irrsinnig
insane
Mentally deranged or confused and therefore unable to act reasonably.
EXAMPLE
Der irrsinnige Mann lief mitten in der Nacht barfuß durch die Straße.
The insane man walked barefoot down the street in the middle of the night.
irrsinnig
insane / extreme / absurd
irrsinnig – irrsinniger – am irrsinnigsten
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Meanings
irrsinnig
extreme
Extremely large, strong, or intense; incredible.
EXAMPLE
Bei diesem irrsinnigen Lärm konnte niemand schlafen.
No one could sleep because of the extreme noise.
irrsinnig
absurd
Completely unreasonable, senseless, or illogical.
EXAMPLE
Es wäre irrsinnig, bei diesem Sturm aufs Meer hinauszufahren.
It would be absurd to go out to sea in this storm.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry irrsinnig, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Comparison
| basic form | irrsinnig |
|---|---|
| comparative | irrsinniger |
| superlative | am irrsinnigsten |
After der, die, das
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -e | -e | -e | -en |
| acc. | -en | -e | -e | -en |
| dat. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| gen. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Add the ending to irrsinnig.
After ein, eine
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -er | -e | -es | -en |
| acc. | -en | -e | -es | -en |
| dat. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| gen. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Add the ending to irrsinnig.
Without article
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -er | -e | -es | -e |
| acc. | -en | -e | -es | -e |
| dat. | -em | -er | -em | -en |
| gen. | -en | -er | -en | -er |
Add the ending to irrsinnig.
Usage tips
Word family
'Irrsinnig' belongs to the word family of 'irren' (to be mistaken / to wander) and 'Sinn' (sense). The noun 'Irrsinn' (insanity) was later formed back from 'irrsinnig'.
EXAMPLE
Sein irrsinniges Verhalten beunruhigte die ganze Familie.
His insane behavior worried the whole family.
Context clue
When referring to a person or their behavior, 'irrsinnig' can indicate mental confusion. With noise, prices, ideas, or plans, however, it usually describes extreme intensity or a lack of reason.
EXAMPLE
Der irrsinnige Patient wusste nicht, wo er sich befand.
The insane patient did not know where he was.
Die irrsinnigen Preise machten den Urlaub für viele unerschwinglich.
The exorbitant prices made the vacation unaffordable for many people.
Ihr Plan, ohne Erfahrung allein auf diesen Berg zu steigen, ist irrsinnig.
Her plan to climb this mountain alone without any experience is absurd.
Typical collocations
As an intensifier, 'irrsinnig' often comes before words expressing a strong perception or a large extent. Common examples include 'irrsinniger Lärm' (extreme noise), 'irrsinnige Hitze' (extreme heat), 'irrsinnige Geschwindigkeit' (incredible speed), and 'irrsinnige Preise' (exorbitant prices).
EXAMPLE
Wegen der irrsinnigen Hitze blieben wir den ganzen Nachmittag im Haus.
Because of the extreme heat, we stayed indoors all afternoon.
Evaluating plans
For an unreasonable decision or illogical plan, 'irrsinnig' often comes before words such as 'Idee' (idea), 'Vorschlag' (suggestion), 'Plan' (plan), or 'Entscheidung' (decision). In this usage, the adjective negatively evaluates an action or line of thought.
EXAMPLE
Sein irrsinniger Vorschlag hätte die gesamte Arbeit gefährdet.
His absurd suggestion would have put the entire project at risk.
In real life
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