serious
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serious
Of great importance and involving serious, far-reaching consequences or effects. Refers to abstract things such as mistakes, reasons, or problems.
Das Gericht sah die Tat als schwerwiegenden Eingriff in die Privatsphäre an.
The court viewed the act as a serious invasion of privacy.
The adjective is made up of 'schwer' (heavy/serious) and 'wiegend' (from the verb 'wiegen' (to weigh)). Figuratively, it describes something that 'weighs heavily' and therefore has great importance or serious consequences.
Seine Entscheidung hatte schwerwiegende Folgen für die ganze Firma.
His decision had serious consequences for the whole company.
'Schwerwiegend' (serious) is almost always used with abstract nouns that describe something serious. Typical combinations are 'schwerwiegende Fehler' (serious mistakes), 'Gründe' (reasons), 'Folgen' (consequences), 'Bedenken' (concerns), or 'Probleme' (problems).
Die Ermittler haben schwerwiegende Beweise gegen den Verdächtigen gefunden.
The investigators found serious evidence against the suspect.
This adjective belongs more to written language and formal usage. It is often found in the news, official reports, or legal texts.
Der Bericht nennt mehrere schwerwiegende Mängel bei der Konstruktion.
The report lists several serious defects in the construction.
heavy / difficult
'schwer' and 'schwerwiegend' can both mean that something is serious. However, 'schwer' is much broader: it can also refer to heavy weight, a difficult task, or a serious illness. 'schwerwiegend' is used almost only for abstract things such as mistakes, problems, reasons, or consequences. It emphasizes that something is serious and has important effects. Learners may confuse the words because both can fit when talking about problems. As a simple guide: for weight or ordinary difficulties, use 'schwer'. For serious consequences, 'schwerwiegend' is more precise.
Ein schwerwiegender Fehler in der Planung kann das ganze Projekt gefährden.
A serious mistake in the planning can endanger the entire project.
Die Entscheidung ist schwer, weil beide Möglichkeiten Nachteile haben.
During the break, she realized that the decision was difficult.