mickrig
puny
Colloquial and derogatory: small, weak, and poorly developed or grown.
EXAMPLE
In dem kleinen Topf blieb die Pflanze mickrig und hatte nur wenige Blätter.
In the small pot, the plant remained puny and had only a few leaves.
mickrig
puny / paltry
mickrig – mickriger – am mickrigsten
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Meanings
mickrig
paltry
Colloquial and derogatory: disappointingly small and inadequate in quantity, scope, or performance.
EXAMPLE
Für die viele Arbeit bekam sie nur ein mickriges Gehalt.
She received only a paltry salary for all the work.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry mickrig, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Comparison
| basic form | mickrig |
|---|---|
| comparative | mickriger |
| superlative | am mickrigsten |
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 mickrig.
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 mickrig.
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 mickrig.
Usage tips
Context clues
For plants, animals, or people, 'mickrig' (puny) usually refers to physical appearance. For money, portions, or results, however, it evaluates the quantity or performance as disappointing.
EXAMPLE
Der junge Baum ist noch ziemlich mickrig.
The young tree is still quite puny.
Nach zwei Tagen Suche war unsere Ausbeute ziemlich mickrig.
After two days of searching, our haul was pretty paltry.
Describing appearance
To describe outward appearance, 'mickrig' (puny) is often used with 'aussehen' (to look) or 'wirken' (to seem). In this usage, 'mickrig' has no ending after the verb.
EXAMPLE
Neben den kräftigen Sträuchern wirkt die kleine Rose mickrig.
Next to the sturdy shrubs, the small rose looks puny.
Typical collocations
Common collocations include 'eine mickrige Portion' (a paltry portion), 'eine mickrige Ausbeute' (a paltry haul), and 'ein mickriger Rest' (a paltry remainder). 'Nur' (only) can further emphasize the disappointment about the small quantity.
EXAMPLE
Nach der langen Wanderung bekamen wir nur eine mickrige Portion Suppe.
After the long hike, we got only a paltry portion of soup.
In real life
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