swift / drafty
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swift
Fast, smooth, and without unnecessary delays or interruptions. Usually describes a process, movement, or way of working.
Dank der guten Vorbereitung ging die Arbeit zügig voran.
Thanks to the good preparation, the work progressed swiftly.
drafty
Filled with an unpleasant draft; drafty. This meaning is rarer and used differently depending on the region.
Mach bitte das Fenster zu, es ist ziemlich zügig hier drin.
Please close the window; it's pretty drafty in here.
The adjective 'zügig' (swift) is related to the noun 'der Zug' (train/draft). It describes a movement or process that moves forward steadily and without interruption, like a train.
Die Bauarbeiten an der neuen Brücke gehen zügig voran.
Construction work on the new bridge is progressing swiftly.
'Zügig' (swift/swiftly) is very often used as an adverb to describe how an action is carried out. It then remains unchanged in the sentence and refers to the verb.
Bitte antworten Sie zügig auf diese E-Mail.
Please reply to this email promptly.
Common combinations are 'zügig arbeiten' (to work swiftly), 'zügig vorankommen' (to make swift progress), or 'eine zügige Antwort erwarten' (to expect a prompt reply). It is often used in professional or formal contexts.
Wir erwarten eine zügige Bearbeitung unseres Antrags.
We expect prompt processing of our application.
The meaning 'von Luftzug durchströmt' (filled with a draft) is very rare and is only understood in some regions. The main meaning is almost always 'schnell und ohne Verzögerung' (fast and without delay).
Die Besprechung verlief sehr zügig und war nach 30 Minuten beendet.
The meeting proceeded very swiftly and was over after 30 minutes.
fast / quick
Schnell and zügig can both describe a high pace of work. Schnell generally emphasizes speed or a short duration, whereas zügig particularly highlights smooth progress without unnecessary pauses. Zügig is therefore often a better fit for a steady workflow.
Mara erledigte die längere Aufgabe zügig und machte dabei keine unnötigen Pausen.
Mara worked through the longer task smoothly and without taking any unnecessary breaks.
Mara erledigte die kurze Aufgabe schnell und war nach fünf Minuten fertig.
Mara completed the short task quickly and was finished after five minutes.
