01
freundlich
friendly
Showing pleasant, courteous, and kind behavior toward other people.
example
Der neue Kollege ist sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit.
The new colleague is very friendly and helpful.
freundlich
friendly
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word formation
The adjective 'freundlich' (friendly) is made up of the noun 'Freund' (friend) and the ending '-lich' (-ly/-like). So it literally means 'like a friend' or 'in the manner of a friend'.
EXAMPLE
Er hat eine sehr freundliche Art, mit Menschen zu sprechen.
He has a very friendly way of speaking with people.
Use with a preposition
To express who the friendly behavior is directed toward, the preposition 'zu' with the dative is often used. The structure is: 'freundlich zu jemandem sein' (to be friendly to someone).
EXAMPLE
Die Lehrerin ist immer freundlich zu den Schülern.
The teacher is always friendly to the students.
Context clue
When 'freundlich' (friendly) describes a person, it refers to their character. If it describes a place, objects, or the weather, however, it means 'pleasant', 'bright', or 'inviting'.
EXAMPLE
Das Zimmer wirkt durch die hellen Farben sehr freundlich.
The room feels very bright and inviting because of the light colors.
Fixed closing phrase
The phrase 'Mit freundlichen Grüßen' (Kind regards) is the standard closing phrase at the end of formal letters and emails. In quick digital communication, it is sometimes abbreviated as 'MfG'.
EXAMPLE
Vielen Dank für Ihre schnelle Antwort. Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Anna Schmidt.
Thank you for your quick reply. Kind regards, Anna Schmidt.
Compare with
freundlich vs gut
good
'gut' and 'freundlich' can both describe positive behavior toward other people. 'gut' is broader: a good person acts decently, helpfully, or morally right. 'freundlich' describes more specifically the way someone speaks to or deals with others: nice, polite, and pleasant. If someone is friendly, you often notice it directly in contact with them. If someone is good, it can also be about their values or their actions.
freundlich
Beim Termin war der Mitarbeiter freundlich und hat alles ruhig erklärt.
At the appointment, the employee was friendly and explained everything calmly.
gut
Es war gut von dir, der Nachbarin beim Tragen zu helfen.
It was good of you to help the neighbor carry her things.
In real life
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