Meaning
To state that something holds personal significance.
Cultural Background
In German business culture, 'Sachlichkeit' (objectivity) is key. However, stating 'Es ist mir wichtig' helps bridge personal commitment with professional goals. Austrians might use 'Mir liegt viel daran' more frequently in social settings to sound slightly softer and more polite than the direct 'wichtig sein'. In Swiss German, the concept of 'Wichtigkeit' is often tied to 'Zuverlässigkeit' (reliability). Being 'wichtig' often implies a moral duty. There is a strong cultural emphasis on 'Feierabend' (the end of the work day). Using this phrase to protect personal time is highly respected.
Use 'sehr' for impact
Adding 'sehr' (very) makes you sound much more sincere. 'Es ist mir sehr wichtig' is a powerful way to show you care.
Dative Alert
Never use 'mich' or 'ich'. It's always 'mir' (or dir, ihm, etc.).
Meaning
To state that something holds personal significance.
Use 'sehr' for impact
Adding 'sehr' (very) makes you sound much more sincere. 'Es ist mir sehr wichtig' is a powerful way to show you care.
Dative Alert
Never use 'mich' or 'ich'. It's always 'mir' (or dir, ihm, etc.).
Be Direct
Don't be afraid to use this phrase in Germany. It's not rude; it's clear communication.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct dative pronoun (mir, dir, ihm, uns).
Meine Gesundheit ist ___ wichtig. (to me)
The phrase 'jemandem wichtig sein' always requires the dative case. 'Mir' is the dative of 'ich'.
Which sentence is correct?
You want to say that punctuality is important to you.
The noun (Pünktlichkeit) is the subject, and 'mir' is the dative object.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Warum lernst du so viel? B: Weil ___ ___ ___, gute Noten zu haben.
This uses the 'Es ist mir wichtig, [zu...]' structure.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are talking to your partner about your future.
Honesty is a core value in relationships.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesMeine Gesundheit ist ___ wichtig. (to me)
The phrase 'jemandem wichtig sein' always requires the dative case. 'Mir' is the dative of 'ich'.
You want to say that punctuality is important to you.
The noun (Pünktlichkeit) is the subject, and 'mir' is the dative object.
A: Warum lernst du so viel? B: Weil ___ ___ ___, gute Noten zu haben.
This uses the 'Es ist mir wichtig, [zu...]' structure.
Situation: You are talking to your partner about your future.
Honesty is a core value in relationships.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questionsYes, it is grammatically correct, but 'Das ist mir wichtig' sounds more natural and native.
'Wichtig' is general importance. 'Bedeutend' is more like 'significant' or 'famous' (e.g., a significant scientist).
Simply add 'nicht': 'Es ist mir nicht wichtig.'
Yes! 'Du bist mir wichtig' means 'You are important to me' (I care about you).
Because the adjective 'wichtig' describes a state relative to a person, which triggers the dative case in German.
Related Phrases
Wert legen auf
similarTo place value on something.
Mir liegt viel daran
similarIt matters a lot to me.
Es ist mir egal
contrastI don't care / It's all the same to me.
Bedeutung haben
synonymTo have significance.
