hartnäckig

Hartnäckig is a German adjective meaning stubborn or persistent. It is used to describe a person, a habit, a problem, or a symptom that resists change or resolution.

The nuance of hartnäckig can be neutral or negative depending on context. It often conveys a sense of perseverance and determination, but it can also imply obstinacy. Examples include a hartnäckige Erkältung (a stubborn cold) or someone who shows hartnäckigen Widerstand (persistent resistance).

Noun form and related term: Hartnäckigkeit, the quality of being stubborn or tenacious. It is used to talk about persistence in pursuing a goal or stubbornness in a discussion. For instance, seine Hartnäckigkeit half ihm, das Ziel zu erreichen (his persistence helped him reach the goal).

Synonyms and antonyms: Similar terms include beharrlich and ausdauernd (persistent, tenacious). Related but stronger or colloquial contrasts include stur or störrisch (stubborn). Antonyms include nachgiebig and flexibel (yielding, flexible).

Usage notes: Hartnäckig is an attributive adjective. With definite or indefinite articles, it takes endings according to gender and case, for example: die hartnäckige Person, eine hartnäckige Person, die hartnäckigen Personen. The word is common in everyday German and appears across formal and informal registers.