mysterious
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mysterious
Incomprehensible, puzzling, or mysterious. Used to express that you cannot understand or explain something.
Es ist mir schleierhaft, wie er die Prüfung ohne zu lernen bestehen konnte.
It's a mystery to me how he was able to pass the exam without studying.
The adjective 'schleierhaft' (mysterious) is related to the noun 'der Schleier' (the veil). A veil covers something and makes it hard to recognize. In the same way, something that is 'schleierhaft' is unclear and mysterious.
Ihre plötzliche Abreise bleibt schleierhaft.
Her sudden departure remains mysterious.
'Schleierhaft' (mysterious) is very often used in the fixed expression 'Es ist mir/dir/ihm schleierhaft, ...' (It's a mystery to me/you/him...). The person who does not understand something is in the dative. This is followed by a subordinate clause with 'wie' (how), 'warum' (why), or 'dass' (that).
Es ist mir schleierhaft, warum er den Job gekündigt hat.
It's a mystery to me why he quit the job.
This word belongs more to elevated colloquial language or written language. It expresses strong incomprehension or astonishment and sounds more expressive than a simple 'Ich verstehe es nicht' (I don't understand it).
Die Motive des Täters sind der Polizei noch immer schleierhaft.
The perpetrator's motives are still mysterious to the police.
clear
'klar' and 'schleierhaft' are opposites when it comes to understanding. Something is 'klar' when you understand it well and have no doubts. Something is 'schleierhaft' when it remains puzzling and you cannot explain it. Use 'klar' for understandable reasons, rules, or decisions. 'schleierhaft' is often used when you want to express: I do not understand why or how something happened.
Mir ist schleierhaft, warum Paula plötzlich gegangen ist.
It is a mystery to me why Paula suddenly left.
Herr Schmidt sagt klar, warum der Termin verschoben wird.
Mr. Schmidt clearly says why the appointment is being postponed.