saftig
juicy
Containing a lot of liquid or juice, making something fresh and not dry. Often used for fruit, meat, or cake.
EXAMPLE
Der Pfirsich war unglaublich süß und saftig.
The peach was incredibly sweet and juicy.
saftig
juicy / hefty / racy
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Meanings
saftig
hefty
Colloquial for very high, drastic, or excessive, usually in a negative sense. Often refers to prices, penalties, or bills.
EXAMPLE
Für das Falschparken habe ich eine saftige Strafe bekommen.
I got a hefty fine for parking illegally.
saftig
racy
Colloquial for very vivid, crude, or expressive. Refers to language, a joke, or a story.
EXAMPLE
Er erzählte einen ziemlich saftigen Witz, über den nicht jeder lachen konnte.
He told a pretty racy joke that not everyone could laugh at.
Usage tips
Word formation
The adjective 'saftig' (juicy) is derived directly from the noun 'der Saft' (juice). The ending '-ig' means 'full of' or 'rich in'. Literally, 'saftig' therefore means 'full of juice'.
EXAMPLE
Diese Orange ist besonders saftig.
This orange is especially juicy.
Context clues
The meaning of 'saftig' depends strongly on the context. In connection with food, it means 'moist and fresh'. In connection with money or penalties, it means 'very high'. With language or jokes, it means 'crude' or 'expressive'.
EXAMPLE
Der Braten war zart und saftig.
The roast was tender and juicy.
Typical collocations
In its literal meaning, 'saftig' (juicy) is often used to describe fruit, meat, or cake. Typical combinations are 'ein saftiger Apfel' (a juicy apple), 'ein saftiges Steak' (a juicy steak), or 'ein saftiger Schokoladenkuchen' (a moist chocolate cake).
EXAMPLE
Ich esse am liebsten ein saftiges Stück Fleisch.
My favorite thing to eat is a juicy piece of meat.
Colloquial usage
In colloquial language, 'saftig' (hefty) often describes something negative that is unpleasantly high. Typical collocations are 'eine saftige Strafe' (a hefty penalty), 'ein saftiger Preis' (a hefty price), or 'eine saftige Rechnung' (a hefty bill).
EXAMPLE
Für 10 km/h zu schnell habe ich ein saftiges Bußgeld bekommen.
I got a hefty fine for driving 10 km/h too fast.
Compare with
saftig vs feucht
damp / humid
For a cake, feucht initially only describes the fact that it is somewhat wet, so it can point to an undesirable result. Saftig, on the other hand, usually evaluates the moisture positively: the cake is fresh and not dry.
saftig
Nach der richtigen Backzeit war der Kuchen innen angenehm saftig.
After being baked for the right amount of time, the cake was pleasantly moist inside.
feucht
Nach der zu kurzen Backzeit war der Kuchen innen noch feucht.
Because it was not baked long enough, the cake was still damp inside.
In real life
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