Posted by Wait a minute! 3Just in case you are wondering if this is about matter (atomic particles), no! It’s not. Particles in this sense is referring to those words that are often used to add “spice” to a sentence. Learn what they are…
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| 1. The concept of a particle 2. Characteristics of a particle 3. Categories of German particles |
According to the Cambridge dictionary, a particle is a word that has a grammatical purpose but often has little or no meaning by itself. The German particles can resemble the examples of some parts of speech like adverbs, adjectives, prepositions and interjections but nevertheless may differ completely in meaning when used in this context.
Characteristics of German particles
Since some German particles are equally the examples of some adjectives, adverbs and interjections and they tend to possess certain characteristics below which make it easier for them to be separated or identified from their lookalike parts-of-speech.
- They can’t be a perfect answer to a question
- They are placed in the third position in the absence of an adverb or a pronoun
- They can either strengthen or weaken the effect of an adjective
- They can modify or intensify the meaning of a verb or an adjective
- They bring the emphasis out of a sentence
- They are mostly used in spoken language
- They express the emotions of the speaker
- They can change the context of a sentence to positive or negative
- They can always be omitted from the sentence without any significant difference made
Categories/types of German particles
The German particles are of several categories based on the different roles that they perform in a sentence as listed below.
Gradpartikel
Gradpartikel or intensifying particles are used to express the extremity of a situation in a positive or negative manner and are placed directly after an adverb and/or pronouns and before an adjective. Some examples are;
| German | English |
|---|---|
| absolut enorm recht sehr zu total gemein völlig weit ziemlich höchst überall etwas extreme einigermaßen ganz ungewöhnlich kaum außerordentlich | absolutely tremendously plainly very too total maliciously utter widely quite highly entire barely extremely fairly entirely unusually hardly disproportionately |
| German | English |
|---|---|
| 1. Der Mann ist sehr nett. 2. Sara hat völlig recht, darüber zu sprechen. 3. Ich bin ganz zufrieden mit deinem Service. | The man is very nice. Sara is utterly correct to speak about it. I am entirely satisfied with your service. |
Negation Partikel
These particles are only used to negate a sentence or statement. Some examples are;
| German | English |
|---|---|
| nicht keinerlei nein zu | not not at all no too/overly |
| German | English |
|---|---|
| 1. Wir kaufen keinerlei Brötchen. 2. Warum besuchst du mich nicht mehr? 3. Diese Hosen sind zu teuer. | We are not buying bread at all. Why don’t you visit me anymore? This trousers are too expensive. |
Gesprächspartikel
These particles are used in conversations by one speaker in response to another to show their support or objection to their opinion. Some examples are;
| German | English |
|---|---|
| hm gern okay gut richtig genau prima | hmm gladly ok good correct exactly super |
| Speaker A | Speaker B |
|---|---|
| 1. Ich wollte früher nicht ins Kino gehen aber jetzt habe ich Lust. 2. Du sagst, dass wir zusammen ins Kino gehen können. | Super, dann gehen wir. Hm, ich meinte, dass wir zusammen zu Hause Film schauen können. |
Modalpartikel
These particles are mostly used in spoken language to convey the mood, attitude or feelings of the speaker. They are multi-dimensional in function and can therefore alter the meaning of same sentence at different points in time. Some examples are;
| German | English |
|---|---|
| nun nur ja doch wohl schon erst vielleicht eben eigentlich denn mal überhaupt | now just yes yes well already first perhaps even actually then just at all |
| German | English |
|---|---|
| 1. Bruno, komm mal hier bitte. 2. Du weißt ja, dass ich arbeiten muss. 3. Was gibt überhaupt zum Mittagessen? | Bruno, (just) come here please. You know that I have to work. What’s there at all for lunch? |
Fokus Partikel
These particles can be used to emphasize or highlight the importance of something. They usually stay connected to the part of the sentence that their emphasis is on. Some examples are;
| German | English |
|---|---|
| so fast ziemlich sogar vor allem etwas wenig zutiefst höchst zu äußerst besonders sehr überaus | well almost quite even first of all barely little whole-hearted top overly extremely mainly immensely exceedingly |
Ausdruckspartikel
From the name, it is quite obvious that these particles are used to make exclamatory expressions in response to surprise, pain or excitement, burden or relief, agreement or disagreement and pleasure or disgust. Some examples are;
| German | English | Situation |
|---|---|---|
| ja nein oh he! pfui ach ja aua ah uff hurra igitt hoppla schade hu juhu leider | yes! no! oh! hey! ugh! oh well! ouch! ah! phew! hurray! yuck! whoops! too bad! hugu! yippie unfortunate | agreement disagreement surprise surprise disgust agreement pain surprise relief excitement disgust surprise burden relief excitement burden |
| German | English |
|---|---|
| 1. Hurra! Am Montag feiern wir das Sommerfest. 2. Aua! Du tust mir weh. | Hurray! We are celebrating the summer festival on Monday. Ouch! You are hurting me. |
Lautmalende Partikel
These are particles whose pronunciation resemble their spellings. Some examples are;
| German | English |
|---|---|
| wau wau dong ticktack miau quak | woof! dung! ticktock! meow! quack! |