German Size & Dimensions Vocabulary
This set covers the basic words you need to describe size and space in German: breit, hoch, and tief for the three dimensions of an object, plus pairs like klein/winzig and lang/kurz for everyday size talk. One trap for English speakers is hoch versus tief: German uses tief not just for physical depth but for low temperatures and low prices, where English switches to a completely different word.
Learn these 12 words
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All 12 words
- breitA1
wide, broad
Wie breit ist der Schrank? — How wide is the cupboard?
- hochA1
high/tall
Der Mount Everest ist 8.880 Meter hoch. — Mount Everest is 8,880 meters high.
- kleinA1
small, little
Eltville ist eine kleine Stadt am Rhein. — Eltville is a small town on the Rhine.
- kurzA1
short, brief
Ricardo hat kurzes Haar. — Ricardo has short hair.
- langA1
long
Die Jeans ist zu lang. — The jeans are too long.
- leichtA1
easy, light
Der Koffer ist leicht. — The suitcase is light.
- schmalA2
narrow
Die Gasse ist sehr schmal. — The alley is very narrow.
- tiefA2
deep
Vorsicht, das Wasser ist tief! — Be careful, the water is deep!
- winzigA2
tiny
Das Insekt ist winzig klein. — The insect is tiny.
to shrink, reduce
Der Verlag will das Format verkleinern. — The publisher wants to reduce the format.
- sperrigB2
bulky
Der sperrige Koffer passt nicht in das Auto. — The bulky suitcase doesn't fit in the car.
- verengenB2
to narrow / constrict / contract
Die Straße verengt sich am Ortseingang. — The street narrows at the town entrance.
How to learn this set
Notice that breit, hoch, tief, and lang form a fixed set of dimension words that German almost always states in that order (Länge x Breite x Höhe on packaging and forms), so drill them as a chant rather than as isolated flashcards. Also pay attention to verkleinern and verengen: both take the prefix ver- on an adjective root (klein, eng) to turn it into a change-of-state verb, a pattern that shows up constantly in German word formation. Once you see that ver- + adjective often means "to make X," you can guess the meaning of similar verbs you haven't studied yet.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between eng and schmal in German?
Both can mean narrow, but schmal describes width or slimness (a schmale Straße, a schmales Gesicht), while eng also covers tightness or a lack of space, like enge Kleidung (tight clothes) or ein enger Flur (a cramped hallway).
Does hoch change form before a noun?
Yes. As a predicate adjective it's hoch (der Turm ist hoch), but before a noun it drops the c: ein hoher Turm, die hohe Mauer. This trips up a lot of learners because the spelling shift looks irregular but it's completely predictable.
What's the difference between klein and winzig?
Klein is the neutral word for small and covers most everyday cases (ein kleines Zimmer). Winzig means tiny and is stronger, used when something is remarkably small, like ein winziges Insekt or eine winzige Wohnung.
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