01
heil
intact
Not damaged, broken, or injured; unharmed and whole.
example
Trotz des Sturzes ist das Glas heil geblieben.
Despite the fall, the glass remained intact.
heil
intact / safe / healed
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'heil' (intact/safe/healed) is the root of the verb 'heilen' (to heal) and the noun 'die Heilung' (healing, the process of becoming healthy). All these words have to do with wholeness or health.
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt konnte die Krankheit heilen.
The doctor was able to heal the illness.
Sentence structure
'Heil' is usually used predicatively, meaning it appears at the end of a sentence after a verb like 'sein' (to be), 'bleiben' (to remain), or 'ankommen' (to arrive). Using it directly before a noun (attributively) is rare.
EXAMPLE
Die Tasse ist vom Tisch gefallen, aber sie ist heil geblieben.
The cup fell off the table, but it remained intact.
Typical combination
In the meaning 'arrived safely', 'heil' is very often used in the fixed combination 'heil ankommen' (to arrive safely).
EXAMPLE
Ich hoffe, ihr seid alle heil angekommen.
I hope you all arrived safely.
Context clue
You can tell from context whether 'heil' means 'intact' or 'healed'. If it refers to an object (e.g., glass, bicycle), it means 'intact'. If it refers to an injury (e.g., wound, bone), it means 'healed'.
EXAMPLE
Mein Handy ist heruntergefallen, aber das Display ist zum Glück noch heil.
My phone fell down, but luckily the display is still intact.
Fixed expression
The meaning 'harmonious' or 'ideal' occurs almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'heile Welt' (ideal world). This often describes, sometimes ironically, a naive or unrealistically positive state.
EXAMPLE
Viele Kinderfilme zeigen eine heile Welt ohne echte Probleme.
Many children's films show an ideal world without real problems.
Compare with
heil vs ganz
whole / quite
'ganz' and 'heil' can both mean that something is not damaged. With objects, they are sometimes very similar: a glass can still be 'ganz' or still be 'heil' (intact). However, 'heil' also fits well when someone arrives safely and without harm, or when no injury has occurred. In this meaning, 'ganz' is used more with things and in simple everyday sentences. The words can be confusing because 'ganz' also has many other meanings, for example 'complete' or 'very'.
heil
Nach der langen Fahrt sind alle heil zu Hause angekommen.
After the long journey, everyone arrived home safely.
ganz
Ben prüfte die Tasse, und sie war noch ganz.
Ben checked the cup, and it was still intact.
In real life
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