stuffy
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stuffy
A derogatory description for someone or something perceived as narrow-minded, overly conventional, and concerned with middle-class order and respectability. The behavior or taste is seen as petty-bourgeois and unimaginative.
Er findet es total spießig, dass seine Nachbarn sich über ungemähten Rasen aufregen.
He thinks it's totally stuffy that his neighbors get upset about unmowed lawns.
The adjective 'spießig' (stuffy) belongs to the word family of 'der Spießer' or 'der Spießbürger' (a stuffy bourgeois person). This is a derogatory term for a narrow-minded, overly conformist person.
Er gilt in seinem Freundeskreis als totaler Spießer.
Among his friends, he is considered a total square.
'Spießig' (stuffy) is always a negative judgment and is used colloquially. It expresses that you reject a behavior, taste, or opinion as unimaginative and overly conventional.
Ihre Wohnung ist sehr ordentlich, aber irgendwie auch ein bisschen spießig eingerichtet.
Her apartment is very tidy, but somehow also decorated in a slightly stuffy way.
You can describe people, things, or behaviors as 'spießig' (stuffy). A very common construction is also 'etwas spießig finden' (to find something stuffy) to express your personal opinion.
Ich finde es spießig, jeden Samstag das Auto zu waschen.
I think it's stuffy to wash the car every Saturday.
conservative
'konservativ' and 'spießig' can both have to do with traditional ideas and a very orderly lifestyle. The most important difference is the tone. 'konservativ' can be neutral and describe a political stance, values, or a classic style. 'spießig' is clearly derogatory. It is used to criticize someone or something as narrow, unimaginative, or too concerned with rules and respectability. Learners may confuse the words because both can stand in contrast to very modern or free lifestyles. But 'spießig' is more of a judgment, while 'konservativ' is more of a description.
Tom findet es spießig, dass auf der Feier alle um zehn Uhr still nach Hause gehen sollen.
Tom thinks it is stuffy that everyone at the party is supposed to quietly go home at ten o'clock.
Meine Eltern sind in vielen Fragen konservativ, aber sie hören sich andere Meinungen an.
My parents are conservative on many issues, but they listen to other opinions.