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Learning entryAdjectiveLevel B2

starr

rigid

Keeping a fixed shape or position rather than bending or moving easily.

IPA/ʃtaʁ/

One syllable. Initial st is pronounced /ʃt/; rr does not make the vowel long.

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Meaning 1neutral · 88%

Keeping a fixed shape or position rather than bending or moving easily.

Natural examples

Dieses starre Rohr lässt sich nicht biegen.

This rigid pipe cannot be bent.

Die Halterung bleibt starr, auch wenn der Motor läuft.

The mount stays fixed even when the motor runs.

Nach der langen Fahrt fühlten sich meine Beine starr an.

After the long journey, my legs felt stiff.

Usage note

Starr stresses a lack of flexibility or movement. Hart concerns hardness; stark concerns strength. A part can be strong and still flexible.

Useful combinations

eine starre Verbindung — a connection without easy movementstarr vor Kälte — stiff because of cold

Common mistake

Wir brauchen ein starr Rohr.

Wir brauchen ein starres Rohr.

Before neuter Rohr with ein, the adjective takes -es here: ein starres Rohr. Predicative Das Rohr ist starr has no adjective ending.

Mini-lesson: Rigid is not the same as strong

Test the property, not the spelling: a rigid pipe resists bending; a strong rope can carry weight and still bend. Use starr for the first property and stark for the second.

Check your learning

Choose one answer.

In “Dieses starre Rohr lässt sich nicht biegen”, what does starre describe?

Meaning 2neutral · 87%

Remaining motionless or showing little change in gaze or expression.

Natural examples

Mit starrem Blick wartete sie auf eine Antwort.

She waited for an answer with a fixed gaze.

Als der Alarm ertönte, blieb er einen Moment starr stehen.

When the alarm sounded, he stood motionless for a moment.

Auf dem Foto wirkt sein Lächeln seltsam starr.

His smile looks strangely frozen in the photo.

Usage note

This use describes visible stillness or an unchanging expression. It does not by itself diagnose fear or illness; the situation supplies the reason.

Useful combinations

ein starrer Blick — a fixed, unchanging gazestarr stehen bleiben — to stop and remain motionless

Common mistake

Sie schaut starren geradeaus.

Sie schaut starr geradeaus.

When starr describes how she looks, it is used adverbially without an adjective ending. Starren is the infinitive of a separate verb meaning to stare.

Mini-lesson: Starr and starren

Starr is an adjective and can describe a gaze: ein starrer Blick. Starren is a verb: Sie starrt auf den Bildschirm. In Sie blickt starr auf den Bildschirm, starr describes the way of looking.

Check your learning

Choose one answer.

What does starr add in “Er blieb einen Moment starr stehen”?

Meaning 3neutral · 88%

Not adapting rules, plans or attitudes to different circumstances.

Natural examples

Starre Arbeitszeiten erschweren die Betreuung der Kinder.

Rigid working hours make childcare difficult.

Wir brauchen Lösungen statt eines starren Schemas.

We need solutions instead of a rigid framework.

Die Leitung hält starr an der alten Regel fest.

Management rigidly sticks to the old rule.

Usage note

Often implies that greater flexibility would help. Strict rules can be clear and consistently enforced without necessarily being starr. Starr highlights the lack of adaptation.

Useful combinations

starre Regeln — rules that do not adapt to circumstancesstarr an etwas festhalten — to cling inflexibly to something

Common mistake

Diese Regeln sind starren.

Diese Regeln sind starr.

After sind, the predicative adjective has no ending, even with a plural subject. Before the noun, use an ending: die starren Regeln.

Mini-lesson: From a rigid object to an inflexible rule

A physical object does not bend; a figuratively rigid rule does not adapt. Compare ein starres Rohr with starre Arbeitszeiten. Let the noun and situation decide the translation.

Check your learning

Choose one answer.

What are starre Arbeitszeiten in the example?

