protzig
ostentatious
Noticeably luxurious and showy, with the intention of displaying someone's wealth or importance.
EXAMPLE
Vor dem Haus stand ein protziger Sportwagen.
There was an ostentatious sports car parked in front of the house.
protzig
ostentatious
protzig – protziger – am protzigsten
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry protzig, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Comparison
| basic form | protzig |
|---|---|
| comparative | protziger |
| superlative | am protzigsten |
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 protzig.
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 protzig.
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 protzig.
Usage tips
Typical collocations
'Protzig' (ostentatious) is especially often used to describe visible objects or a showy manner. Typical collocations include 'eine protzige Villa' (an ostentatious villa), 'ein protziges Auto' (an ostentatious car), 'protziger Schmuck' (ostentatious jewelry), and 'protzig auftreten' (to act ostentatiously).
EXAMPLE
Sein protziges Auto passt überhaupt nicht zu seiner bescheidenen Kleidung.
His ostentatious car does not match his modest clothes at all.
Negative connotation
'Protzig' (ostentatious) almost always expresses criticism or mockery. The adjective shows that the speaker sees the luxury as excessive and deliberately intended for self-display.
EXAMPLE
Viele Gäste fanden die protzige Dekoration für eine kleine Familienfeier unangemessen.
Many guests found the ostentatious decorations inappropriate for a small family celebration.
Style and register
The word is expressive and is used mainly in evaluative, often colloquial statements. In news reports or descriptions, it clearly signals the speaker's personal judgment.
EXAMPLE
Die Zeitung kritisierte den protzigen Auftritt des Unternehmers bei der Preisverleihung.
The newspaper criticized the businessman's ostentatious appearance at the awards ceremony.
In real life
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