German adverbs: the complete guide
Adverbs are an important topic of German grammar, as the German language contains hundreds of adverbs and they are frequently used.
The difference between adverbs and adjectives is that adjectives modify nouns, whereas German adverbs can be used to provide information about verbs, adjectives and even other adverbs.
An overview of German adverbs
Examples of German adverbs used to modify verbs
The two diagrams below show examples of Geman phrases where the adverb modifies the verb:
(translation: “He never makes grammar mistakes.”)
(translation: “She always talks about linguistics.”)
Remark about the direction of the arrows: These diagrams represent the syntactic structure of a sentence. The direction of the arrows goes from a head word to its dependent word.
Examples of German adverbs used to modify adjectives
Here are two examples of German phrases in which the adverb modifies the adjective:
(translation: “A perfectly legitimate question.”)
(translation: “A really good friend.”)
Examples of German adverbs used to modify other adverbs
Here is an example of a German phrase in which the adverb modifies another adverb:
(translation: “He studied very gladly.”)
German adverbs of frequency
Adverbs of Frequency are called « Häufigkeitsadverbien » in German. Their purpose is to provide information about how often an event occurs.
In the table below is a list of the most common German adverbs of Frequency
| German adverb |
translation |
|---|---|
| immer | always |
| ständig | constantly |
| oft | often |
| häufig | frequently |
| üblicherweise | usually |
| gewöhnlicherweise | usually |
| manchmal | sometimes |
| gelegentlich | occasionally |
| zeitweise | at times |
| selten | rarely, seldom |
| keinmal | not once |
| nie | never |
| niemals | never |
German adverbs of degree
Adverbs of degree are called « Gradadverbien » in German. Their purpose is to provide information about the extent to which another word applies.
In the table below is a list of the most common German adverbs of degree:
| German adverb | translation |
|---|---|
| besonders | especially |
| völlig | fully |
| sehr | very |
| ziemlich | quite |
| nahezu | nearly, almost |
| fast | almost |
| beinahe | almost |
| meistens | mostly |
| meistenteils | mostly, for the most part |
| großenteils | largely, mostly |
| schwerlich | scarcely, hardly |
| kaum | barely, hardly |
German adverbs of time
Adverbs of time are called « Temporaladverbien » in German. Their purpose is to provide information about when an event occurs.
Here is a list of the most common German adverbs of time:
| German adverb | translation |
|---|---|
| jetzt | now |
| sofort | immediately |
| bald | soon |
| zuvor | previously |
| bereits | already |
| zurzeit | currently |
| zugleich | at the same time |
| heute | today |
| morgen | tomorrow |
| damals | at that time (in the past) |
| bisher | so far |
| abends | in the evening |
| nachts | at night |
| nachmittags | in the afternoon |
| morgens | every morning |
| spätestens | at the latest |
| neulich | recently |
| derzeit | currently |
| oftmals | oftentimes |
| jederzeit | anytime |
| neuerdings | recently, lately |
| kürzlich | recently |
| unlängst | recently |
| letztens | last time, recently |
| schleunigst | immediately, as soon as possible |
German adverbs of place
Adverbs of place are called « Lokaladverbien » in German. They are used to provide information about where an event occurs.
Here is a list of the most common German adverbs of place:
| German adverb | translation |
|---|---|
| hier | here |
| dort | there |
| überall | everywhere |
| draußen | outside |
| unten | below |
| oben | above |
| innen | inside |
| hinten | behind, in the back |
| hinweg | away |
| vielerorts | in many places |
German adverbs which are formed from nouns and adjectives
German adverbs which are created from a noun (by adding the suffix -weise)
There are a number of German adverbs which were formed by adding the suffix “-weise” to a noun. Notice how German nouns are capitalized whereas German adverbs are not.
