Artsy and artificial - how to use them in German
The German words “künstlich” and “künstlerisch” look and sound similar, and they both come from “Kunst” (f.), meaning “art”, but they describe quite different things:
– “künstlich” means “artificial” and is used to describe things that are unnatural or that imitate natural processes:
“Im Büro stehen nur künstliche Blumen.” – “There are only fake flowers in the office.”
“Ich habe dieses künstliche Licht satt!” – “I am sick of this artificial light!”
– “künstlerisch” means “artistic” and is used to describe anything befitting or relating to art or artists:
“Sie hat eine künstlerische Veranlagung.” – “She has an artistic temperament/disposition.”
“Er macht von der künstlerischen Freiheit gebrauch.” – “He’s making use of artistic license.”
Similar words are “kunstvoll” (in the sense of “artful”) and indeed “artistisch”.
Note: All adjectives listed here can of course also be used as adverbs (i.e. “künstlerisch” can also mean “artistically”: “Es ist künstlerisch gestaltet.” – “It is artistically arranged/designed.”)
Listen up, lurkers!
We filmed an entire beginner German course!
More cool stuff from Expath
The best ways to remember gender in German
How's your German? Take our free online test!
How to get a handle on childcare in Berlin
Join us for small online German classes for English speakers
How to go about finding a flat in Berlin and Germany
All the different ways to say you're exhausted in German
Want to work as a freelancer in Germany but need more info?
Want to live and work in Germany but not sure how to do it?
How to obtain an artist visa for Berlin
How do English speakers find jobs in Germany?
All of Expath's German "words of the day"
How to tell time in German