leichtsinnig

careless

adjective LYKHT-zin-ikh Less Common

Origin: from leicht (light) + Sinn (mind)

Also means

reckless

Usage Note

leichtsinnig describes culpable carelessness that ignores risk: leichtsinnig mit Geld umgehen. It is stronger than unvorsichtig and implies blameworthy negligence. The noun is Leichtsinn.

Examples

"Es war leichtsinnig, ohne Helm zu fahren."

Natural Translation

It was careless to ride without a helmet.

Literal Translation

It was careless, without helmet to ride.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

German Umlauts & ß: Sounds and Typing

Pronounce ä, ö, ü with the front-tongue, rounded-lips rule, master the ß vs ss spelling, and type every German umlaut on Mac, Windows, and phone.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

How Long Does It Take to Learn German? Real Timeline

How long to learn German? Conversational B1 takes ~6–12 months, fluent B2 about 1.5–2.5 years part-time. Here's an honest, hours-based timeline by CEFR level.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

German False Friends: 25 Words That Trick You

German false friends like Gift (poison) and bekommen (to receive) trick English speakers daily. Here are 25 words that mean the opposite of what you'd guess.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

German Word Order: The Verb Rules That Trip You Up

German word order comes down to three verb-position rules: the verb is second in main clauses, last after weil and dass, and time comes before place.

June 5, 2026 6 min read