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imposant
impressive
Making a grand and impressive impression, often because of size, appearance, power, or achievement.
example
Die Kathedrale war ein wirklich imposantes Bauwerk.
The cathedral was a truly impressive structure.
imposant
impressive
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'imposant' (impressive) belongs to the same word family as the verb 'imponieren' (to impress). If something 'imponiert' (impresses you), then you find it 'imposant' (impressive). Note the different sentence structure: something is 'imposant' (impressive), but something 'imponiert jemandem' (impresses someone; dative).
EXAMPLE
Die riesige Brücke ist wirklich imposant.
The huge bridge is truly impressive.
Typical collocations
'Imposant' (impressive) is often used to describe large or striking things. Typical nouns include buildings, natural phenomena, or even abstract achievements.
EXAMPLE
Vom Gipfel aus hatten wir eine imposante Aussicht auf die Berge.
From the summit, we had an impressive view of the mountains.
Register and style
The word 'imposant' (impressive) belongs to an elevated style of language. It is often found in travel guides, art reviews, or written language to express admiration.
EXAMPLE
Die Ausstellung zeigte eine imposante Sammlung moderner Kunst.
The exhibition showed an impressive collection of modern art.
Compare with
imposant vs mächtig
powerful / mighty
'mächtig' and 'imposant' can both describe something large or impressive. 'mächtig' emphasizes size, strength, or power more. For example, you can speak of 'ein mächtiger Sturm' (a mighty storm) or 'ein mächtiger Baum' (a mighty tree). 'imposant' puts more emphasis on the impression something makes on the viewer: something looks impressive or has a very striking effect. The words can be confused because large things often also appear 'imposant'. When power or size is important, 'mächtig' fits better. When the strong impression on people is important, 'imposant' sounds more natural.
imposant
Vom Platz aus sah die alte Kirche besonders imposant aus.
From the square, the old church looked especially impressive.
mächtig
Am Abend zog ein mächtiger Sturm über die Stadt.
In the evening, a mighty storm swept over the city.
In real life
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