01
weich
soft
A property of materials that give way under pressure and feel pleasant. The opposite of hard.
example
Das Kissen ist sehr weich und bequem.
The pillow is very soft and comfortable.
weich
soft
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context clue
You can recognize the meaning of 'weich' (soft) from the noun it describes. A 'weiches Kissen' (soft pillow) feels pleasant, 'weiche Kartoffeln' (soft potatoes) are cooked, and a 'weiches Herz' (soft heart) describes an emotional character.
EXAMPLE
Diese Decke ist unglaublich weich.
This blanket is incredibly soft.
Word formation
'Weich' (soft) is often used as the second part of compound adjectives to describe extreme softness. These new words are often very vivid.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Kochen war das Fleisch butterweich.
After cooking, the meat was as soft as butter.
Typical collocation
In connection with food, the combination 'weich kochen' (to cook until soft) is very common. It means to cook something until it is tender.
EXAMPLE
Für das Püree musst du die Kartoffeln ganz weich kochen.
For the purée, you have to cook the potatoes until they are very soft.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'ein weiches Herz haben' (to have a soft heart) is a fixed expression. It describes a person who is very compassionate and indulgent.
EXAMPLE
Mein Opa hat ein weiches Herz und hilft jedem Tier in Not.
My grandpa has a soft heart and helps every animal in need.
Typical collocations
Alongside a 'weiche Stimme' (soft voice), the adjective is also used for music and sounds that are perceived as gentle and pleasant. Typical examples are 'weiche Klänge' (soft sounds) or 'weiche Melodien' (soft melodies).
EXAMPLE
Zum Entspannen hört er am liebsten weiche Klaviermusik.
To relax, he prefers listening to soft piano music.
Fixed collocation
In this context, 'weich' (soft) is almost always part of the fixed term 'weiche Drogen' (soft drugs). Here it functions as a classification word in social and legal discussions.
EXAMPLE
In der Politik wird über den Umgang mit weichen Drogen diskutiert.
In politics, people are discussing how to deal with soft drugs.
Compare with
weich vs gar
at all / done
'gar' and 'weich' can both be used in cooking to talk about food, but they do not mean the same thing. 'gar' means that something is fully cooked or fried and is no longer raw. 'weich' describes how a food feels or how easy it is to chew. Learners may confuse the words because many foods become both done and soft while cooking. But meat can be done and still tough, and vegetables can be soft even if you did not mean to cook them that long.
weich
Am Montagmorgen sind die Brötchen vom Wochenende schon weich.
On Monday morning, the rolls from the weekend are already soft.
gar
Der Reis ist noch nicht gar, deshalb lasse ich ihn fünf Minuten länger kochen.
The rice is not done yet, so I’ll let it cook for five more minutes.
In real life
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