ernst
serious
Not cheerful, funny, or joking; serious and thoughtful.
EXAMPLE
Warum machst du so ein ernstes Gesicht? Ist etwas passiert?
Why are you making such a serious face? Did something happen?
ernst
serious
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Meanings
ernst
serious
Important, dangerous, or worrying; not trivial.
EXAMPLE
Die Lage im Krisengebiet ist sehr ernst.
The situation in the crisis area is very serious.
es ernst meinen
to be serious
To say something not as a joke, but because you really think or feel that way; to have a sincere intention.
EXAMPLE
Ich meine es ernst, wenn ich dir meine Hilfe anbiete.
I'm serious when I offer you my help.
ernst nehmen
to take seriously
To regard someone or something as important, credible, or significant.
EXAMPLE
Man sollte die Sorgen der Mitarbeiter ernst nehmen.
One should take employees' concerns seriously.
Usage tips
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'seriös' (serious), 'ernst' often describes facial expression or the way someone communicates. Typical combinations are 'ein ernstes Gesicht' (a serious face), 'eine ernste Miene' (a serious expression), or 'ein ernstes Gespräch' (a serious conversation).
EXAMPLE
Er hatte während der gesamten Besprechung eine sehr ernste Miene.
He had a very serious expression throughout the entire meeting.
Context: problems and dangers
When 'ernst' describes a situation, it means 'schwerwiegend' (serious/severe) or 'gefährlich' (dangerous). Common combinations are 'eine ernste Lage' (a serious situation), 'eine ernste Krankheit' (a serious illness), or 'ein ernstes Problem' (a serious problem).
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt sagte, es sei eine ernste Verletzung.
The doctor said it was a serious injury.
Fixed expression
The expression 'es ernst meinen' means that an intention is sincere. The pronoun 'es' is a fixed part of the construction here.
EXAMPLE
Glaub mir, ich meine es ernst mit meinem Vorschlag.
Believe me, I'm serious about my proposal.
Use with 'nehmen'
The combination 'ernst nehmen' (to take seriously) works like a separable verb. The object, meaning the person or thing, comes between 'nehmen' and 'ernst'.
EXAMPLE
Du solltest diesen Ratschlag ernst nehmen.
You should take this advice seriously.
Compare with
ernst vs schwer
heavy / difficult
When talking about illnesses, both schwer and ernst can be appropriate. schwer mainly indicates a high degree of severity, whereas ernst places greater emphasis on the fact that the situation is worrying or may have dangerous consequences. schwer is often appropriate for a medical classification, while ernst is suitable when expressing concern about how the illness may develop.
ernst
Die Lungenentzündung des Patienten ist ernst, weil gefährliche Folgen drohen.
The patient's pneumonia is serious because dangerous complications are possible.
schwer
Der Patient leidet an einer schweren Lungenentzündung.
The patient is suffering from severe pneumonia.
In real life
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