madness / insanity
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madness
Colloquial term for something that is completely unreasonable, absurd, or extremely labor-intensive. It describes an action or situation perceived as crazy.
Es ist der reine Irrsinn, für ein Konzertticket so viel Geld auszugeben!
It's sheer madness to spend that much money on a concert ticket!
insanity
A state of severe mental confusion or mental illness; madness. This meaning is now rather outdated or used in a literary context.
Die ständige Isolation trieb den Gefangenen langsam in den Irrsinn.
The constant isolation slowly drove the prisoner into insanity.
The word is made up of 'irr-' (from 'irren', to be mistaken) and 'Sinn' (mind/reason). So it literally describes a state in which the mind or reason 'goes astray.'
Seine Idee, ohne Training einen Marathon zu laufen, war purer Irrsinn.
His idea of running a marathon without training was pure madness.
This meaning is very common in everyday speech and is often used as an exclamation to express surprise or disbelief about something extreme or unreasonable.
Du hast die ganze Nacht durchgearbeitet? Das ist ja der reinste Irrsinn!
You worked through the whole night? That's absolute madness!
In compound words, 'Irrsinn' can be used as the first part to intensify something. 'Irrsinns-' then means something like 'extreme' or 'incredible.'
Das Auto fuhr mit einer Irrsinnsgeschwindigkeit an uns vorbei.
The car drove past us at an insane speed.
The meaning 'mental illness' is outdated today and is used almost only in literature or historical contexts. A fixed expression for this is 'jemanden in den Irrsinn treiben' (to drive someone insane).
Die ständige Folter sollte den Gefangenen in den Irrsinn treiben.
The constant torture was meant to drive the prisoner insane.
madness / amazing
Wahnsinn and Irrsinn can both be used to judge something as extreme or crazy. Wahnsinn can also express enthusiasm or great amazement. Irrsinn, on the other hand, sounds disapproving and emphasizes that something is unreasonable or absurd.
Die hohen Kosten für dieses Konzert sind doch Irrsinn!
The high cost of this concert is madness!
Die Stimmung bei diesem Konzert war der Wahnsinn!
The atmosphere at this concert was amazing!
