adjective
harmful, detrimental
A2
schädlich means harmful or detrimental. It’s a regular, gradable adjective (comparative: schädlicher; superlative: am schädlichsten). Used attributively and predicatively; opposite: nützlich. No special preposition or reflexivity. Common in health and environment contexts; frequent in warnings and scientific texts and medical writing.
Examples
Ein Zuviel an Zucker kann schädlich für die Gesundheit sein.
Too much sugar can be detrimental to your health.
Rauchen ist schädlich für die Lunge.
Smoking is harmful to the lungs.
Die Behörden warnten, weil die Substanz als schädlich eingestuft worden war.
The authorities warned because the substance had been classified as harmful.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture a red warning sign with the word 'schädlich' to remember 'harmful'.
Think 'shade-lich' — something that casts a harmful 'shade'.
Notes
Often used in formal or scientific contexts (e.g., 'schädliche Auswirkungen').