01
bereits
already
Expresses that something happened earlier than expected or at an earlier point in time. Synonymous with 'schon' (already).
example
Als ich ankam, war der Zug bereits abgefahren.
When I arrived, the train had already left.
bereits
already
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Sentence position
The adverb 'bereits' (already) can stand in different positions in a sentence. It often appears in the middle field, but it can also stand in position 1 to emphasize the time. In this case, the verb follows directly after it.
EXAMPLE
Er hat die Prüfung bereits bestanden.
He has already passed the exam.
Style and register
The word 'bereits' (already) belongs more to written language and more formal contexts. It is used less often in everyday spoken language.
EXAMPLE
Der Bericht wurde bereits gestern fertiggestellt.
The report was already completed yesterday.
Sentence structure and emphasis
In this meaning, 'bereits' (even) often stands at the beginning of the sentence directly before a noun. It emphasizes that this one thing or person alone has a certain effect.
EXAMPLE
Bereits der Gedanke an die Prüfung machte ihn nervös.
Even the thought of the exam made him nervous.
Compare with
bereits vs nur
only
'nur' and 'bereits' can both limit or emphasize a statement, but they normally have different functions. 'nur' means: not more than what is mentioned, or only what is mentioned. 'bereits' usually means 'schon' (already) and says that something happened earlier than expected. They can be confused because 'bereits' in sentences like 'Bereits ein Anruf genügt' (even just one call is enough) works similarly to 'schon allein' (by itself / alone). In everyday use, the guideline is simple: for a restriction, you usually use 'nur'; for an earlier point in time, you usually use 'bereits'.
bereits
In der Nachbarschaft wissen bereits alle von dem Termin.
Everyone in the neighborhood already knows about the appointment.
nur
Vor dem Termin habe ich nur die wichtigsten Unterlagen für die Familie kopiert.
Before the appointment, I copied only the most important documents for the family.
In real life
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