wahnsinnig
extremely
Colloquially used as an adverb for emphasis: very, extremely, incredibly.
EXAMPLE
Das Essen in diesem Restaurant ist wahnsinnig lecker.
The food in this restaurant is extremely delicious.
wahnsinnig
extremely / insane
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Meanings
wahnsinnig
insane
Completely unreasonable, absurd, or crazy.
EXAMPLE
Es ist eine wahnsinnige Idee, bei diesem Wetter in den Bergen zu wandern.
It's an insane idea to hike in the mountains in this weather.
wahnsinnig
insane
In a state of madness; severely mentally ill. This meaning is less common today and is more formal or literary.
EXAMPLE
Die ständige Folter machte den Gefangenen wahnsinnig.
The constant torture drove the prisoner insane.
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is made up of 'Wahn' (a false, irrational idea) and 'Sinn' (sense/mind). 'Wahnsinnig' (insane/extremely) originally describes a state in which the mind or senses are clouded.
EXAMPLE
Der Lärm in der Fabrik war so laut, er machte einen fast wahnsinnig.
The noise in the factory was so loud it almost drove you insane.
Colloquial intensifier
In colloquial language, 'wahnsinnig' (extremely) is very often used as an adverb to intensify an adjective or verb. It then simply means 'very' or 'extremely'.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe mich wahnsinnig über das Geschenk gefreut.
I was extremely happy about the gift.
Typical collocations
When 'wahnsinnig' (insane) describes a noun, it means 'crazy' or 'absurd'. Typical combinations are 'eine wahnsinnige Idee' (an insane idea), 'ein wahnsinniger Plan' (an insane plan), or 'ein wahnsinniges Glück' (incredible luck).
EXAMPLE
Er hatte wahnsinniges Glück, dass er den Zug noch erwischt hat.
He was incredibly lucky to still catch the train.
Register: literary
The original meaning 'psychically ill/mentally ill' is hardly used in everyday language today. You find it mainly in older literature or in a very formal, medical context.
EXAMPLE
In der Novelle wird die Hauptfigur langsam wahnsinnig.
In the novella, the main character slowly goes insane.
Compare with
wahnsinnig vs verdammt
damn / damned
“Verdammt” and “wahnsinnig” can both strongly intensify a quality. “Wahnsinnig” sounds like a colloquial exaggeration, while “verdammt” also has a coarse, curse-like tone. In a less vulgar statement, “wahnsinnig” is therefore more suitable.
wahnsinnig
Das Essen hier ist wahnsinnig lecker.
The food here is incredibly delicious.
verdammt
Das Essen hier ist verdammt lecker.
The food here is damn delicious.
In real life
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