01
immer
always
At all times, without exception; constantly.
example
Er kommt immer zu spät zur Arbeit.
He always comes to work late.
immer
always
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Sentence position
'Immer' (always) typically comes directly after the conjugated verb. When it appears at the beginning of a sentence to emphasize time, the verb follows directly after it (inversion).
EXAMPLE
Sie trinkt morgens immer einen Kaffee.
She always drinks a coffee in the morning.
Use with comparatives
The structure 'immer + Komparativ' (always + comparative), e.g., 'schneller' (faster), 'besser' (better), 'mehr' (more), means 'increasingly' or 'progressively'. It describes a continuous increase.
EXAMPLE
Das Leben in der Stadt wird immer teurer.
Life in the city is becoming increasingly expensive.
Fixed expression
The combination 'immer noch' (still) means 'continuing' and emphasizes that a state has not changed. It can also express slight surprise or impatience.
EXAMPLE
Er wartet immer noch auf eine Antwort auf seine Bewerbung.
He is still waiting for a response to his application.
Fixed expression
The combination 'immer wieder' (again and again) means 'repeatedly' or 'several times'. It describes an action that happens again at regular or irregular intervals.
EXAMPLE
Er vergisst immer wieder seinen Schlüssel.
He keeps forgetting his key.
Fixed expression
The expression 'für immer' (forever) means 'eternally' or 'for all time'. It is often used in emotional or absolute contexts.
EXAMPLE
Sie versprachen sich, für immer Freunde zu bleiben.
They promised each other to remain friends forever.
Compare with
immer vs nie
never
'immer' and 'nie' are clear opposites. Both talk about frequency or time. 'immer' means that something happens at all times or on every occasion. 'nie' means that something happens at no time. Learners may confuse them because both often appear in a similar position in the sentence. Also important: 'nie' already makes the sentence negative, so you normally do not need an additional 'nicht'. So 'immer' means 'every time', while 'nie' means 'not even once'.
immer
Im Sommer trinke ich immer Wasser mit Zitrone.
In summer, I always drink water with lemon.
nie
In der Küche bleibt der Herd nie an, wenn niemand zu Hause ist.
In the kitchen, the stove is never left on when no one is at home.
In real life
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