sorgfältige

Sorgfältige is a German adjective form meaning careful, meticulous, or thorough. It is derived from the noun Sorgfalt (care, diligence) and the suffix -ig, which forms adjectives describing a characteristic. The base adjective is sorgfältig, and sorgfältige is the inflected form used before nouns under certain grammatical conditions.

Usage and inflection

Sorgfältige is used as an attributive adjective before a noun. Examples include: sorgfältige Prüfung (a careful examination), sorgfältige Arbeit (careful work). The exact ending varies with gender, number, and case:

- Feminine singular: eine sorgfältige Prüfung

- Masculine singular: ein sorgfältiger Bericht

- Neuter singular: ein sorgfältiges Detail

- Plural (no article): sorgfältige Arbeiten

- Plural with definite article: die sorgfältigen Arbeiten

The form demonstrates how German adjectives inflect to indicate the article and grammatical role of the noun they modify.

Related terms

The noun related to the concept is Sorgfalt, meaning care or diligence. Related adjectives include sorgfältig (the base form used in predicative positions or as an adverb) and sorgsam, another synonym implying careful, attentive behavior. The term is widely used across everyday language and in technical, academic, and journalistic contexts to describe thoroughness and attention to detail.

Usage notes

Sorgfältige conveys a positive evaluation of how something is performed. It frequently appears in descriptions of processes, evaluations, or quality standards, such as a sorgfältige Prüfung, eine sorgfältige Dokumentation, or sorgfältige Arbeit. While similar to gründlich or gewissenhaft, sorgfältig often emphasizes the attentiveness and care taken in execution.

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