schlecht

From earlier slecht, from Middle High German sleht, from Old High German sleht (see also schlicht), from Proto-Germanic *slihtaz. Cognate with English slight, Dutch slecht, Afrikaans sleg, Icelandic sléttur, Faroese slættur, Swedish slätt, Danish slet , Gothic 𐍃𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍄𐍃 (slaihts), and Norwegian slett.

• IPA^(key): /ʃlɛçt/
• Rhymes: -ɛçt

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schlecht (strong nominative masculine singular schlechter, comparative schlechter, superlative am schlechtesten)

1. bad, evil, wicked (the opposite of good; immoral)

   ein schlechter Mensch ― a bad person

2. bad (unskilled; of limited ability)

   sie ist schlecht in Mathe ― she is bad at maths

3. bad (unhealthy, unwell)

   schlecht für jemanden sein ― to be bad for someone

4. bad (of poor physical appearance)

   schlecht aussehen ― to look bad

5. bad, off (spoiled, rotten, overripe)

   schlecht werden ― to go off, to go bad

6. dirty (dishonourable)

schlecht and schlimm could be considered synonyms, but there is a difference in connotation. Use schlecht for "bad" in situations where judgment is involved, implying a certain level of objectivity ("bad job, bad idea, bad manners, bad quality").

Use schlimm to mean "bad" when a negative consequence is implied and it negatively affects a person or creature ("bad accident, bad cold, bad injury").

Sometimes you can use either word. For example, you could say "schlechter Traum" or "schlimmer Traum" for 'bad dream'. The connotation of using "schlechter" would imply the 'bad dream' wasn't that harmful after waking up (like, 'it was just a bad dream. I'm fine.'); whereas, using "schlimmer" would imply that the 'bad dream' had a lasting impact even after waking up, kind of like saying 'awful dream'. Same with "schlechter Tag" and "schlimmer Tag" ('bad day'). "schlimmer Tag" would be closer to 'awful day' in the sense that it implies the negative consequences of the bad day will carry over to tomorrow.

• einen schlechten Tag haben (“have an off-day/off day”)
• schlechthin
• Schlechtigkeit
• schlechtmachen
• Schlechtsein
• verschlechtern

schlecht

1. badly, poorly, not well (in a bad or poor manner)
2. with difficulty, not easily

• schlimm
• übel
• böse

• “schlecht” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “schlecht” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “schlecht” in Duden online
• “schlecht” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.

• IPA^(key): /ʃleçt/

schlecht (comparative schlechter, superlative schlechtest)

1. bad, evil, wicked

• Schlechtichkeet

• Online Hunsrik Dictionary

• IPA^(key): /ʃlæɕt/

schlecht (masculine schlechten, neuter schlecht, comparative méi schlecht, superlative am schlechtsten)

1. bad

schlecht

1. badly

Compare German schlecht, Dutch slecht.

schlecht

1. bad
2. wicked

schlecht

1. poorly