Adverbs in German

This section introduces adverbs in German and includes tips for students studying foundation and higher tiers. Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They tell us more about how, when, where, or to what extent something happens. In German, adverbs do not change their form and are generally placed after the verb or at the beginning of a sentence.

Types of Adverbs in German

There are several types of adverbs in German, and they can be divided into the following categories:

• Adverbs of time (when?)
• Adverbs of place (where?)
• Adverbs of manner (how?)
• Adverbs of frequency (how often?)
• Adverbs of degree (to what extent?)

Adverbs of Time (Wann?)

Adverbs of time tell us when something happens. Some common adverbs of time include:

• heute = today
• morgen = tomorrow
• gestern = yesterday
• jetzt = now
• immer = always
• manchmal = sometimes
• bald = soon

Examples:

• Ich mache meine Hausaufgaben heute. = I am doing my homework today.
• Wir fahren morgen nach Berlin. = We are going to Berlin tomorrow.

Adverbs of Place (Wo?)

Adverbs of place tell us where something happens. Some examples include:

• hier = here
• dort = there
• überall = everywhere
• nirgendwo = nowhere
• drinnen = inside
• draussen = outside

Examples:

• Wir sind hier. = We are here.
• Der Hund schläft dort. = The dog is sleeping there.

Adverbs of Manner (Wie?)

Adverbs of manner describe how something is done. They often answer the question Wie? (How?). Common examples include:

• schnell = quickly
• langsam = slowly
• gut = well
• schlecht = badly
• leise = quietly
• laut = loudly

Examples:

• Sie spricht schnell. = She speaks quickly.
• Er arbeitet gut. = He works well.

Adverbs of Frequency (Wie oft?)

Adverbs of frequency tell us how often something happens. Examples include:

• immer = always
• nie = never
• oft = often
• selten = rarely
• manchmal = sometimes
• häufig = frequently

Examples:

• Ich gehe immer ins Fitnessstudio. = I always go to the gym.
• Sie isst nie Schokolade. = She never eats chocolate.

Adverbs of Degree (Wie sehr?)

Adverbs of degree describe the intensity or extent of an action or quality. Examples include:

• sehr = very
• zu = too
• gar = at all
• ein bisschen = a little
• völlig = completely

Examples:

• Ich bin sehr müde. = I am very tired.
• Das ist zu teuer. = That is too expensive.

Position of Adverbs in German Sentences

In German, the position of adverbs can vary, but there are general rules to follow. Adverbs typically come:

After the conjugated verb (when there is one main verb).

• Example: Er fährt schnell. = He drives quickly.

At the beginning of the sentence (for emphasis or to set the tone).

• Example: Immer trinke ich Kaffee zum Frühstück. = Always I drink coffee for breakfast.

Before the main verb (if there are auxiliary verbs like haben or sein).

• Example: Er hat nie seine Hausaufgaben gemacht. = He has never done his homework.

With multiple adverbs, the order is usually:

• Time → Manner → Place → Frequency
• Example: Ich gehe morgen langsam dorthin. = I will go tomorrowslowly there.

Adverbial Phrases

Some adverbs are actually phrases consisting of more than one word. Common examples include:

• auf einmal = all of a sudden
• in der Nähe = nearby
• im Moment = at the moment

Examples:

• Auf einmal war er verschwunden. = All of a sudden, he was gone.
• Das Café ist in der Nähe. = The café is nearby.

Higher Tier: Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adverbs

Just like adjectives, adverbs can be used in the comparative and superlative forms to compare actions or states. However, not all adverbs have comparative and superlative forms, and the formation is a bit different from adjectives.

• schnell (quickly) → schneller (more quickly) → am schnellsten (most quickly)
• gut (well) → besser (better) → am besten (best)
• häufig (frequently) → häufiger (more frequently) → am häufigsten (most frequently)

Examples:

• Er läuft schneller als ich. = He runs more quickly than I do.
• Sie spricht am besten Englisch. = She speaks English the best.

Common Adverbial Expressions in German

• auf jeden Fall = in any case
• im Vergleich zu = in comparison to
• von Zeit zu Zeit = from time to time
• in der Tat = indeed

Examples:

• Auf jeden Fall komme ich zu deiner Party. = In any case, I will come to your party.
• Im Vergleich zu letztem Jahr ist es besser. = In comparison to last year, it's better.

Summary:

• Adverbs describe how, when, where, or to what extent an action happens.
• They do not change their form like adjectives.
• Adverbs can be classified into different categories: time, place, manner, frequency, and degree.
• The position of adverbs in a sentence is flexible but follows general rules.
• Higher-tier students should know how to form the comparative and superlative forms of certain adverbs.