01
normal
Corresponding to the usual standards, the norm, or expectations; ordinary, typical.
example
Es ist ganz normal, vor einer wichtigen Prüfung aufgeregt zu sein.
It's completely normal to be nervous before an important exam.
normal
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 02
Usage tips
Word family
'Normal' belongs to the word family around 'die Norm' (the norm). The adverb 'normalerweise' (normally) is very common and means 'as a rule' or 'usually'.
EXAMPLE
Normalerweise trinke ich morgens Kaffee, aber heute habe ich Tee getrunken.
Normally I drink coffee in the morning, but today I had tea.
Typical sentence patterns
The constructions 'Es ist normal, dass ...' (It is normal that ...) with a subordinate clause and 'Es ist normal, ... zu ...' (It is normal to ...) with an infinitive are very common. You can use them to express a general expectation or rule.
EXAMPLE
Es ist völlig normal, am Anfang ein paar Fehler zu machen.
It's completely normal to make a few mistakes at the beginning.
Register and style
The meaning 'sehr' (very) or 'total' (totally) is purely colloquial and youth language. Avoid this use in formal or written contexts so that you don't sound inappropriate.
EXAMPLE
Die Party gestern war normal cool!
The party yesterday was totally cool!
Context clue
You can recognize the colloquial meaning by the fact that 'normal' stands before another adjective or adverb and intensifies it. In its standard meaning, it would refer to a noun.
EXAMPLE
Ich bin heute normal müde, weil ich schlecht geschlafen habe.
I'm really tired today because I slept badly.
Compare with
normal vs sehr
very
'sehr' and 'normal' can both be used for emphasis in colloquial language. In that case, 'normal' means roughly 'very' or 'totally'. However, this use of 'normal' is strongly colloquial and is heard especially in youth language. 'sehr' is the neutral form and is understood everywhere. If you want to speak or write clearly and safely, 'sehr' is usually the better choice.
normal
Nach dem Spiel war der Torwart normal stolz auf sein Team.
After the game, the goalkeeper was really proud of his team.
sehr
Frau Lange spricht am Telefon sehr freundlich mit den Eltern.
Ms. Lange speaks very kindly with the parents on the phone.
In real life
Loading video examples...