manchmal
sometimes
At some times, but not always; occasionally, now and then.
EXAMPLE
Manchmal trinke ich Kaffee, aber meistens bevorzuge ich Tee.
Sometimes I drink coffee, but most of the time I prefer tea.
manchmal
sometimes
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Meanings
Usage tips
Position in the sentence
'Manchmal' can stand in different positions in the sentence. If it is in position 1, the conjugated verb follows immediately (inversion). However, it can also stand after the verb and subject.
EXAMPLE
Manchmal gehe ich am Sonntag spazieren.
Sometimes I go for a walk on Sunday.
Word structure
The word is made up of 'manch' and 'Mal'. Literally, it means 'manches Mal' (some times) and expresses that something happens occasionally but irregularly.
EXAMPLE
Manchmal frage ich mich, ob das die richtige Entscheidung war.
Sometimes I wonder whether that was the right decision.
Answer to a question
'Manchmal' is a typical answer to a 'Wie oft...?' (How often...?) question when the frequency is irregular or you do not want to commit to a precise answer.
EXAMPLE
„Gehst du oft ins Fitnessstudio?“ – „Manchmal, wenn ich Zeit habe.“
“Do you often go to the gym?” — “Sometimes, when I have time.”
Compare with
manchmal vs teilweise
partly
Both words say that something does not happen all the time. „Manchmal“ mainly refers to individual occasions or events. „Teilweise“, on the other hand, describes a proportion of a longer activity or an overall period. Use „manchmal“ for individual cases and „teilweise“ for a proportion.
manchmal
Ich arbeite manchmal im Büro und manchmal zu Hause.
Sometimes I work at the office and sometimes at home.
teilweise
Ich arbeite teilweise im Büro und teilweise zu Hause.
I work partly at the office and partly at home.
In real life
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