Wachsamkeit

vigilance, alertness

noun VAKH-zahm-kite Rare

Also means

watchfulness

Usage Note

Wachsamkeit implies sustained, active attentiveness — watching for danger or opportunities. It is used in security contexts, psychology, and everyday life: gebotene Wachsamkeit (appropriate vigilance).

Examples

"Ständige Wachsamkeit kostet viel Energie und führt zu Erschöpfung."

Natural Translation

Constant vigilance costs a lot of energy and leads to exhaustion.

Literal Translation

Constant vigilance costs much energy and leads to exhaustion.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

German Two-Way Prepositions: Accusative or Dative?

Use accusative for movement into a place (wohin?) and dative for a fixed location (wo?). Master all nine German two-way prepositions with one simple test.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German False Friends: 25 Words That Trick You

German false friends like Gift (poison) and bekommen (to receive) trick English speakers daily. Here are 25 words that mean the opposite of what you'd guess.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

German Adjective Endings Made Simple

German adjective endings come down to one question, not three tables: does the article already show gender and case? If yes, the adjective stays lazy.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Numbers 1–100: Why 21 Is Said Backwards

German numbers 1 to 100 reverse the digits: 21 is einundzwanzig (one-and-twenty). Learn the und rule, the irregulars, and how to hear prices fast.

June 5, 2026 6 min read