01
die Persönlichkeit
personality
The totality of the individual traits that make up a person's character.
example
Er hat eine freundliche und offene Persönlichkeit.
He has a friendly and open personality.
die Persönlichkeit
personality
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The word 'Persönlichkeit' (personality) belongs to the word family of 'Person' (person). The adjective 'persönlich' (personal) describes what belongs to a person, and the ending '-keit' turns it into a noun that refers to the totality of these traits.
EXAMPLE
Jeder Mensch hat eine einzigartige Persönlichkeit.
Every person has a unique personality.
Typical collocations
To describe a person's character, 'Persönlichkeit' (personality) is often used with the verb 'haben' (to have) and descriptive adjectives. Typical examples are 'eine starke Persönlichkeit haben' (to have a strong personality) or 'eine angenehme Persönlichkeit haben' (to have a pleasant personality).
EXAMPLE
Sie hat eine sehr gewinnende Persönlichkeit und kann gut mit Menschen umgehen.
She has a very winning personality and is good with people.
Context clue: famous person
When 'Persönlichkeit' (public figure) means a famous person, it often appears in the plural or is accompanied by adjectives like 'bekannt' (well-known), 'öffentlich' (public), or 'prominent' (prominent). The context is usually culture, politics, or media.
EXAMPLE
Bei der Preisverleihung waren viele bekannte Persönlichkeiten anwesend.
Many well-known public figures were present at the awards ceremony.
Legal terminology
The meaning as a bearer of rights and duties is almost exclusively technical language from the field of law or business. You can recognize it by the fixed combination 'juristische Persönlichkeit' (legal personality).
EXAMPLE
Ein Verein kann als juristische Persönlichkeit eingetragen werden.
An association can be registered as a legal personality.
Compare with
Persönlichkeit vs Mensch
human / person
'der Mensch' and 'die Persönlichkeit' can both have to do with a person's character. When you say 'ein netter Mensch' (a nice person), you are evaluating the person as a whole. 'Persönlichkeit' is more about the traits that make someone special, for example calm, open, or strong. You can also say 'eine bekannte Persönlichkeit' (a well-known public figure), meaning a famous person. The words can be confused because both talk about people. In everyday language, you are more likely to use 'Mensch' for an ordinary person. For character traits or a public figure, 'Persönlichkeit' is more precise.
Persönlichkeit
Luisa hat eine offene Persönlichkeit und findet schnell neue Freunde.
Luisa has an open personality and quickly makes new friends.
Mensch
Der Arzt in unserer Nachbarschaft ist ein ruhiger und freundlicher Mensch.
The doctor in our neighborhood is a calm and friendly person.
In real life
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