constant / continuous
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continuous
Something that continues or happens without interruption over a longer period of time; uninterrupted.
Der andauernde Lärm von der Baustelle macht mich wahnsinnig.
The continuous noise from the construction site is driving me crazy.
constantly
Used in colloquial language to express that something happens repeatedly all the time or very often, often with an annoyed emphasis.
Warum musst du mich andauernd beim Reden unterbrechen?
Why do you have to constantly interrupt me while I'm talking?
'Andauernd' (continuous/constant) is the present participle of the separable verb 'andauern' (to continue/last). The verb means 'fortbestehen' (to continue to exist) or 'weitergehen' (to go on). The prefix 'an' here emphasizes the beginning and continuation of a state.
Die Kälteperiode dauert schon seit Wochen an.
The cold spell has been continuing for weeks.
The word can stand as an adjective before a noun or as an adverb that describes a verb. As an adjective it is declined; as an adverb it remains unchanged.
Der andauernde Regen ist schlecht für die Ernte.
The continuous rain is bad for the harvest.
In the meaning 'ständig wiederholt' (constantly repeated), 'andauernd' is mainly used colloquially. It often expresses that the speaker is annoyed by the repetition.
Mein Handy klingelt andauernd, ich kann mich nicht konzentrieren.
My phone keeps ringing constantly; I can't concentrate.
The neutral meaning describes an uninterrupted state (e.g., pain, noise). The colloquial, negative meaning describes a constantly repeated action (e.g., calling, asking).
Er leidet unter andauernden Kopfschmerzen.
He suffers from continuous headaches.
always
When describing annoying behavior, immer wieder and andauernd can both work. Immer wieder emphasizes that something happens repeatedly, with pauses in between. Andauernd gives more of an impression that it happens constantly or very often, often with a sense of annoyance. Choose immer wieder for individual repetitions and andauernd for the burdensome frequency.
Der Nachbar parkt andauernd vor unserer Einfahrt.
The neighbor is constantly parking in front of our driveway.
Der Nachbar parkt immer wieder vor unserer Einfahrt.
The neighbor keeps parking in front of our driveway.
