Polyglot Dictionary

klug

/kluːk/

adjective A2

der (masc.) die (fem.) das (neut.)

Underline = a spelling pattern that usually signals that gender.

Adj Register Neutral Era Current Frequency Core Domain General Tone Positive

Forms

comparative
klüger
superlative
am klügsten

Meaning

  1. clever, smart

    Overlaps with intelligent, but klug is a native everyday word, often implying practical wisdom too.

    • Das war eine kluge Entscheidung.

      That was a smart decision.

Similar words

schlau

klug leans toward intelligence or wisdom; schlau leans toward cunning or street-smarts — both mean "clever, smart."

Similar in other languages

Spanish

ingenioso

Close — clever, smart relates to ingenious.

English

smart

klug and smart both describe quick, practical intelligence, as opposed to deep book-learning.

French

intelligent

French intelligent and German klug both directly mean clever, smart.

Practice

1 What does klug mean?

2 Which fingerprint chart matches klug?

adjectivecore-vocabulary

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