01
aber
but
Introduces a contrast or limitation to something said previously.
example
Der Film war gut, aber sehr lang.
The film was good, but very long.
aber
but
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Meanings
01 / 03
Usage tips
Word order
'Aber' (but) belongs to the conjunctions that have no influence on word order. When it connects two main clauses, it stands in 'position 0' and the verb of the second clause follows in position 2.
EXAMPLE
Ich würde gerne mitkommen, aber ich habe leider keine Zeit.
I would like to come along, but unfortunately I don't have time.
Position as a particle
When 'aber' (really) is used for emphasis, it is a particle and does not stand at the beginning of the sentence. It typically stands after the verb and emphasizes a quality or feeling, often in an exclamation.
EXAMPLE
Du kannst aber gut kochen!
You really can cook well!
Managing conversation
In the meaning 'back to the topic', 'aber' (but) is used to steer a conversation back to the original point after a digression. This is typical of spoken language.
EXAMPLE
Das war also mein Urlaub. Aber, was wolltest du mich eigentlich fragen?
So that was my vacation. But what did you actually want to ask me?
Compare with
aber vs und
and
'und' and 'aber' both connect parts of a sentence. 'und' simply adds information in a sequence: both parts fit together or stand neutrally side by side. 'aber' shows a contrast or limitation: the second part does not quite fit what you would expect. The words can be confused because both can stand in the same place in a sentence. If you only want to add something, use 'und'. If you want to show a contrast, use 'aber'.
aber
Mein Kollege wollte in der Pause anrufen, aber sein Handy war leer.
My colleague wanted to call during the break, but his phone was dead.
und
Im Bus saßen Lena und Tom nebeneinander.
Lena and Tom sat next to each other on the bus.
In real life
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