Focus particles (Fokuspartikel) are used to emphasize a particular element in a sentence. However, German learners often have trouble with these words. The article below will explain the most common meanings of some particles in this group with specific examples.
Focus particles (Fokuspartikel) are used to emphasize a particular part of a sentence. However, German learners often encounter difficulties with these words. The article below will explain the most common meanings of some particles belonging to this group with specific examples.
Gradpartikel | Meaning | Example |
1. besonders | especially | Dieses Buch hat mir besonders gut gefallen. (I especially liked this book.) |
2. vor allem | especially | Mir gefällt die Wohnung nicht. Vor allem das Bad ist zu klein. (I don't like the apartment. Especially the bathroom is too small.) |
3. sogar | even | Sogar meine 80-jährige Oma ist bei Facebook! (Even my 80-year-old grandma is on Facebook!) |
4. selbst | even | Selbst ein kleines Kind weiß das! (Even a small child knows that!) |
5. ausgerechnet | expresses that the speaker considers the action or something similar to be impossible to happen | Es wird schon nicht ausgerechnet mir passieren. (That surely won't happen to me of all people.) |
6. mindestens | at least | Sie ist mindestens zwanzig Jahre alt. (She is at least twenty years old.) |
7. wenigstens | at least | Wenigstens du hast mir geholfen. (At least you helped me.) |
8. zumindest | at least | Eine Stellenausschreibung sollte zumindest die Tätigkeitsbezeichnung enthalten. (A job advertisement should contain at least the job title.) |
9. allenfalls | at most | Ich weiß, wie weit ich allenfalls gehen darf. (I know how far I am allowed to go at most.) |
10. bestenfalls | at best | Die Wirtschaft wird bestenfalls um ein Prozent wachsen. (The economy will grow by at most one percent.) |
11. bloß | only | Er denkt bloß an sich. (He only thinks of himself.) |
Knowledge test
Focus Particles
- 1.
............. du hast mir geholfen.
- 2.
Dieses Buch hat mir ............... gut gefallen.