sehr
very
Intensifies the meaning of an adjective or adverb and means 'to a high degree'.
EXAMPLE
Der Film war sehr spannend.
The film was very exciting.
sehr
very
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Meanings
sehr
very / greatly
Intensifies the meaning of a verb and expresses a high intensity of the action or feeling.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe mich sehr über deinen Besuch gefreut.
I was very happy about your visit.
Usage tips
False friend
English-speaking learners often incorrectly use 'so' to intensify adjectives. In German, `sehr` is the neutral word for 'to a high degree' (very).
EXAMPLE
Das Essen schmeckt sehr gut.
The food tastes very good.
Position in the sentence
As an adverb of intensification, `sehr` (very) stands directly before the adjective or adverb it modifies. It cannot stand between the article and the adjective.
EXAMPLE
Das ist ein sehr altes Haus.
That is a very old house.
Intensifying verbs
When `sehr` (very/greatly) intensifies a verb or a feeling connected with a verb, it usually stands at the end of the sentence or after the direct object.
EXAMPLE
Ich danke Ihnen sehr für Ihre Hilfe.
I thank you very much for your help.
Typical collocations
`sehr` (very/greatly) is often used with verbs that express feelings or appreciation. Typical combinations are `sich sehr freuen` (to be very happy), `sehr lieben` (to love very much), `sehr danken` (to thank very much), or `sich sehr wundern` (to be very surprised).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe mich sehr über dein Geschenk gefreut.
I was very happy about your gift.
Compare with
vielganzrechtschönechtsupervolltotalriesigderartreichlichfurchtbarüberausurargdollfürchterlichvielmals
sehr vs viel
much / a lot
With verbs, sehr and viel can both express a strong degree, but they are not freely interchangeable. Sehr usually indicates high intensity, while viel often indicates high frequency or a large amount. Which form fits also depends on the verb’s usual collocation.
sehr
Seit dem Umzug vermisst Lea ihre Freunde sehr.
Lea has really missed her friends since moving.
viel
Seit dem Umzug telefoniert Lea viel mit ihren Freunden.
Lea has been talking to her friends on the phone a lot since moving.
In real life
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