German grammar
Sehr, zu, ziemlich
Say something is too expensive or quite cheap.
From the scene Das ist sehr teuer (It's very expensive)
In short
Sehr means very, zu means too much, ziemlich means quite. They go before the adjective.
- very expensive sehr teuer
- too expensive zu teuer
- quite cheap ziemlich billig
- expensive / cheap teuer / billig
Your turn
Which one goes with too expensive?
Options: zu teuer · sehr teuer · ziemlich billig
Show answer
too expensive → zu teuer
How it works
Sehr = very, zu = too (more than you want), ziemlich = quite.
Good to know
They go before the adjective, and after sein the adjective never changes: der Schuh ist teuer, die Schuhe sind teuer.
Good to know
Zu teuer means you won't buy it.
very expensive sehr teuer
Javi
Ja, die sind sehr teuer. Und die schwarzen Schuhe?
Yes, they're very expensive. What about the black shoes?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Ja, die sind (blank). Und die schwarzen Schuhe?
Options: zu teuer · ziemlich billig · sehr teuer
Show answer
Javi
Ja, die sind sehr teuer. Und die schwarzen Schuhe?
Yes, they're very expensive. What about the black shoes?
too expensive zu teuer
Nuria
Hundert Euro? Die sind zu teuer!
A hundred euros? They're too expensive!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Hundert Euro? Die sind (blank)!
Options: zu teuer · sehr teuer · ziemlich billig
Show answer
Nuria
Hundert Euro? Die sind zu teuer!
A hundred euros? They're too expensive!
quite cheap ziemlich billig
Javi
Ja, ziemlich billig. Die kosten zwanzig Euro.
Yes, quite cheap. They're twenty euros.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Ja, (blank). Die kosten zwanzig Euro.
Options: sehr teuer · zu teuer · ziemlich billig
Show answer
Javi
Ja, ziemlich billig. Die kosten zwanzig Euro.
Yes, quite cheap. They're twenty euros.
expensive / cheap teuer / billig
Nuria
Sind die billig?
Are they cheap?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Sind die (blank)?
Options: billig · sehr teuer · zu teuer
Show answer
Nuria
Sind die billig?
Are they cheap?
Watch out
Zu is a complaint, not “very”.
Common mistake
Not sehr or ziemlich here. More than she wants to pay: she won't buy them.
Hundert Euro? Die sind zu teuer!
A hundred euros? They're too expensive!
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| very expensive | sehr teuer |
|---|---|
| too expensive | zu teuer |
| quite cheap | ziemlich billig |
| expensive / cheap | teuer / billig |
More lines from the story
- JaviDie kosten hundert Euro.They're a hundred euros.
- JaviDanke. Das sind die schwarzen Schuhe... die für zwanzig Euro!Thanks. They're the black shoes... the twenty-euro ones!