ernst
Translation
serious, earnest
Examples
Er hat ein ernstes Gesicht gemacht.
He made a serious face.
Die Lage ist sehr ernst.
The situation is very serious.
Meinst du das wirklich ernst?
Do you really mean that seriously?
Grammar Patterns
((Adjective)) + Noun describing a noun This is a serious topic.
sein + ((Adjective)) used as a predicate The situation is serious.
((sth.)) ernst meinen/nehmen to mean/take sth. seriously Please take my advice seriously.
Similar Words
Synonyms: seriös, gravierend; Antonyms: lustig, heiter, locker
Etymology
From Old High German 'ernust', meaning 'seriousness, struggle'. Cognate with the English word 'earnest'.
Memory Tips
It sounds very similar to the English word 'earnest', which has almost the same meaning.