thereby / through this
Loading your saved state.
thereby
Refers to something or an action mentioned previously and expresses that something happens by this means or in this way. It means roughly 'dadurch' (thereby) or 'auf diesem Wege' (in this way) and is used mainly in formal language.
Der Antrag wurde genehmigt; hierdurch ist der Bau des neuen Gebäudes nun möglich.
The application was approved; thereby, construction of the new building is now possible.
'Hierdurch' is a compound of 'hier' (here) and 'durch' (through). It literally means 'through this' and refers to a cause or means that was mentioned immediately before.
Das neue Gesetz tritt morgen in Kraft. Hierdurch ändern sich einige Regelungen für Autofahrer.
The new law comes into effect tomorrow. As a result, some regulations for drivers will change.
When 'hierdurch' (thereby) stands at the beginning of a sentence (position 1), the conjugated verb follows directly in position 2. This word order is called inversion.
Die Straße ist gesperrt. Hierdurch müssen alle eine Umleitung fahren.
The road is closed. Because of this, everyone has to take a detour.
This word is used almost exclusively in formal written language. You often find it in official letters, legal texts, or academic papers.
Der Vertrag ist nun von beiden Parteien unterschrieben. Hierdurch wird er rechtskräftig.
The contract has now been signed by both parties. Thereby, it becomes legally binding.
so that / with it
'damit' and 'hierdurch' can both refer to something mentioned earlier. 'damit' then means 'mit dieser Sache' (with this thing) and is very common in everyday language. 'hierdurch' means more like 'durch diese Handlung' (through this action) or 'auf diese Weise' (in this way) and sounds more formal. Learners may confuse the words because both point to a means or to something mentioned previously. What is important: 'damit' can also introduce a purpose clause, but 'hierdurch' cannot.
Die Software wurde aktualisiert; hierdurch läuft das Programm jetzt stabiler.
The software was updated; as a result, the program now runs more reliably.
Ich habe den alten Topf noch, aber ich koche kaum noch damit.
I still have the old pot, but I hardly ever cook with it anymore.