| German adverb | formation |
|---|---|
| teilweise (partially) | Teil + -weise |
| beispielsweise (for example) | Beispiel + -weise |
| vergleichsweise (comparatively) | Vergleich + -weise |
| schrittweise (gradually) | Schritt + -weise |
| schätzungsweise (approximately) | Schätzung + -weise |
| zeitweise (at times) | Zeit + -weise |
| vorzugsweise (preferably) | Vorzug + -weise |
| ausnahmsweise (exceptionally) | Ausnahme + -weise |
| versuchsweise (experimentally) | Versuch + -weise |
| näherungsweise (approximately) | Näherung + -weise |
| behelfsweise (provisionally) | Behelf + -weise |
| reihenweise (serially) | Reihe + -weise |
| gruppenweise (in groups) | Gruppen + -weise |
| scharenweise (in droves) | Scharen + -weise |
| portionsweise (in portions) | Portion + -weise |
| löffelweise (by the spoonful) | Löffel + -weise |
| absatzweise (intermittently) | Absatz + -weise |
| abschnittsweise (in sections) | Abschnitt + -weise |
| schichtweise (in layers) | Schicht + -weise |
| stapelweise (in batches) | Stapel + -weise |
| haufenweise (in heaps) | Haufen + -weise |
| stückweise (piecemeal) | Stück + -weise |
| stückchenweise (piecemeal) | Stückchen + -weise |
| fallweise (case by case) | Fall + -weise |
| hordenweise (in hordes) | Horde + -weise |
| ansatzweise (to some extent) | Ansatz + -weise |
| stellenweise (in places) | Stelle + -n- + -weise |
| zwangsweise (compulsorily) | Zwang + -s + -weise |
| wahlweise (alternatively) | Wahl + -weise |
| probeweise (on a trial basis) | Probe + -weise |
German adverbs which are created from adjectives (by adding the suffix -erweise)
There are also many German adverbs which were formed by adding the suffix “-erweise” to an adjective. Here is a list of the most commonly used ones:
| German adverb | formation |
|---|---|
| möglicherweise (possibly) | möglich + -erweise |
| normalerweise (normally) | normal + -erweise |
| glücklicherweise (fortunately) | glücklich + -erweise |
| üblicherweise (usually) | üblich + -erweise |
| blöderweise (stupidly) | blöd + -erweise |
| verständlicherweise (understandably) | verständlich + -erweise |
| idealerweise (ideally) | ideal + -erweise |
| erstaunlicherweise (surprisingly) | erstaunlich + -erweise |
| notwendigerweise (necessarily) | notwendig + -erweise |
| bedauerlicherweise (regrettably) | bedauerlich + -erweise |
| leichtsinnigerweise (carelessly) | leichtsinnig + -erweise |
| logischerweise (logically) | logisch + -erweise |
| überraschenderweise (surprisingly) | überraschend + -erweise |
| irrtümlicherweise (mistakenly) | irrtümlich + -erweise |
| fälschlicherweise (wrongly) | fälschlich + -erweise |
| unglücklicherweise (unfortunately) | unglücklich -erweise |
| missbräuchlicherweise (improperly) | missbräuchlich + -erweise |
| typischerweise (typically) | typisch + -erweise |
| zufälligerweise (coincidentally) | zufällig + -erweise |
| unnötigerweise (unnecessarily) | unnötig + -erweise |
| eigenartigerweise (strangely) | eigenartig + -erweise |
| charakteristischerweise (characteristically) | charakteristisch + -erweise |
| natürlicherweise (naturally) | natürlich + -erweise |
| untypischerweise (atypically) | untypisch + -erweise |
| bezeichnenderweise (characteristically) | bezeichnend + -erweise |
| freundlicherweise (kindly) | freundlich + -erweise |
| irrsinnigerweise (insanely) | irrsinnig + -erweise |
| dummerweise (stupidly) | dumm + -erweise |
| ehrlicherweise (honestly) | ehrlich + -erweise |
| komischerweise (funnily) | komisch + -erweise |
| lustigerweise (funnily) | lustig + -erweise |
| traurigerweise (sadly) | traurig + -erweise |
| betrüblicherweise (unfortunately) | betrüblich + -erweise |
| richtigerweise (rightly) | richtig + -erweise |
| erfreulicherweise (happily) | erfreulich + -erweise |
| begreiflicherweise (understandably) | begreiflich + -erweise |
| unverständlicherweise (incomprehensibly) | unverständlich + -erweise |
| witzigerweise (funnily) | witzig + -erweise |
| dämlicherweise (foolishly) | dämlich + -erweise |
| klugerweise (wisely) | klug + -erweise |
| intelligenterweise (intelligently) | intelligent + -erweise |
| schlauerweise (cleverly) | schlau + -erweise |
| naiverweise (naively) | naiv + -erweise |
| merkwürdigerweise (oddly enough) | merkwürdig + -erweise |
| seltsamerweise (strangely) | seltsam + -erweise |
| interessanterweise (interestingly) | interessant + -erweise |
| gewöhnlicherweise (usually) | gewöhnlich + -erweise |
| unsinnigerweise (nonsensically) | unsinnig + -erweise |
| sinnvollerweise (sensibly) | sinnvoll + -erweise |
| vernünftigerweise (reasonably) | vernünftig + -erweise |
| ungewöhnlicherweise (unusually) | ungewöhnlich + -erweise |
| unfreundlicherweise (unkindly) | unfreundlich + -erweise |
| unhöflicherweise (rudely) | unhöflich + -erweise |
| unzulässigerweise (inadmissibly) | unzulässig + -erweise |
| ungerechtfertigterweise (unjustifiedly) | ungerechtfertigt + -erweise |
| ewigerweise (forever) | ewig + -erweise |
| gleicherweise (likewise) | gleich + -erweise |
| ungerechterweise (unjustly) | ungerecht + -erweise |
| gerechterweise (justly) | gerecht + -erweise |
| klassischerweise (classically) | klassisch + -erweise |
| verbotenerweise (illegally) | verboten + -erweise |
| klarerweise (obviously) | klar + -erweise |