sicher

German

Etymology

From Middle High German siher, from Old High German sihur, from Proto-West Germanic *sikur (secure, sure), from Latin sēcūrus (worryless; carefree; secure).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈzɪçər/
    • IPA(key): [ˈzɪçɐ] (standard)
      • Audio (Germany):(file)
      • Audio (Germany):(file)
    • IPA(key): [ˈziça], [ˈzija] (Ruhrgebiet)
    • IPA(key): [ˈzɪɕɐ], [ˈzɪʃɐ], [ˈze-] (central Germany)
    • IPA(key): [ˈsiçɐ] (Austro-Bavarian)
    • IPA(key): [ˈsiχər] (Alemannic)

Adjective

sicher (strong nominative masculine singular sicherer, comparative sicherer or sichrer, superlative am sichersten)

  1. safe, secure (not dangerous or in danger)
  2. (often with dative reflexive) sure, certain (convinced) [with genitive ‘of something’]
    Ich bin (mir) sicher, dass es heute regnen wird.
    I am sure that it will rain today.
    Sie ist sich des Sieges sicher.
    She is certain of victory.

Usage notes

  • In the sense of “sure”, there is little change in meaning when the dative reflexive is used, though this dative may slightly stress the personal conviction. The dative is particularly frequent when the following subclause is omitted: Er ist sich sicher. (He’s sure).
  • The phrase "I am sure of that" may be construed with a genitive object or a similar construction without a genitive:
With genitive:
Dessen bin ich mir sicher.
Without genitive:
Da bin ich mir sicher.

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Kashubian: zycher
  • Saterland Frisian: sicher, zicher
  • Silesian: zicher

Adverb

sicher

  1. safely
  2. surely, certainly

Verb

sicher

  1. inflection of sichern:
    1. first-person singular present
    2. singular imperative

Further reading

  • sicher” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • sicher” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon

Hunsrik

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsiçɐ/

Adjective

sicher

  1. safe
  2. secure
  3. certain

Antonyms

Derived terms

Adverb

sicher

  1. surely, certainly

Derived terms

Further reading