Adverb Formation
Adverbs in German are mostly formed by turning adjectives into adverbs, and they remain in their base form without endings. This short guide walks you through the basic process so you can modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs with time, manner, place, and degree expressions.
Adjectives to Adverbs
To make an adverb from an adjective, simply use the adjective's base form without adding endings; it can then modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. This means adjectives used adverbially stay neuter and uninflected.
| German Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🥣 Die Suppe ist heiß. | The soup is hot. | Adjective |
| 🍶 Die Soße fließt heißherum. | The sauce flows hotly around. | Creative adverb |
| 🔥 Die Pfanne glüht heiss. | The pan glows hot. | Swiss spelling |
| 🧊 Die Soße kühlt schnell ab. | The sauce cools down quickly. | Typical adverb |
Adverbs of Time
Adverbs of time tell you when something happens and are used to position actions in time; they include single-word adverbs as well as short time expressions. Common adverbs of time work directly as adverbs without any change.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌅 Ich gieße morgens die Pflanzen. | I water the plants in the morning. |
| 🕒 Später gieße ich die zweiten Töpfe. | Later I water the second pots. |
| ⏩ Ich gieße jetzt die Vorderreihe. | I am watering the front row now. |
| 🌙 Abends bekommen alle noch Wasser. | In the evening everyone gets water. |
Adverbs of Manner
Adverbs of manner describe how an action is performed and are often formed from adjectives or provided as set adverbial expressions; they market the way of doing something. When precision is needed, use an adverb or a prepositional phrase to show manner.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 💧 Ich gieße vorsichtig über die Wurzeln. | I water carefully over the roots. |
| 🌊 Das Wasser fließt gleichmäßig in die Reihen. | The water flows evenly into the rows. |
| ⚡ Ich gieße schnell, bevor es regnet. | I water quickly before it rains. |
| 😊 Sie gießt fröhlich im Sonnenschein. | She waters happily in the sunshine. |
Adverbs of Place
Adverbs of place indicate where an action occurs and include simple adverbs as well as locative phrases; they guide the listener to a location. These adverbs remain in their base form when modifying verbs.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌱 Die Pflanzen dort sind durstig. | The plants there are thirsty. |
| 🪴 Ich gieße hier die Kräuter. | I water the herbs here. |
| 🧑🌾 Drüben im Beet steht die Gießkanne bereit. | Over there in the bed the watering can is ready. |
| 🔜 Ich gehe gleich zum nächsten Topf. | I am going to the next pot soon. |
Adverbs of Degree
Adverbs of degree modify the intensity or extent of an action, an adjective, or another adverb; they help you fine-tune meaning with words like sehr, ziemlich, or etwa. Degree adverbs come before the word they modify and stay uninflected.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 💦 Die Pflanzen sind sehr durstig. | The plants are very thirsty. |
| 🧴 Ich gieße etwas mehr bei den alten Bäumen. | I water a bit more for the old trees. |
| 🔥 Heute ist es besonders trocken. | Today it is especially dry. |
| ✅ Die meisten Töpfe sind genug gewässert. | Most pots are sufficiently watered. |
Summary
German adverbs mostly come from adjectives used in their base form without endings, and they are categorized by function: time, manner, place, and degree. Learning a handful of common adverbs in each category will help you describe actions precisely and naturally.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025