01
bekanntlich
as is well known
Used to introduce a fact that one assumes is generally known.
example
Geduld ist bekanntlich eine Tugend.
Patience, as is well known, is a virtue.
bekanntlich
as is well known
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The adverb 'bekanntlich' (as is well known) is derived from the adjective 'bekannt' (known). The ending '-lich' turns the adjective into an adverb meaning 'in a known way.'
EXAMPLE
Der Mount Everest ist der bekanntlich höchste Berg der Welt.
Mount Everest is, as is well known, the highest mountain in the world.
Sentence position
'Bekanntlich' (as is well known) can stand in two typical positions in a sentence. Either in position 1, in which case the verb follows immediately (inversion), or inside the sentence, usually directly after the conjugated verb.
EXAMPLE
Bekanntlich schläft unser Hund sehr viel.
As is well known, our dog sleeps a lot.
Usage note
With 'bekanntlich' (as is well known), you signal that you assume the information is not new to the listeners or readers. It creates a shared knowledge base.
EXAMPLE
Rom wurde bekanntlich nicht an einem Tag erbaut.
Rome, as is well known, was not built in a day.
Compare with
bekanntlich vs vermutlich
presumably
'vermutlich' and 'bekanntlich' both often come before a statement, but they show very different things. 'vermutlich' says: you are not completely sure, but it is likely. 'bekanntlich' says: the information is considered known or common knowledge. The words can be confused because both show the speaker's attitude toward the statement. The important point is certainty: with 'vermutlich', some doubt remains; with 'bekanntlich', you present something as a known fact.
bekanntlich
Wasser gefriert bekanntlich bei null Grad.
Water, as is well known, freezes at zero degrees.
vermutlich
Der Termin fällt vermutlich aus, weil die Ärztin krank ist.
The appointment will probably be canceled because the doctor is sick.
In real life
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