ernste
Translation
serious, earnest, grave, severe
Examples
Das ist eine ernste Angelegenheit.
This is a serious matter.
Er hat ernste Probleme.
He has serious problems.
Ihre ernste Miene machte mir Angst.
Her serious expression scared me.
Grammar Patterns
(before a feminine or plural noun) serious Das ist eine ernste Angelegenheit.
Similar Words
Synonyms: seriös, wichtig; Antonyms: locker, lustig, witzig
Etymology
From Old High German 'ernust' (seriousness, struggle). Cognate with English 'earnest'.
Memory Tips
'ernste' is an inflected form of the adjective 'ernst'. It sounds very similar to the English word 'earnest', which shares its meaning and origin.