schwindelig
dizzy
Having the feeling that everything is spinning and that you might lose your balance; affected by dizziness.
EXAMPLE
Nach der Karussellfahrt war mir total schwindelig.
After the carousel ride, I was totally dizzy.
schwindelig
dizzy
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Meanings
schwindelig
dizzying
Figuratively: so fast, high, or complex that it causes a feeling of dizziness or confusion. Synonymous with 'schwindelerregend' (dizzying).
EXAMPLE
Die Tänzerin drehte sich in einem schwindeligen Tempo um die eigene Achse.
The dancer spun around her own axis at a dizzying speed.
schwindelig
crazy
Colloquial for crazy, rash, or not in one's right mind. Often used as a rhetorical question.
EXAMPLE
Du willst dein ganzes Erspartes für dieses Auto ausgeben? Bist du schwindelig?
You want to spend all your savings on this car? Are you crazy?
Usage tips
Common mistake: dative construction
To express the feeling of dizziness, German uses a dative construction with 'sein' (to be). The person is in the dative. Say 'Mir ist schwindelig' (I feel dizzy), not 'Ich bin schwindelig'.
EXAMPLE
Mir wird immer schwindelig, wenn ich schnell aufstehe.
I always get dizzy when I stand up quickly.
Word family
The adjective 'schwindelig' (dizzy) is derived directly from the noun 'der Schwindel' (dizziness). If you know the noun, you can easily work out the meaning of the adjective.
EXAMPLE
Der Schwindel war so stark, dass ich mich hinsetzen musste.
The dizziness was so strong that I had to sit down.
Sentence structure and meaning
The grammatical structure reveals the meaning. 'Mir ist schwindelig' (I feel dizzy) describes a physical sensation. 'Ein schwindeliges Tempo' (a dizzying speed) describes a quality of something. 'Bist du schwindelig?' is a colloquial question that means 'Are you crazy?'
EXAMPLE
Nach der langen Fahrt war mir etwas schwindelig.
After the long ride, I was a little dizzy.
Register: colloquial
The meaning 'verrückt' (crazy) or 'unüberlegt' (rash) is colloquial. It is almost always used in an incredulous or rhetorical question to criticize another person's behavior.
EXAMPLE
Du willst bei diesem Sturm nach draußen gehen? Bist du eigentlich schwindelig?
You want to go outside in this storm? Are you actually crazy?
Compare with
schwindelig vs verrückt
crazy
Both words can be used in a rhetorical question to judge an obviously unreasonable action. “Verrückt” is generally understood, while “schwindelig” in this figurative use is colloquial and regionally marked. For a statement that is clear across regions, “verrückt” is more suitable; “schwindelig” fits especially well in casual everyday speech.
schwindelig
Bist du schwindelig, bei diesem Sturm mit dem kleinen Boot hinauszufahren?
Are you out of your mind, going out in a small boat in this storm?
verrückt
Bist du verrückt, bei diesem Sturm mit dem kleinen Boot hinauszufahren?
Are you crazy, going out in a small boat in this storm?
In real life
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