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Bavarian
Etymology
From Middle High German gelīch, from Old High German gilīh, from Proto-West Germanic *galīk, from Proto-Germanic *galīkaz. Cognates include German gleich, Dutch gelijk, English alike, Yiddish גלײַך (glaykh), Old Norse líkr, glíkr, and Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃 (galeiks).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɡ̥lɑɛ̯ç/
- IPA(key): /ɡ̥læːç/ (East Central, Vienna)
Adjective
gleich (not comparable)
- all the same
- Mir is's gleich. ― I don't care. (literally, “To me it is the same.”)
Related terms
German
Etymology
From Middle High German gelīch, from Old High German gilīh, from Proto-West Germanic *galīk, from Proto-Germanic *galīkaz. Cognate with Dutch gelijk, English alike, Swedish lik, Danish lig.
Pronunciation
Adjective
gleich (strong nominative masculine singular gleicher, not comparable)
- equal
Zwei plus zwei ist gleich vier.- Two plus two is equal to four.
- same; very similar
Zufälligerweise hatten wir beide die gleiche Idee.- Coincidentally, we both had the same idea.
- (often proscribed) same; identical
Usage notes
- See derselbe for notes on the prescribed distinction between this word and gleich.
- The comparative forms are rather rare. They occur chiefly in colloquial or informal usage; for example: Diese beiden Socken sind ziemlich gleich, aber die anderen beiden sind noch gleicher. (“These two socks are pretty identical, but those other two are even more identical.”) There is also a common humorous saying that goes: Im Kommunismus waren alle gleich. Aber manche waren gleicher. (“Everyone was equal in communism. But some were more equal .”)
Declension
Positive forms of gleich (uncomparable)
Adverb
gleich
- alike
Er malt alle seine Bilder gleich.- He paints all of his pictures alike.
- in a moment
Warte, ich komme gleich zu dir.- Hold on, I'll come to you in a moment.
- at once, at a time, simultaneously
Weil ich hungrig war, habe ich mir gleich zwei Stücke Kuchen vom Buffet genommen.- Because I was hungry, I took two piece of cake at once from the buffet.
2010, Der Spiegel, number 40/2010, page 142:Entdeckung im All: Gleich zwei erdähnliche Planeten kreisen um den Zwergstern Gliese 581.- Discovery in the universe: two Earth-like planets at once revolve around the dwarf star Gliese 581.
- right; just; directly
Mein Haus befindet gleich neben dem Stadtpark.- My house is located right next to the city park.
- now; immediately; straight away
Nachdem sie im Hotel angekommen war, legte sie sich gleich ins Bett.- After she had arrived at the hotel, she immediately went to bed.
Derived terms
Further reading
Pennsylvania German
Etymology
Compare German gleich, Dutch gelijk, English like.
Adjective
gleich
- equal
- like
- same