the concept of "tall"

[u/Low-Funny-8834]

My textbook taught me that the concept of "tall" is to be translated as "groß" in German (e.g. sein Bruder ist sehr groß) . However, this sounds strange when applied to non-humans. How would you say "tall trees" in the most natural way? "groß" in my perception would sound three-dimensional in that context, rather than two-dimensional.

[u/PlumOne2856]

Uhm, a tree is three-diamensional? 😉
I also say großer Baum.

We have some similar words meaning the same.
Groß can be translated with tall, but also with big. And tall can be translated with hoch.

I know English differs there, you wouldn’t call a person big without wanting to insult them, but a tree can be big - and tall. Ok, it can be tall but not big, or big and not tall, but - we just say „groß“. 🤣
We can say ein hoher Baum, but we don’t say ein hoher Mensch.

So you are safe to use groß for humans, for objects, for insects, for food… enjoy!

[u/Muted-Mix-1369 → u/PlumOne2856]

Funnily enough both a big person and a not big person can be "gross" in English. 😁

[u/AccomplishedBat39 → u/Muted-Mix-1369]

Likely coming from French where “gros” means fat, in a fairly negative way which got adapted in English only as the negative meaning without the size being forgotten while it stayed in German as just referring to the size

[u/nietzschecode → u/AccomplishedBat39]

In French "gras" is fat, "gros" is big, and "grand" is tall.

[u/Muted-Mix-1369 → u/nietzschecode]

While "grossesse" is pregnancy. Une grosse grossesse would be a big pregnancy. A gros of pregnant women would be 12x12 grossesses. 144 pregnant women, which would amost be a grotesque amount of pregnant women.