Learning entryAdjectiveLevel B2

starr

rigid

Keeping a fixed shape or position rather than bending or moving easily.

IPA/ʃtaʁ/

One syllable. Initial st is pronounced /ʃt/; rr does not make the vowel long.

Search another word

Meaning 1neutral · 88%

Keeping a fixed shape or position rather than bending or moving easily.

Natural examples

Dieses starre Rohr lässt sich nicht biegen.

This rigid pipe cannot be bent.

Die Halterung bleibt starr, auch wenn der Motor läuft.

The mount stays fixed even when the motor runs.

Nach der langen Fahrt fühlten sich meine Beine starr an.

After the long journey, my legs felt stiff.

Usage note

Starr stresses a lack of flexibility or movement. Hart concerns hardness; stark concerns strength. A part can be strong and still flexible.

Useful combinations

eine starre Verbindung — a connection without easy movementstarr vor Kälte — stiff because of cold

Common mistake

Wir brauchen ein starr Rohr.

Wir brauchen ein starres Rohr.

Before neuter Rohr with ein, the adjective takes -es here: ein starres Rohr. Predicative Das Rohr ist starr has no adjective ending.

Mini-lesson: Rigid is not the same as strong

Test the property, not the spelling: a rigid pipe resists bending; a strong rope can carry weight and still bend. Use starr for the first property and stark for the second.

Check your learning

Choose one answer.

In “Dieses starre Rohr lässt sich nicht biegen”, what does starre describe?

Meaning 2neutral · 87%

Remaining motionless or showing little change in gaze or expression.

Natural examples

Mit starrem Blick wartete sie auf eine Antwort.

She waited for an answer with a fixed gaze.

Als der Alarm ertönte, blieb er einen Moment starr stehen.

When the alarm sounded, he stood motionless for a moment.

Auf dem Foto wirkt sein Lächeln seltsam starr.

His smile looks strangely frozen in the photo.

Usage note

This use describes visible stillness or an unchanging expression. It does not by itself diagnose fear or illness; the situation supplies the reason.

Useful combinations

ein starrer Blick — a fixed, unchanging gazestarr stehen bleiben — to stop and remain motionless

Common mistake

Sie schaut starren geradeaus.

Sie schaut starr geradeaus.

When starr describes how she looks, it is used adverbially without an adjective ending. Starren is the infinitive of a separate verb meaning to stare.

Mini-lesson: Starr and starren

Starr is an adjective and can describe a gaze: ein starrer Blick. Starren is a verb: Sie starrt auf den Bildschirm. In Sie blickt starr auf den Bildschirm, starr describes the way of looking.

Check your learning

Choose one answer.

What does starr add in “Er blieb einen Moment starr stehen”?

Meaning 3neutral · 88%

Not adapting rules, plans or attitudes to different circumstances.

Natural examples

Starre Arbeitszeiten erschweren die Betreuung der Kinder.

Rigid working hours make childcare difficult.

Wir brauchen Lösungen statt eines starren Schemas.

We need solutions instead of a rigid framework.

Die Leitung hält starr an der alten Regel fest.

Management rigidly sticks to the old rule.

Usage note

Often implies that greater flexibility would help. Strict rules can be clear and consistently enforced without necessarily being starr. Starr highlights the lack of adaptation.

Useful combinations

starre Regeln — rules that do not adapt to circumstancesstarr an etwas festhalten — to cling inflexibly to something

Common mistake

Diese Regeln sind starren.

Diese Regeln sind starr.

After sind, the predicative adjective has no ending, even with a plural subject. Before the noun, use an ending: die starren Regeln.

Mini-lesson: From a rigid object to an inflexible rule

A physical object does not bend; a figuratively rigid rule does not adapt. Compare ein starres Rohr with starre Arbeitszeiten. Let the noun and situation decide the translation.

Check your learning

Choose one answer.

What are starre Arbeitszeiten in the example?