German Phrase
Er hatte richtig Angst.
Meaning
This phrase describes a state of significant fear in the past tense. Unlike English, which uses 'to be afraid', German uses 'Angst haben' (to have fear), and 'richtig' acts as an intensifier meaning 'really' or 'properly'.
When to use
Use this when narrating a story or describing a person's past reaction to a frightening or intimidating situation. It is common in both casual conversation and written storytelling.
✦Grammar Breakdown
ErhatterichtigAngst
Hatte (Präteritum)
This is the simple past form of 'haben'. It is used here because 'Angst' is treated as a noun that one possesses.
Richtig as Intensifier
While 'richtig' usually means 'correct', in colloquial German it is used like 'really' or 'truly' to emphasize an adjective or noun.
🗨In Conversation
Wie hat Markus auf den Film reagiert?
How did Markus react to the movie?
Er hatte richtig Angst.
He was really afraid.
✕Common Mistakes
Er war richtig Angst.
In German, you 'have' fear (Angst haben), you are not fear. Use the verb 'haben' instead of 'sein'.
Er hatte richtig angst.
In German, 'Angst' is a noun and must always be capitalized.
↔Alternatives
Er hatte große Angst.
He was very afraid.
Er hat sich total erschreckt.
He got a real fright.
Er war zu Tode erschrocken.
He was scared to death.
Cultural Tip
The word 'Angst' has been borrowed into many languages, including English, but in German, it is the everyday word for fear. Using 'richtig' as an intensifier is very common in spoken German and adds a layer of authenticity to your speech compared to the more formal 'sehr'.