German · Emotions & Descriptions
"Big" in German: groß
groß
Big in German is groß. Before nouns it takes endings: ein großes Haus, eine große Stadt. For people groß often means tall rather than wide.
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How to pronounce groß
Say it
grohs
/ɡroːs/
grohs. Long o, and ß sounds like a sharp s. One syllable.
"Big" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| groß | big, large, tall Base adjective. | Base adjective. |
| große / großes / großen | big (inflected) Endings depend on gender and case. | Endings depend on gender and case. |
| größer | bigger Comparative. | Comparative. |
| am größten | biggest Superlative predicate form. | Superlative predicate form. |
How to use groß in real life
- 1Apartment hunt
Wir brauchen eine größere Wohnung.
We need a bigger apartment.
Größere is the comparative with feminine ending.
- 2Ordering food
Ich nehme die große Portion.
I'll take the large portion.
Große before feminine Portion.
- 3Describing a friend
Dein Bruder ist echt groß!
Your brother is really tall!
For people groß often means tall.
Mistakes English speakers make with groß
Incorrect: ein groß Haus
Correct: ein großes Haus
Neuter nominative/accusative needs -es: großes Haus.
Incorrect: Er ist big.
Correct: Er ist groß.
Use groß, not the English word big.
Good to know
Shop sizes use groß and klein constantly: große Tasse, kleines Bier. Saying someone is groß is usually a height comment and rarely rude. Spelling keeps ß in groß, größer, größte in standard German.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a suitcase
ChatPal
Ist der Koffer groß genug für zwei Wochen?
Is the suitcase big enough for two weeks?
You
Der hier ist zu groß. Hast du einen kleineren?
This one is too big. Do you have a smaller one?
ChatPal
Doch, der blaue. Nicht so groß, aber praktisch.
Yes, the blue one. Not as big, but practical.
You
Passt. Groß muss er nicht sein.
Fine. It doesn't have to be big.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Big" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Big" in German
Does groß mean tall?
For people, yes, often tall. For objects it means big or large.
How do endings work?
Groß takes endings like other adjectives: große, großes, großen.
How do you say bigger?
Größer.
Why is there a ß in groß?
Standard spelling after a long vowel: groß, Straße.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
