DICTIONNAIRE ALLEMAND-ANGLAIS

The German adjective seriös should not be confused with the English serious its primary meaning when used to describe people is reliable or respectable. So you might translate the sentence Herr von Plato hat einen sehr seriösen Namen in der Textilbranche by the English Herr von Plato has a very reliable reputation in the textile business.

The English adjective serious when used to describe people should be translated by ernst or ernsthaft Is he serious about her? could be rendered as Meint er es ernst mit ihr? When referring to an accident, however, schwer is more commonly used. He was in a serious car accident last week would be translated as Er hat letzte Woche einen schweren Autounfall gehabt.