Hauptsache

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

German

[edit]
German Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia de

Etymology

[edit]

From Middle High German houbetsache, equivalent to haupt- +‎ Sache. Cognate with Middle Low German hȫvetsāke.

Pronunciation

[edit]
  • IPA(key): /ˈhaʊ̯ptˌzaxə/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: Haupt‧sa‧che

Noun

[edit]

Hauptsache f (genitive Hauptsache, plural Hauptsachen)

  1. main thing, most important thing
    • 1931, Arthur Schnitzler, Flucht in die Finsternis, S. Fischer Verlag, page 141:
      „Vielleicht bin ich sogar verrückt. Ich will es nicht in Abrede stellen. Aber wenn ich es bin, so fühle ich mich sehr wohl dabei. Und das ist doch die Hauptsache, nicht?“
      „Maybe I am even crazy. I don't want to deny it. But if I am, I am feeling very good with it. And that is the most important thing, isn't it?“
  2. (law) main issue

Declension

[edit]

Antonyms

[edit]

Derived terms

[edit]

Conjunction

[edit]

Hauptsache

  1. (slightly informal) as long as, expresses that the following is the most important goal, prioritised over anything else
    Er scherte sich nicht um die Folgen, Hauptsache, er bekam sein GeldHe didn't care about the consequences, as long as he got his money
  2. (slightly informal) at least, most importantly, specifically, expresses gladness about a fact being true even if other things might not be ideal (i.e. Glück im Unglück)
    Hauptsache, es geht dir gutAt least / most importantly, you are well / unharmed
[edit]

Further reading

[edit]