mittel
middle
Located in the middle between two points, parts, or extremes.
EXAMPLE
Die mittlere Reihe war bereits vollständig besetzt.
The middle row was already completely full.
mittel
middle / medium / average
mittel – mittler – am mittelsten
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Meanings
mittel
medium
Having a size, strength, or quantity between small and large or between weak and strong.
EXAMPLE
Sie bestellte eine Pizza in mittlerer Größe.
She ordered a medium-sized pizza.
mittel
average
Neither particularly good nor particularly bad; average or mediocre.
EXAMPLE
Die Qualität des Hotels war insgesamt nur mittel.
Overall, the quality of the hotel was only average.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry mittel, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Comparison
| basic form | mittel |
|---|---|
| comparative | mittler |
| superlative | am mittelsten |
Usage tips
Typical location expressions
When describing location, typical phrases include 'in der mittleren Reihe' (in the middle row), 'im mittleren Fach' (in the middle compartment), and 'auf dem mittleren Sitz' (in the middle seat). These help you specify a position within an ordered group.
EXAMPLE
Du findest die Unterlagen im mittleren Fach des Regals.
You'll find the documents in the middle compartment of the shelving unit.
Typical collocations
Common phrases include 'bei mittlerer Hitze' (over medium heat), 'mit mittlerer Geschwindigkeit' (at medium speed), and 'von mittlerer Größe' (of medium size). The phrase 'bei mittlerer Hitze' (over medium heat) is especially common in cooking instructions.
EXAMPLE
Brate die Zwiebeln bei mittlerer Hitze, bis sie weich sind.
Fry the onions over medium heat until they are soft.
Informal assessment
When giving an assessment, 'mittel' (average) is especially common in informal conversations and is often used with 'nur' (only). Such an assessment usually sounds unenthusiastic and can express mild disappointment.
EXAMPLE
Ich fand das Konzert nur mittel.
I thought the concert was only average.
In real life
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