always / from time immemorial
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always
A fixed expression meaning that something has always been the case or has been so for a very long time. It expresses a long, unchanged tradition or state.
Unsere Familie lebt von jeher in diesem Dorf.
Our family has always lived in this village.
The adverb 'jeher' is used almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'von jeher' (always, from time immemorial). It never stands alone.
Dieses Fest wird in unserem Dorf von jeher am ersten Sonntag im Mai gefeiert.
This festival has always been celebrated in our village on the first Sunday in May.
The expression 'von jeher' (always, from time immemorial) can stand at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle. If it stands at the beginning, the verb follows in position 2.
Von jeher war Musik ein wichtiger Teil ihres Lebens.
Music had always been an important part of her life.
The expression 'von jeher' belongs to an elevated style. It is used in written language or in thoughtful spoken language to emphasize a long tradition.
Die Kunst des Uhrmachens hat in dieser Region von jeher eine große Bedeutung.
The art of watchmaking has always had great importance in this region.
always
'immer' and 'jeher' can both express that something has been true for a very long time. But their usage is different. 'immer' is a normal adverb and can describe many situations: something always happens, has always been that way, or remains that way forever. 'jeher' appears almost only in the fixed expression 'von jeher'. This expression means that something has been the case for a very long time or traditionally. Learners may confuse the words because 'von jeher' sounds similar to 'schon immer' (always / all along). Remember: you normally do not say 'jeher' by itself, but 'von jeher'.
In diesem Dorf feiern die Familien von jeher gemeinsam das Sommerfest.
In this village, the families have always celebrated the summer festival together.
Ihr habt nach dem Unterricht immer noch viele Fragen.
You still always have lots of questions after class.