behaglichen

Behaglich is a German adjective meaning comfortable, cozy, or pleasant. The form behaglichen is the declined plural ending, used when the noun it modifies is plural and accompanied by a definite determiner, as in die behaglichen Räume or den behaglichen Räumen. The base adjective can appear in other declensions as well, for example ein behaglicher Raum (nominative masculine singular, indefinite) or eine behagliche Atmosphäre (feminine singular).

Declension overview in plural with a definite article: Nominative and Accusative plural die behaglichen Räume; Dative plural den behaglichen Räumen; Genitive plural der behaglichen Räume. In contexts without a definite determiner, other endings are used (strong or mixed declensions), e.g., behagliche Räume (nominative plural, without article).

Usage and nuance: Behaglich describes environments, moods, or conditions that feel agreeable, soothing, or comfortable. It is commonly applied to interiors, homes, hotels, weather, or landscapes that convey a sense of ease. Typical collocations include behagliche Atmosphäre, behagliche Wohnung, behaglicher Abend, and behagliche Wärme. The term is often found in literary or formal prose, though it remains understood in everyday speech through closer synonyms like gemütlich or angenehm.

Etymology and related terms: Behaglich derives from the noun Behagen, meaning pleasure or satisfaction, and the related noun Behaglichkeit meaning comfort or coziness. It belongs to a semantic field with synonyms such as gemütlich, angenehm, and komfortabel, while unbehaglich serves as the antonym.

Notes: The adjective can describe objects or settings as well as, less commonly, people, where behaglicher Charakter may appear in more literary contexts. The form behaglichen thus marks plural definiteness and is one of several inflected endings of behaglich.