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Vocabulary · B1 function words

German B1 Function Words

The 37 function words of German B1, commonest first.

37 with audio

By level

sondern

[ˈzɔndɐn] conj
1
  1. but (instead)
  2. so? / then what? / so you tell me! (interjection)
  3. to separate / to sunder (verb)
Dictionary wording
  1. rather, but (instead).
  2. so?, then what?, so you tell me!
  3. to separate, to sunder

Er hat sie nicht genommen, sondern ich.

Well, he didn't take it.

Das ist nicht seine Idee, sondern meine.

It's not his idea, it's mine.

Das ist nicht meine Schwester, sondern meine Mutter.

She is not my sister but my mother.

ob

/ɔp/ conj
2
  1. whether / if
  2. if / in case
  3. on account of (preposition)
  4. over / above / on (preposition)
Dictionary wording
  1. Introduces an indirect question, a doubt. if, whether.
  2. if, in case
  3. on account of
  4. over, above, on

Er tut so als ob.

He's faking.

Wir tun einfach so, als ob.

We're just pretending.

Ich weiß nicht, ob das gut ist.

I don't know if it's good.

während

/ˈvɛːʁənt/ conj
3
  1. while
  2. whereas / while (in contrast)
  3. during / at the time of (preposition)
Dictionary wording
  1. while (at the same time as)
  2. whereas, while (in contrast to)
  3. during, at the time of

Sei ruhig während der Stunde.

Be quiet during the lesson.

Halte ihn, während ich ihn hole!

Hold him while I get it.

Sprich nicht mit ihm, während er fährt.

Don't talk to him while he's driving.

bevor

/bəˈfoːr/ conj
4
  1. before
  2. before (adverb)

Ich will Sie sehen, bevor Sie gehen.

I want to see you before you go.

Essen wir noch etwas, bevor wir gehen!

Let's eat something before we leave.

Du solltest etwas essen, bevor du gehst.

You should eat something before you go.

halt

/halt/ intj
5
  1. stop!
  2. wait!
  3. just / simply / indeed (modal particle)
  4. hold / adhesion
Dictionary wording
  1. stop!, wait!
  2. Indicating that something is generally known, or cannot be changed, or the like; often untranslatable; so, just, simply, indeed, well
  3. hold; adhesion
  4. foothold; grip
  5. support
  6. stop (e.g. of a train)

So ist halt das Leben.

That's just how life is.

So ist das Leben halt.

That's just how life goes.

So ist er halt.

That's the way he is.

statt

/ʃtat/ conj
6
  1. instead of
  2. in one's stead
  3. abode / stead / place
Dictionary wording
  1. instead of
  2. instead of, in one's stead
  3. abode, stead, place

Lass uns nach Hause gehen, statt hier zu essen!

Instead of eating here, let's go home.

Könnten Sie das an meiner statt tun?

Could you do this instead of me?

Er geht an deiner statt.

He will go in your place.

falls

/fals/ conj
7
  1. if
  2. in case
Dictionary wording
  1. if, in the event that
  2. in case, in order to be prepared if
= für den Fall, dass= wenn

Ich komme, falls ich Zeit habe.

I'll come if I have time.

Ich liebe sie, falls du das meinst.

I'm in love with her, if that's what you mean.

Und falls nicht, wissen Sie vielleicht, was man ihm sagen könnte.

And if I haven't, perhaps you will know what to say.

trotz

/trɔts/ prep
8
  1. despite
  2. in spite of
  3. defiance (noun)
Dictionary wording
  1. in spite of, despite
  2. defiance

Governs

  • trotz + Dativ in speech

  • trotz + Genitiv in writing

Er ging trotz des Sturmes nach draußen.

He went out in spite of the storm.

Ich habe das trotz des Regens gemacht.

I did that in spite of the rain.

Ich habe das trotz des Regens getan.

I did that in spite of the rain.

nachdem

/naːxˈdeːm/ conj
9
  1. after
  2. given that / being that
Dictionary wording
  1. after (that)
  2. given that, being that

Wir gehen, nachdem wir gegessen haben.

We'll go after we eat.

Er kam, nachdem du gegangen warst.

He came after you left.

Er kam an, nachdem ich gegangen war.

He arrived after I had left.

sobald

/zoˈbalt/ conj
10
  1. as soon as
  2. by the time
Dictionary wording
  1. as soon as, by the time

Komm, sobald du kannst.

Come as soon as you can.

Ich komme nach, sobald ich kann.

I'll be there if I'm up for it.

Mach es, sobald du Zeit hast.

Do it when you have time.

obwohl

/ɔpˈvoːl/ conj
11
  1. although
  2. though
  3. while
Dictionary wording
  1. although, though, while

Warum läufst du, obwohl du ein Auto hast?

