tempting
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tempting
So attractive, appealing, or desirable that it is hard to resist; presenting a strong temptation.
Das Angebot, für ein Jahr im Ausland zu arbeiten, klang sehr verlockend.
The offer to work abroad for a year sounded very tempting.
'Verlockend' (tempting) is the present participle of the verb 'verlocken' (to tempt / entice). The verb 'locken' means to attract or lure someone, and the prefix 'ver-' strengthens this idea. So something that is 'verlockend' has the quality of strongly attracting someone.
Die Idee, einfach alles stehen und liegen zu lassen, ist manchmal sehr verlockend.
The idea of simply dropping everything is sometimes very tempting.
The adjective is often used to describe offers, ideas, or possibilities. Common combinations are 'ein verlockendes Angebot' (a tempting offer), 'eine verlockende Aussicht' (a tempting prospect), or 'ein verlockender Gedanke' (a tempting thought).
Er machte mir ein verlockendes Angebot für sein altes Auto.
He made me a tempting offer for his old car.
'Verlockend' (tempting) is often combined with verbs of perception or appearance such as 'klingen' (to sound), 'aussehen' (to look), or 'wirken' (to seem / appear). This construction describes the impression something makes.
Ein Sabbatical zu nehmen, klingt wirklich verlockend.
Taking a sabbatical sounds really tempting.
attractive
'attraktiv' and 'verlockend' can both describe something as interesting or desirable. 'attraktiv' is more general: an offer, a price, or a job can be 'attraktiv' because it has good advantages. 'verlockend' is stronger and more personal. It sounds as if you really want it and almost have to resist. Learners may confuse the words because both sound positive. The difference is: 'attraktiv' describes an advantage in a more factual way, while 'verlockend' describes a temptation.
In der Pause ist der Duft von frischem Kuchen sehr verlockend.
During the break, the smell of fresh cake is very tempting.
Die Firma bietet ein attraktives Gehalt und flexible Arbeitszeiten.
The company offers an attractive salary and flexible working hours.