behäbige

Behäbig is a German adjective describing something or someone as slow, heavy, or unhurried. It can refer to a person’s gait or build, as well as to the pace of actions or processes. The term often conveys a sense of deliberation or steadiness, but it can also carry a mildly pejorative nuance, implying slowness or lack of agility.

The attributive form "behäbige" is used before singular nouns when the determiner is definite, for example der behäbige Mann, die behäbige Dame, das behäbige Kind. In plural, the corresponding form is die behäbigen Männer, die behäbigen Damen. In predicative position after a linking verb, the usual form is behäbig (Der Mann ist behäbig). With indefinite articles or no article, the strong declension applies, as in ein behäbiger Mann, eine behäbige Frau, ein behäbiges Kind.

Etymology: Behäbig derives from the base adjective associated with behäbigkeit (calm, unhurried demeanor) and is built with the common -ig suffix. The noun Behäbigkeit expresses the quality of being unhurried or ponderous.

Usage notes: Behäbig is common in everyday language and literary prose, and it can describe physical presence as well as behavior or decision-making style. It is often contrasted with more neutral or positive terms like gemächlich (pleasantly slow) or langsam (slow). Related terms include schwerfällig (clumsy/ponderous) and gemütlich (comfortable, leisurely, though with a different nuance).

See also: gemächlich, langsam, schwerfällig, gemütlich.