In English, we intensify adjectives by attaching a noun to the front, creating words like "ice-cold" or "rock-hard." German uses this exact same structure (verstärkende Adjektivkomposita) to make descriptions more vivid.
Simply attach a noun directly to an adjective to form a single compound word.
For example, you might hope a piece of furniture is light as a feather (die Feder + leicht = federleicht), but it turns out to be heavy as lead (das Blei + schwer = bleischwer).
| The wardrobe seems to be feather-light, but it is heavy as lead. | Der Schrank scheint federleicht zu sein, aber er ist bleischwer. |
They are perfect for dramatic descriptions, like a wardrobe that is gigantic (der Riese + groß = riesengroß) and pretty as a picture (das Bild + schön = bildschön).
| We bought the piece of furniture because it is gigantic and gorgeous. | Wir haben das Möbelstück gekauft, weil es riesengroß und bildschön ist. |
When carrying that heavy furniture up a narrow staircase, you might find the steps are smooth as glass (spiegelglatt) and the walls hard as stone (steinhart).
| Of all things, the stairs are as smooth as glass and the wall is rock-hard! | Ausgerechnet die Treppe ist spiegelglatt und die Wand ist steinhart! |
It quickly becomes crystal clear (kristallklar) that you can't move at lightning speed (blitzschnell).
| It is crystal clear that we cannot carry the gigantic wardrobe at lightning speed. | Es ist kristallklar, dass wir den riesengroßen Schrank nicht blitzschnell tragen können. |
Once the grueling process is over, you will probably be tired as a dog (hundemüde).
| We are finally upstairs in the bedroom and are dog-tired. | Wir sind endlich oben im Schlafzimmer und sind hundemüde. |
Time for a well-deserved drink that is cold as ice (eiskalt).
| It is crystal clear that I need an ice-cold drink now. | Es ist kristallklar, dass ich jetzt ein eiskaltes Getränk brauche. |