Why do you walk when you have a car?

Sie heiratete ihn, obwohl sie ihn nicht mochte.

She married him even though she didn't like him.

Wir trafen uns noch nicht, obwohl Sie schon länger bei uns sind.

I've not met you before, though you've been with us for some time.

weder

/ˈveːdɐ/ conj
12
  1. neither
Dictionary wording
  1. neither (only with noch)

Ich sage weder ja noch nein.

I wouldn't say yes and I wouldn't say no.

Das hat weder Hand noch Fuß.

That's pointless.

Sie kann weder lesen noch schreiben.

She can't write or read.

derselbe

pron
13
  1. the same
  2. selfsame
  3. idem
  4. (determiner) the same

Tom ist nicht mehr derselbe, seit du ihn verlassen hast.

Tom hasn't been the same since you left him.

Tom ist nicht mehr derselbe, der er einmal war.

Tom isn't the same man he used to be.

Tom war nach seinem Unfall nicht mehr derselbe.

Tom was never the same after his accident.

selber

/ˈzɛlbər/ pron
14
  1. self
  2. by oneself / on one's own / alone
  3. the same
Dictionary wording
  1. self (as in myself, yourself, himself etc.)
  2. by oneself, on one's own, alone
  3. the same

Ich dachte, es sei am besten, dass ihr es Tom selber sagt.

I thought it would be best if you told Tom yourself.

Es wäre das Beste für dich, die Arbeit selber zu machen.

The best thing would be for you to do the work yourself.

Ich dachte, das Beste wäre, Sie sagen es Tom selber.

I thought it would be best if you told Tom yourself.

angesichts

/ˈʔanɡəzɪçts/ prep
15
  1. in view of
  2. at the sight of
  3. in the face of
Dictionary wording
  1. at the sight of
  2. in view of, in the face of

Governs

  • angesichts + Genitiv

Ich könnte jetzt eins vertragen, angesichts ihrer Krankheit.

With her sick, I certainly need one.

Natürlich wird ihnen das, angesichts früherer Versuche, wenig bringen.

Of course, from their former record, it'll do them little good.

Nicht viel, angesichts dessen, was du zu leiden hattest.

Too little, after all you've been through.

naja

/na(ː)ˈja(ː)/ intj
16
  1. well
  2. uh-huh / if you say so (expresses disagreement)
Dictionary wording
  1. well
  2. uh-huh, if you say so (expresses disagreement with what was said but an unwillingness to argue about it)

manch

/manç/ pron
17
  1. some
  2. many a
  3. many
Dictionary wording
  1. many a; many; some

Warum raucht manch einer noch immer?

Why do people still smoke?

Im Sommer fährt manch einer ans Meer.

In the summer, people go to the seaside.

indem

/ɪnˈdeːm/ conj
18
  1. by (means)
  2. while / at the time that
Dictionary wording
  1. by (indicates a means)
  2. while, at the time that

Sie wollen uns fertig machen, indem sie uns die Ehre nehmen.

They're working on our spirits, trying to make us cringe and crawl, working on our decency.

Dieses Mal kannst du es nur retten, indem du bleibst.

This time you can only save it by staying here.

Aber du kannst, alter Junge, indem du dich nicht sorgst.

But you can, old boy, by not worrying.

entweder

/ˈɛntveːdɐ/ conj
19
  1. either
Dictionary wording
  1. either (only with oder)

Türen sind entweder auf oder zu.

Doors are either open or closed.

Es waren entweder du oder der Junge.

Either you or that kid done it.

Es ist entweder zu spät oder zu früh.

It's either too late or too early.

soweit

[zoˈvaɪ̯t] conj
20
  1. as far as
  2. if / assuming that
Dictionary wording
  1. as far as (in the scope in which something holds)
  2. if (supposing that; assuming that)

Alles ist soweit gut.

Everything is fine so far.

Gut, ich bin soweit.

OK, I'm ready.

Seid ihr alle soweit?

Is everyone ready?

irgendwelche

/ˈɪʁɡn̩tˌvɛlçə/ pron
22
  1. any
Dictionary wording
  1. any (no matter which)

Gab es irgendwelche Probleme?

Were there any problems?

Gibt es irgendwelche Fragen?

Are there any questions?

Hatten Sie irgendwelche Fragen?

Did you have any questions?

sorry

/ˈzɔʁi/ intj
23
  1. sorry
Dictionary wording
  1. sorry (expressing regret)

jener

/ˈjeːnɐ/ pron
24
  1. that one
  2. that
Dictionary wording
  1. that, that one

Bringt jenes Kind.

Bring along that woman.

Nicht seit jener Nacht.

