stark
strong
Has a lot of physical strength.
EXAMPLE
Er ist stark genug, um die schwere Kiste allein zu tragen.
He is strong enough to carry the heavy box by himself.
stark
strong
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Meanings
stark
strong / intense
Of great intensity or strongly pronounced.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe starke Kopfschmerzen.
I have a strong headache.
stark
strong
Mentally or emotionally resilient and able to cope with pressure.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat eine starke Persönlichkeit und lässt sich nicht unterkriegen.
She has a strong personality and doesn't let herself get beaten down.
stark
strong
Contains a high proportion of a particular substance, e.g. in drinks or solutions.
EXAMPLE
Am Morgen trinke ich gerne einen starken Kaffee.
In the morning, I like to drink strong coffee.
stark
awesome
Colloquial for great, impressive, or awesome.
EXAMPLE
Stark, dass du das geschafft hast!
Awesome that you managed to do that!
stark
strong
In grammar, the term for verbs that change their stem vowel in the simple past or past participle (irregular verbs).
EXAMPLE
Das Verb „singen“ ist ein starkes Verb, weil es zu „sang“ und „gesungen“ wird.
The verb 'singen' (to sing) is a strong verb because it becomes 'sang' and 'gesungen'.
Usage tips
Use as an adverb
'Stark' (strong) can be used like an adverb to intensify a verb or another adjective. It then means 'very' or 'intensely'.
EXAMPLE
Es hat die ganze Nacht stark geregnet.
It rained heavily all night.
Word family
The adjective 'stark' (strong) belongs to a word family with the noun 'die Stärke' (strength) and the verb 'stärken' (to strengthen, to make something strong). This connection helps with understanding and usage.
EXAMPLE
Regelmäßiger Sport stärkt das Immunsystem.
Regular exercise strengthens the immune system.
Typical collocations
To express intensity, 'stark' (strong) is often combined with natural phenomena, feelings, or sensory impressions. Common examples are 'starker Wind' (strong wind), 'starker Verkehr' (heavy traffic), 'starke Schmerzen' (severe pain), or 'ein starker Geruch' (a strong smell).
EXAMPLE
Wegen des starken Nebels konnte man kaum etwas sehen.
Because of the thick fog, you could hardly see anything.
Drinks and substances
In connection with drinks, foods, or medications, 'stark' (strong) means that something has a high concentration of a particular ingredient. Typical examples are strong coffee, strong tea, or heavily spiced food.
EXAMPLE
Dieser Kaffee ist sehr stark, ich kann danach nicht schlafen.
This coffee is very strong; I can't sleep after drinking it.
Colloquial exclamation
In colloquial language, 'Stark!' can be used as a single word or short sentence to express admiration or approval. It then means something like 'Great!' or 'Impressive!'.
EXAMPLE
Du hast den Marathon geschafft? Stark!
You finished the marathon? Awesome!
Grammatical term
The meaning 'starkes Verb' (strong verb) is a technical term from grammar. You will encounter this word in textbooks or German class when it comes to the conjugation of irregular verbs.
EXAMPLE
In der Liste musst du alle starken Verben markieren.
In the list, you have to mark all the strong verbs.
Compare with
hochdichtheftigkrassintensivmassivkräftigmächtigausgeprägtsteifunregelmäßigrobustkraftvollkonzentriertbelastbar
stark vs hoch
high
Hoch and stark can both express a large degree, but they are used with different words. Hoch typically goes with measurable values or levels, such as load and temperature. Stark often describes the intensity of an effect or phenomenon, such as rain, wind, or a smell.
stark
Während des Unwetters ist der Regen auf dem Dach sehr stark.
During the storm, the rain on the roof is very heavy.
hoch
Während des Unwetters ist die Belastung des Dachs sehr hoch.
During the storm, the load on the roof is very high.
In real life
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