neidisch

envious, green with envy

adjective NYE-dish Rare

Also means

covetous

Usage Note

Neidisch focuses on coveting what another person has (possessions, talents, success), whereas eifersüchtig involves fear of losing someone to a rival. Neidisch sein auf takes the accusative: neidisch auf ihren Erfolg (envious of her success).

Examples

"Er war neidisch auf das neue Auto seines Nachbarn."

Natural Translation

He was envious of his neighbour's new car.

Literal Translation

He was envious on the new car of his neighbour.

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

Tipping in Germany: A Visitor's Etiquette Guide

Tipping in Germany means saying your total out loud, not leaving coins. Learn the exact phrases, how much to tip, and the Sie-vs-du etiquette travelers need.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

Wo, Wohin, Woher: Three Ways to Say Where

German splits where into three: wo (location), wohin (destination), and woher (origin). Learn the wo vs wohin rule, the hin/her logic, and common mistakes.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

Weil vs Denn vs Da: "Because" in German

Weil and da send the verb to the end; denn keeps it in second position. Here's how to pick the right German "because" and place the verb correctly.

June 5, 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