01
feindselig
hostile
Showing an attitude or behavior marked by rejection, hatred, or aggression, as toward an enemy.
example
Er warf mir einen feindseligen Blick zu und sagte kein Wort.
He gave me a hostile look and did not say a word.
feindselig
hostile
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is made up of 'Feind' (enemy) and the ending '-selig'. It describes an attitude or feeling that corresponds to the soul or nature of an enemy.
EXAMPLE
Sein Verhalten uns gegenüber war offen feindselig.
His behavior toward us was openly hostile.
Use with 'gegenüber'
To express whom the hostile attitude is directed toward, the preposition 'gegenüber' is often used with the dative. The person or group then comes before 'gegenüber'.
EXAMPLE
Die Mannschaft war dem Schiedsrichter gegenüber sehr feindselig eingestellt.
The team was very hostile toward the referee.
Typical collocations
'Feindselig' (hostile) is often used to describe nonverbal signals or general moods. Typical combinations are 'eine feindselige Haltung' (a hostile attitude), 'ein feindseliger Blick' (a hostile look), or 'eine feindselige Atmosphäre' (a hostile atmosphere).
EXAMPLE
Im Raum herrschte eine feindselige Stille.
There was a hostile silence in the room.
Compare with
feindselig vs freundlich
friendly
'freundlich' and 'feindselig' are clear opposites. 'freundlich' describes nice, polite, and pleasant behavior. 'feindselig' describes an attitude with strong rejection or aggression, almost as if the other person were an enemy. 'freundlich' fits normal interactions when someone is open and helpful. 'feindselig' is much stronger than simply unfriendly and is used when someone is clearly opposed to a person or group.
feindselig
Die Stimmung in der Gruppe ist heute feindselig.
The mood in the group is hostile today.
freundlich
Beim Termin erklärt Nina freundlich, welche Unterlagen noch fehlen.
At the appointment, Nina kindly explains which documents are still missing.
In real life
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