01
allgemein
general
Concerning all or most people or things; valid for everyone and not limited to a specific case.
example
Rauchen ist in öffentlichen Gebäuden allgemein verboten.
Smoking is generally prohibited in public buildings.
allgemein
general
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
The word is made up of 'all' (all) and 'gemein'. Here, 'gemein' does not mean 'mean' or 'nasty', but rather 'shared' or 'common', as in the word 'Gemeinde' (community/municipality). So 'allgemein' literally means 'shared by all'.
EXAMPLE
Das ist eine Frage von allgemeinem Interesse.
That is a question of general interest.
Fixed expression
The expression 'im Allgemeinen' (in general) is a fixed adverbial phrase and means 'normally'. If it stands at the beginning of a sentence, the verb follows in position two (inversion).
EXAMPLE
Im Allgemeinen schließt das Geschäft um 18 Uhr.
In general, the shop closes at 6 p.m.
Typical collocations
Common combinations are 'allgemein bekannt' (generally known), 'allgemein gültig' (generally valid), or 'allgemein zugänglich' (generally accessible). It also occurs in fixed terms such as 'allgemeine Geschäftsbedingungen' (general terms and conditions, AGB) or 'der allgemeine Wille' (the general will).
EXAMPLE
Es ist allgemein bekannt, dass Sport gesund ist.
It is generally known that exercise is healthy.
Context: criticism
In the meaning of 'not specific', 'allgemein' (general) is often used in a critical context, frequently intensified with 'zu' (too). A statement is then 'zu allgemein' (too general) to be useful.
EXAMPLE
Seine Antwort war mir zu allgemein, ich brauche mehr Details.
His answer was too general for me; I need more details.
Compare with
allgemein vs überhaupt
at all / generally
'überhaupt' and 'allgemein' can both express that you are not talking about just one individual case. 'überhaupt' is an adverb and is often used to look at a topic in a basic or very broad way. 'allgemein' can describe something as an adjective that affects many or everyone, or in the phrase 'im Allgemeinen' it can mean 'usually'. There is a risk of confusion because both can express a general view. As a practical rule: 'im Allgemeinen' works well for 'normally', while 'überhaupt' fits better when you are making a general remark or strongly emphasizing a statement.
allgemein
Im Allgemeinen planen wir unsere Termine eine Woche vorher.
In general, we plan our appointments a week in advance.
überhaupt
Warum braucht ihr überhaupt so viel Geld für den Kurs?
Why do you need so much money for the course in the first place?
In real life
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