Breakdown of Die Prinzessin ist sehr wählerisch.
sein
to be
sehr
very
die Prinzessin
the princess
wählerisch
picky
Questions & Answers about Die Prinzessin ist sehr wählerisch.
How does the word wählerisch relate to other German words?
It comes from the verb wählen, which means "to choose" or "to vote." By adding the suffix -isch, it turns into an adjective describing someone who is "choosy" or "picky."
How would I use this lesson's grammar to say "The princess is nothing but picky"?
You would use the phrase nichts anderes als. Placed directly before the adjective, it emphatically restricts her personality to that one trait: Die Prinzessin ist nichts anderes als wählerisch.
Is wählerisch always a negative trait?
Usually, yes. It carries a critical tone similar to "picky" or "fussy" in English. If you want a more complimentary word, like "having high standards" or "discerning," you would use anspruchsvoll instead.
Why does Prinzessin have a double 's' when the male version (Prinz) does not?
The word Prinzessin was borrowed from the French word princesse, which is why it keeps the double 's'. It is one of the few feminine nouns in German that doesn't simply add -in to the exact spelling of the male equivalent. When making it plural, remember it also doubles the final 'n': die Prinzessinnen.