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Particles (Partikeln)

Particles are small words that add nuance, emphasis, or emotion to a sentence but do not change its basic meaning. They are common in spoken German and can be tricky for learners.

Types of Particles

  • Modal particles: express attitude, mood, or emphasis (e.g., doch, mal, ja, wohl, eben, halt, schon)
  • Intensifying particles: strengthen or weaken the meaning (e.g., sehr, ganz, ziemlich, nur)
  • Focus particles: highlight or restrict (e.g., nur, auch, sogar, erst, selbst)

Examples

  • Komm doch mit! (Come along, will you!) – modal particle
  • Das ist ja interessant! (That’s really interesting!) – modal particle
  • Ich habe nur einen Bruder. (I have only one brother.) – focus particle
  • Sie ist ganz nett. (She is quite nice.) – intensifying particle

Notes

  • Particles do not change the grammatical structure of a sentence.
  • Their meaning often depends on context and intonation.
  • Some particles have no direct translation in English.

Learning to use particles naturally will make your German sound more fluent and native-like.