rundum
completely
Completely, entirely, in every respect.
EXAMPLE
Es war ein rundum gelungener Abend.
It was a completely successful evening.
rundum
completely / all around
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Meanings
rundum
all around
Spatially in a circle; on all sides around something.
EXAMPLE
Das Haus ist rundum von einem hohen Zaun umgeben.
The house is surrounded on all sides by a high fence.
Usage tips
Word composition
'Rundum' is made up of the words 'rund' (round) and 'um' (around). This origin explains both the spatial meaning ('ringsherum', all around) and the figurative meaning ('vollständig', completely; 'in jeder Hinsicht', in every respect).
EXAMPLE
Wir haben das Haus rundum renoviert.
We renovated the house completely.
Context clue
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If 'rundum' refers to an evaluation or a feeling, e.g. 'zufrieden' (satisfied) or 'gelungen' (successful), it means 'completely'. If it refers to a place, e.g. 'Haus' (house) or 'Garten' (garden), it means 'ringsherum' (all around).
EXAMPLE
Ich bin mit dem Ergebnis rundum zufrieden.
I am completely satisfied with the result.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'vollständig' (completely), 'rundum' often stands before positive adjectives or participles. Typical combinations are 'rundum zufrieden' (completely satisfied), 'rundum glücklich' (completely happy), or 'ein rundum gelungenes Fest' (a completely successful celebration).
EXAMPLE
Dank der guten Organisation war es ein rundum gelungenes Event.
Thanks to the good organization, it was a completely successful event.
Spatial description
In the spatial meaning, 'rundum' describes what surrounds something on all sides. It can stand alone or reinforce a preposition such as 'um' (around).
EXAMPLE
Von dem Turm aus hat man einen tollen Blick rundum.
From the tower, you have a great view all around.
Compare with
rundum vs ganz
whole / quite
Ganz and rundum can both strengthen a positive statement. Ganz mainly emphasizes the complete or very high degree, while rundum highlights that something applies in every respect. For complete satisfaction, ganz is neutral, while rundum additionally emphasizes that every aspect is right.
rundum
Nach dem Gespräch war ich rundum zufrieden.
After the conversation, I was completely satisfied in every respect.
ganz
Nach dem Gespräch war ich ganz zufrieden.
After the conversation, I was completely satisfied.
In real life
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