hauptsächlich
mainly
Expresses that something is the most important or predominant part of something; above all, primarily.
EXAMPLE
Ich ernähre mich hauptsächlich von Gemüse und Obst.
I mainly eat vegetables and fruit.
hauptsächlich
mainly
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is composed of 'Haupt' (main, head) and 'Sache' (thing, matter). 'Hauptsächlich' therefore literally means 'as far as the main matter is concerned' and emphasizes what is most important.
EXAMPLE
Die Hauptsache ist, dass alle gesund sind.
The main thing is that everyone is healthy.
Word order
As an adverb, 'hauptsächlich' can stand flexibly in the sentence. If it stands in position 1, the verb follows in second position. If it stands inside the sentence, it usually emphasizes what comes directly after it.
EXAMPLE
Hauptsächlich trinke ich morgens Kaffee.
Mainly, I drink coffee in the morning.
Use as an adjective
'Hauptsächlich' can also be used as an adjective before a noun. It then means 'main' or 'primary' and is declined like a normal adjective.
EXAMPLE
Der hauptsächliche Grund für die Verspätung war der Stau.
The main reason for the delay was the traffic jam.
Compare with
hauptsächlich vs überwiegend
predominantly
Hauptsächlich and überwiegend both indicate that something makes up the largest or most important part. Hauptsächlich tends to emphasize the focus, whereas überwiegend points more strongly to an actually large numerical share. Use hauptsächlich for the focus and überwiegend when there is a clear majority.
hauptsächlich
Der Kurs wird hauptsächlich von Berufstätigen besucht, richtet sich aber auch an Studierende.
The course is attended mainly by working professionals, but it is also open to students.
überwiegend
Der Kurs wird überwiegend von Berufstätigen besucht, die fast drei Viertel der Teilnehmenden ausmachen.
The course is attended predominantly by working professionals, who make up almost three quarters of the participants.
In real life
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