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wichtig
important
Being of great importance, relevance, or significance.
example
Es ist wichtig, dass du pünktlich zum Termin kommst.
It is important that you arrive on time for the appointment.
wichtig
important
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Typical sentence patterns
'Wichtig' is very often used in the impersonal constructions 'Es ist wichtig, dass…' (It is important that...) with a subordinate clause, or 'Es ist wichtig, … zu…' (It is important to...) with an infinitive, to express a necessity.
EXAMPLE
Es ist wichtig, die Anweisungen genau zu lesen.
It is important to read the instructions carefully.
Use with dative
To express for whom something is important, German uses the verb 'sein' (to be) with the dative. The person is in the dative, and the important thing is the subject.
EXAMPLE
Meine Familie ist mir sehr wichtig.
My family is very important to me.
Fixed expression: sich wichtig machen
The reflexive expression 'sich wichtig machen' (to act important) is a fixed idiom. It has a negative meaning and describes someone who shows off and presents themselves as more important than they are.
EXAMPLE
Er versucht immer, sich vor dem Chef wichtig zu machen.
He always tries to act important in front of the boss.
Compare with
wichtig vs groß
big / great
'groß' and 'wichtig' can both express that something has a lot of significance. 'wichtig' says directly that something is relevant and must be taken into account. In this sense, 'groß' sounds more like 'significant' or 'with major consequences', for example in 'eine große Entscheidung' (a big decision) or 'ein großer Erfolg' (a great success). Learners may confuse the words because 'groß' can mean not only size, but also significance. If you want to clearly say that something plays a role or is necessary, 'wichtig' is usually more precise.
wichtig
Vor der Reise ist ein gültiger Ausweis besonders wichtig.
Before the trip, a valid ID is especially important.
groß
Der Umzug in eine andere Stadt ist für Mara ein großer Schritt.
Moving to another city is a big step for Mara.
In real life
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