luftig
airy
Filled with plenty of air or designed so that air can pass through easily.
EXAMPLE
Das Zimmer ist hell und luftig.
The room is bright and airy.
luftig
airy
luftig – luftiger – am luftigsten
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Meanings
luftig
spacious
Offering plenty of open space and therefore not seeming cramped or crowded.
EXAMPLE
Die luftige Wohnung hat große Fenster und hohe Decken.
The spacious apartment has large windows and high ceilings.
luftig
light and airy
Loose and light, especially when referring to dough, baked goods, or a dish.
EXAMPLE
Der Kuchen ist wunderbar luftig geworden.
The cake turned out wonderfully light and airy.
luftig
lightweight
Light and not very warm, especially when referring to clothing; not warm enough for cold weather.
EXAMPLE
Für den Winter ist diese luftige Jacke zu dünn.
This lightweight jacket is too thin for winter.
luftig
airy
Not firmly or realistically based, but vague and not very reliable.
EXAMPLE
Seine luftigen Versprechen nimmt inzwischen niemand mehr ernst.
By now, no one takes his airy promises seriously anymore.
luftig
high up
Located or situated at a great height.
EXAMPLE
Die Fensterputzer arbeiten in luftiger Höhe.
The window cleaners are working high up.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry luftig, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Comparison
| basic form | luftig |
|---|---|
| comparative | luftiger |
| superlative | am luftigsten |
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 luftig.
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 luftig.
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 luftig.
Usage tips
Word formation
“Luftig” (airy) consists of the root word “Luft” (air) and the suffix “-ig.” The suffix forms an adjective and describes something that is connected with air or has a particular quality of air.
EXAMPLE
Der luftige Stoff trocknet nach dem Waschen schnell.
The airy fabric dries quickly after washing.
Context clues
The meaning can often be recognized from the noun it describes: With rooms and apartments, it usually refers to open space; with dough and baked goods, to a light, loose consistency; and with promises, to an unreliable statement.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Umbau wirkt das Büro viel luftiger.
After the renovation, the office seems much more spacious.
Die Mousse ist angenehm leicht und luftig.
The mousse is pleasantly light and airy.
Typical collocations
In this meaning, “luftig” (airy) frequently describes rooms and places where air can circulate well. Typical collocations include “ein luftiger Raum” (an airy room), “ein kühler, luftiger Ort” (a cool, airy place), and “etwas luftig lagern” (to store something in a well-ventilated place).
EXAMPLE
Kartoffeln sollte man kühl, dunkel und luftig lagern.
Potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place.
Sense of space
When describing rooms, “luftig” (spacious) often refers to a pleasant sense of space created by large windows, high ceilings, or little furniture. Common collocations include “luftige Wohnung” (spacious apartment), “luftiges Zimmer” (airy room), and “luftige Räume” (spacious rooms).
EXAMPLE
Durch die hohen Decken wirkt das kleine Atelier erstaunlich luftig.
The small studio seems surprisingly spacious because of its high ceilings.
Baked goods and dough
When describing food, “luftig” (light and airy) is especially often used with dough, cake, bread, and mousse. The word describes a loose texture with many small air pockets.
EXAMPLE
Der Biskuitteig muss luftig sein, damit die Torte gelingt.
The sponge cake batter needs to be light and airy for the cake to turn out well.
Clothing and weather
When describing clothing, “luftig” (lightweight) often refers to light materials that are comfortable in warm weather. Typical collocations include “luftiges Kleid” (lightweight dress), “luftige Hose” (lightweight trousers), and “luftige Bluse” (lightweight blouse).
EXAMPLE
Für den Urlaub im Süden habe ich ein luftiges Kleid eingepackt.
I packed a lightweight dress for my vacation in the south.
Figurative use
In figurative use, “luftig” (airy) is often used with promises, plans, or hopes. It then signals that something seems vague or unreliable.
EXAMPLE
Seine luftigen Pläne für ein weltweites Unternehmen überzeugten die Investoren nicht.
His airy plans for a global company failed to convince the investors.
In real life
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