Not since that night.

Was geschah in jener Nacht?

What happened that night?

aha

/ʔaˈha/ intj
25
  1. aha

sowas

/ˈzoːvas/ pron
26
  1. that sort of thing
  2. something like this
Dictionary wording
  1. that sort of thing, something like this

Ich mach sowas nicht oft.

I don't often do this kind of thing.

Komm mir nicht mit sowas!

Don't give me that!

Sag sowas nicht noch einmal.

Don't say such a thing again.

via

prep
27
  1. via
  2. by way of
  3. by means of
Dictionary wording
  1. via, by way of
  2. by way of, by means of

Governs

  • via + Akkusativ

Sie flogen via New York nach Paris.

They flew to Paris by way of New York.

Ich reiste via Amerika nach Europa.

I went to Europe by way of America.

Als sie im Ausland war, telefonierte sie häufig via Skype.

When she was abroad, she often used Skype.

inklusive

prep
28
  1. including
  2. also including the last-mentioned term

Governs

  • inklusive + Genitiv

Hier haben Sie 100, inklusive Steuern.

There's 100 bills right here, tax included.

Eine Hochzeit drinnen, inklusive Regen.

An indoor wedding in the rain.

Der Preis ist inklusive Steuer.

The price includes tax.

prost

/pʁoːst/ intj
29
  1. cheers
  2. (response to belching/sneezing) bless you
Dictionary wording
  1. cheers (the usual toast when drinking alcohol)
  2. used as a response to belching or (less often) sneezing

sodass

/zoˈdas/ conj
30
  1. so that
  2. such that

Schneller, sodass du fliegen kannst.

Faster! Get up flying speed!

Ich sprach langsam, sodass sie mich verstehen konnten.

I spoke slowly so that they could understand me.

Ich war sehr müde, sodass ich früh zu Bett ging.

I was very tired, so I went to bed early.

soviel

conj
31
  1. as far as
  2. so much / so many / as much / as many
Dictionary wording
  1. as far as, so far as
  2. so much, so many, as much, as many

Warum flucht ihr soviel?

Why do you swear so much?

Warum kostet das soviel?

Why does it cost so much?

Warum trinken Sie soviel?

Why do you drink so much?

umso

[ˈʊmzoː] conj
32
  1. all the more
  2. the (with je, forming parallel comparative)
Dictionary wording
  1. the (forming the parallel comparative with je)
  2. all the more, so much (the)

Je mehr ich esse, umso größer wird mein Appetit.

The more I eat the bigger my appetite gets.

Wenn das so ist, umso besser.

If that's so, all the better.

Wenn es so ist, umso besser.

If that's so, all the better.

einschließlich

/ˈaɪ̯nʃliːslɪç/ prep
33
  1. including
  2. inclusively
Dictionary wording
  1. including, comprising
  2. inclusively

Governs

  • einschließlich + Dativ in speech

  • einschließlich + Genitiv in writing

Niemand, einschließlich mir.

Nobody, including me.

Das Ticket gilt bis einschließlich Montag.

The ticket is good through Monday.

Ist der Preis einschließlich Suppe und Salat?

Does that price include soup and salad?

stehen bleiben

[ˈʃteːən ˌblaɪ̯bn̩] phrase
34
  1. stop
  2. stay

Heda! Bleiben Sie gefälligst stehen!

diePädagogische Hochschule

[pɛdaˌɡoːɡɪʃə ˈhoːxˌʃuːlə] phrase
35
  1. university of education

Betreut wurde die Arbeit von einem Doktorvater, der seine Laufbahn als Dozent an den Pädagogischen Hochschulen in Braunschweig und Neuss begonnen hatte - jeweils Einrichtungen, die kein Promotionsrecht hatten.

et cetera

[ɛt ˈt͡seːteʁa] phrase
36
  1. and so on
  2. and so forth
Dictionary wording
  1. et cetera
  2. and so on
  3. and so forth

Gleichwohl bestreiten die Kreationisten nicht nur die Evolution, sondern auch die Grundzüge der Erdgeschichte, der Biologie, Zoologie, Paläontologie, Geschichte et cetera.

noch mal

[nɔx maːl] phrase
37
  1. again

More

Other B1 lists

Common questions

How many function words are in German B1?

The B1 list has 37 function words, out of 1,550 words at that level and 303 function words from A1 to C2.

Which B1 function words should I learn first?

Start at the top. The list is sorted by how often a word appears in a large corpus of spoken German, so sondern, ob, während, bevor, halt are the ones you will meet most.

What does each entry show?

Its meanings, example sentences with translations, and native audio.

Word data, examples and audio from Wiktionary, Tatoeba and OpenSubtitles, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.

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