spiritual
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spiritual
Related to the spirit, soul, or inner life of a person, often in contrast to the material. It can refer to religion, philosophy, or personal reflection.
Nach dem stressigen Jahr suchte sie nach einer spirituellen Erfahrung in einem Kloster.
After the stressful year, she sought a spiritual experience in a monastery.
The word 'spirituell' (spiritual) derives from the Latin 'spiritus', meaning 'spirit' or 'breath'. This origin helps you understand the core meaning, which always relates to the mental, spiritual, or emotional inner life.
Yoga ist für viele Menschen eine spirituelle Praxis.
Yoga is a spiritual practice for many people.
In its main meaning, 'spirituell' (spiritual) is often combined with abstract nouns. Typical phrases are 'eine spirituelle Suche' (a spiritual search), 'eine spirituelle Erfahrung' (a spiritual experience), or 'ein spiritueller Weg' (a spiritual path).
Er befindet sich auf einer spirituellen Reise, um sich selbst zu finden.
He is on a spiritual journey to find himself.
You can recognize the rarer meaning 'kirchlich' (church-related/ecclesiastical) from the context. It often appears in formal texts about religion or history, frequently as a contrast to 'weltlich' (secular).
Im Mittelalter war die spirituelle Autorität der Kirche unangefochten.
In the Middle Ages, the spiritual authority of the Church was uncontested.
religious
'religiös' and 'spirituell' can both have to do with faith, the search for meaning, and a person's inner life. 'religiös' is more suitable when it is about a religion, God, prayers, church services, or religious rules. 'spirituell' is broader and more personal: it can be about the soul, calm, meditation, or an inner search, even without a fixed religion. Learners confuse the words because religious people are often spiritual too. But not every spiritual person belongs to a religion. In practical terms: 'religiös' sounds more strongly connected to religion, while 'spirituell' sounds more strongly connected to personal inner experience.
Nach dem Yoga fühlt sich Anna ruhig und spricht oft über spirituelle Erfahrungen.
After yoga, Anna feels calm and often talks about spiritual experiences.
Sarah besucht regelmäßig den Gottesdienst, weil sie religiös ist.
Sarah regularly attends church services because she is religious.