anfangs
initially / at first
At the beginning; in the first period or phase of something.
EXAMPLE
Anfangs war ich skeptisch, aber jetzt bin ich von dem Projekt überzeugt.
At first I was skeptical, but now I'm convinced by the project.
anfangs
initially / at first
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The adverb 'anfangs' is derived from the noun 'der Anfang' (the beginning). The 's' at the end is a typical genitive ending used when forming adverbs from nouns, as also in 'morgens' (in the mornings) or 'abends' (in the evenings).
EXAMPLE
Anfangs dachte ich, die Aufgabe sei einfach.
At first I thought the task was easy.
Sentence position
'Anfangs' can be placed flexibly in the sentence. If it is in position 1, the conjugated verb follows directly. But it can also stand after the verb and the subject in the middle of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Anfangs lief alles nach Plan.
At first, everything went according to plan.
Typical contrast
'Anfangs' (initially / at first) is very often used to express a contrast with a later development. This contrast is often introduced with 'aber' (but), 'dann' (then), or 'später' (later).
EXAMPLE
Anfangs war das Wetter schlecht, aber später kam die Sonne heraus.
At first the weather was bad, but later the sun came out.
Compare with
anfangs vs erst
only / not until / first
Erst can express an initial state when a change is then usually mentioned with dann. Anfangs refers to the first phase independently, without requiring such a construction. Erst works well with an explicit contrast; anfangs is suitable for a general description of the first period.
anfangs
Anfangs war mir die neue Aufgabe schwer.
At first, the new task was difficult for me.
erst
Erst war mir die neue Aufgabe schwer, dann verstand ich sie immer besser.
At first, the new task was difficult for me, but then I understood it better and better.
In real life
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