All German word comparisons · Back to the topic overview
Meaning, sentence patterns and examples
| Word | Core meaning | Typical context | Grammar |
|---|---|---|---|
| sicher | safe; sure; probably or certainly | Safety or confidence in a statement | Adjective forms include ein sicherer Weg and ein sicheres Passwort. Predicative/adverbial sicher has no ending. Ich bin mir sicher uses a dative reflexive pronoun; a dass clause can follow. |
| bestimmt | definitely; specific; firm | Confidence, specified items or decisive manner | Adverb: Sie kommt bestimmt, without an ending. Adjective: ein bestimmter Tag, bestimmte Regeln. Predicative manner: Ihr Ton ist bestimmt. No required case complement in the certainty use. |
| gewiss | certainly; certain or some | Confidence or a particular unspecified amount | Adjective forms: ein gewisser Herr, eine gewisse Distanz. Adverbial gewiss has no ending. Seiner Sache gewiss sein uses genitive in a more formal construction. |
sicher
Meaning and usage: Sicher describes freedom from danger, reliability or a person’s confidence. As an adverb, it may be a confident assumption rather than verified certainty: Sie hat es sicher vergessen can mean she probably forgot it. Ich bin mir sicher stresses the speaker’s lack of doubt. The evidence may still prove them wrong.
Grammar: Adjective forms include ein sicherer Weg and ein sicheres Passwort. Predicative/adverbial sicher has no ending. Ich bin mir sicher uses a dative reflexive pronoun; a dass clause can follow.
Dieser Weg ist sicherer als der alte.
This route is safer than the old one.
Ich bin mir sicher, dass sie kommt.
I am sure that she will come.
bestimmt
Meaning and usage: Bestimmt as an adverb predicts or confirms confidently. As an adjective, it identifies something particular or describes a firm manner. Ein bestimmter Termin means a specific appointment, not an appointment that is safe. These adjective and adverb uses must be distinguished.
Grammar: Adverb: Sie kommt bestimmt, without an ending. Adjective: ein bestimmter Tag, bestimmte Regeln. Predicative manner: Ihr Ton ist bestimmt. No required case complement in the certainty use.
Er hat bestimmt schon gegessen.
He has surely eaten already.
Ich suche ein bestimmtes Buch.
I am looking for a specific book.
gewiss
Meaning and usage: Gewiss can confirm a statement or describe certainty. Before a noun, ein gewisser can leave someone or something unnamed. Eine gewisse Ähnlichkeit means some resemblance, not absolute proof of identity. These meanings overlap with English certain but not with every use of sure.
Grammar: Adjective forms: ein gewisser Herr, eine gewisse Distanz. Adverbial gewiss has no ending. Seiner Sache gewiss sein uses genitive in a more formal construction.
Sie wird gewiss bald antworten.
She will surely reply soon.
Zwischen den Bildern besteht eine gewisse Ähnlichkeit.
There is a certain resemblance between the pictures.
Overlap and context
For confident predictions, the three words may all fit. Tone, context and construction matter more than a supposed certainty ranking. Only sicher naturally covers the ordinary safe-route meaning. Bestimmt and gewiss can both identify something particular, but gewiss may emphasize that it is not named or not precisely specified.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate a safe password as ein bestimmtes Passwort: that means a specific one.
- Do not treat sicher in an assumption as evidence that a claim has been independently verified.
Memory aid: Check the job: safety, specificity or confidence. If the word predicts a whole sentence, allow the certainty words to overlap.
Try it
Choose for safety: Wir suchen einen ___ Weg nach Hause.
Show the answer
sicheren
The sentence asks for a safe route; sicher is the relevant adjective.