool' and 'entspannt' can both mean that someone stays calm and does not show stress. 'cool' is colloquial and fits especially well when someone seems composed in a difficult situation. It can also sound a little admiring. 'entspannt' is more neutral and describes inner calm or a relaxed atmosphere. Learners may confuse the words because both express calmness. In practice: a person can 'cool bleiben' (stay cool) in an exam, but an evening, a conversation, or a mood is more likely to be 'entspannt' (relaxed).
entspannt
Die Stimmung im Team ist heute entspannt.
The mood in the team is relaxed today.
cool
Du bist beim Streit im Supermarkt erstaunlich cool geblieben.
You stayed surprisingly cool during the argument in the supermarket.
In real life
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