römisch
Roman
Relating to ancient Rome, its inhabitants, or its empire.
EXAMPLE
Die römischen Ziffern werden heute nur noch selten verwendet.
Roman numerals are used only rarely today.
römisch
Roman
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Meanings
römisch
Roman
Relating to the present-day city of Rome in Italy.
EXAMPLE
Der römische Stadtverkehr ist für sein Chaos bekannt.
Roman city traffic is known for its chaos.
römisch
Roman
Relating to the Roman Catholic Church.
EXAMPLE
Der Papst ist das Oberhaupt der römisch-katholischen Kirche.
The pope is the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
Usage tips
Context clues
The meaning of 'römisch' (Roman) becomes clear from context. Words like 'Reich' (empire) or 'Legionär' (legionary) point to antiquity, 'Verkehr' (traffic) or 'Restaurant' (restaurant) to the modern city, and 'Kirche' (church) or 'katholisch' (Catholic) to religion.
EXAMPLE
Die römischen Aquädukte sind beeindruckende Bauwerke.
The Roman aqueducts are impressive structures.
Word formation
The adjective 'römisch' (Roman) is derived from the city name 'Rom' (Rome) with the ending '-isch' (-ic/-ish). This ending is often used to form adjectives from geographical names.
EXAMPLE
Die römische Kunst hat viele spätere Epochen beeinflusst.
Roman art influenced many later eras.
Typical collocations
When referring to ancient Rome, 'römisch' (Roman) often appears in fixed combinations such as 'das Römische Reich' (the Roman Empire), 'römische Götter' (Roman gods), or 'römisches Recht' (Roman law).
EXAMPLE
In der Schule lernen wir viel über das Römische Reich.
At school, we learn a lot about the Roman Empire.
Fixed combination
In a religious context, the combination 'römisch-katholisch' (Roman Catholic) is a fixed unit. It is treated like a single adjective and describes the largest denomination of Christianity.
EXAMPLE
In Bayern sind viele Menschen römisch-katholisch.
In Bavaria, many people are Roman Catholic.
Compare with
römisch vs lateinisch
Latin
Römisch and lateinisch can both refer to the world of ancient Rome. Römisch emphasizes the connection to Rome, its inhabitants, or its empire. Lateinisch is used when the culture of the ancient Romans is the focus.
römisch
Die römische Verwaltung organisierte das große Reich.
The Roman administration organized the vast empire.
lateinisch
Die lateinische Dichtung war ein wichtiger Teil dieser Kultur.
Latin poetry was an important part of this culture.
In real life
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