anständige

Anständige is a German noun used to denote people who are considered decent or respectable according to social norms. It derives from the adjective anständig, meaning proper, fair, or morally acceptable. The term can refer to a group rather than to individuals, with die Anständigen serving as a collective label for those perceived as adhering to conventional propriety.

In everyday language, die Anständigen describes individuals who behave in a morally acceptable, law-abiding, and considerate manner. The singular forms include der Anständige (masculine) and die Anständige (feminine), while the plural is die Anständigen. The word often appears in political, social, or literary contexts to distinguish those deemed “decent” from others, and it can carry normative or ironic nuances depending on tone and intent.

Historically, Anständige has been used in German discourse to refer to the respectable middle class or civic-minded citizens, sometimes as a self-definition by proponents of traditional values. In criticism, the term may be employed to question who gets to define decency and to challenge claims of moral superiority by those who call themselves the Anständige.

Related concepts include Anstand (propriety), anständig (decent), and Anständigkeit (decency). The word interacts with debates about civility, social legitimacy, and ethical behavior in German-speaking cultures.