reckless / careless
Loading your saved state.
reckless
Thoughtless and without considering possible negative consequences; irresponsible or careless.
Es war leichtfertig von ihm, sein ganzes Geld auf ein einziges Pferd zu setzen.
It was reckless of him to bet all his money on a single horse.
The word is made up of 'leicht' (light/easy) and 'fertig' (finished/ready). It describes an action that one does too 'leicht' and gets 'fertig' too quickly with, meaning without thinking carefully about the consequences.
Er hat leichtfertig ein Versprechen gegeben, das er nicht halten kann.
He recklessly made a promise that he cannot keep.
'Leichtfertig' (reckless/careless) can describe a verb as an adverb or stand before a noun as an adjective. It is also often used in the construction 'Es ist leichtfertig, ... zu ...' (It is reckless to ...).
Sie hat ihr Geld leichtfertig ausgegeben.
She spent her money recklessly.
The word often describes actions or statements with potentially negative consequences. Typical combinations are 'leichtfertig handeln' (to act recklessly), 'eine leichtfertige Aussage treffen' (to make a reckless statement), or 'leichtfertig mit etwas umgehen' (to handle something carelessly).
Man sollte nicht leichtfertig mit den Gefühlen anderer Menschen umgehen.
One should not handle other people's feelings carelessly.
mechanical
Mechanisch and leichtfertig can describe an action carried out without conscious thought. Mechanisch emphasizes a rigid, practiced sequence, while leichtfertig emphasizes a lack of caution and potentially irresponsible behavior. Mechanisch is a good fit for a routine reaction; when someone fails to consider the consequences, leichtfertig is more appropriate.
Er gab die vertrauliche Information leichtfertig an einen Fremden weiter.
He recklessly passed the confidential information on to a stranger.
Nach vielen Jahren öffnete sie die Tür mechanisch, ohne darüber nachzudenken.
After so many years, she opened the door mechanically, without thinking about it.
