Adjective
schlau
Pronunciation: /ʃlaʊ̯/
clever in a way that enables one to achieve one's goals; slightly sly or cunning (but not usually implying any evil intentions)
C1
rank #3,161
Meanings
Adjective
- clever in a way that enables one to achieve one's goals; slightly sly or cunning (but not usually implying any evil intentions)
- bright, intelligent, clever (with no such overtone at all)
Example sentence
Das war schlau, die Karten schon vorher zu kaufen.
That was clever, buying the tickets in advance.
Usage
- eine schlaue Idee — A clever idea, often showing practical ingenuity.
- schlau / schlauer / am schlauesten — The comparative and superlative retain au without an umlaut.
Es war schlau, eine zweite Kopie zu speichern.
It was clever to save a second copy.