imagination
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imagination
A person's ability to create images, situations, or concepts in the mind that are not real or present. It is the basis for creativity and fantasy.
Gute Bücher regen die Vorstellungskraft der Leser an.
Good books stimulate readers' imagination.
The word is composed of 'Vorstellung' (idea/mental image) and 'Kraft' (power/strength). A 'Vorstellung' here is a mental image, and 'Kraft' means strength or ability. So it is literally the 'power to imagine things.'
Ein Architekt braucht viel Vorstellungskraft.
An architect needs a lot of imagination.
Common verbs used with 'Vorstellungskraft' (imagination) are 'haben' (to have), 'besitzen' (to possess), 'brauchen' (to need), or 'anregen' (to stimulate). If something is unimaginable, you can say that it 'übersteigt' (exceeds) the imagination.
Die Schönheit der Landschaft überstieg meine Vorstellungskraft.
The beauty of the landscape exceeded my imagination.
To describe imagination, adjectives such as 'lebhaft' (vivid), 'blühend' (fertile), 'groß' (great), or 'rege' (active) are often used. The opposite would be 'wenig' (little) or 'keine' (no) imagination.
Kinder haben oft eine sehr lebhafte Vorstellungskraft.
Children often have a very vivid imagination.
imagination / fantasy
Fantasie and Vorstellungskraft can both refer to the ability to imagine things that are not present. Vorstellungskraft neutrally emphasizes this mental ability, while Fantasie can additionally highlight creative invention. Vorstellungskraft is appropriate for mentally recreating something, while Fantasie is more suitable for freely inventing something.
Mit ihrer Vorstellungskraft sieht Nina die beschriebene Stadt auf dem Mond deutlich vor sich.
With her imagination, Nina can clearly picture the city on the moon that was described.
Mit viel Fantasie erfindet Nina eine ungewöhnliche Stadt auf dem Mond.
Using her imagination, Nina invents an unusual city on the moon.
