speziell
special
Particular, specific, or intended for a single purpose; not general.
EXAMPLE
Für diese Schraube brauchen wir einen speziellen Schraubenzieher.
For this screw, we need a special screwdriver.
speziell
special / specifically
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Meanings
speziell
particular / odd
Unusual, peculiar, or strange in behavior or appearance.
EXAMPLE
Er hat einen sehr speziellen Humor, den nicht jeder versteht.
He has a very particular sense of humor that not everyone understands.
speziell
specifically / especially
In particular, above all. Used as an adverb to emphasize something.
EXAMPLE
Die neuen Regeln gelten für alle, aber speziell für die neuen Mitarbeiter.
The new rules apply to everyone, but specifically to the new employees.
Usage tips
Word family
The word 'speziell' (special/specific) is related to 'Spezies' (species) and 'Spezialist' (specialist). All these words have the basic idea of 'type' or 'kind' and describe something that belongs to a particular, special kind.
EXAMPLE
Ein Spezialist ist ein Arzt für ein spezielles medizinisches Gebiet.
A specialist is a doctor for a special field of medicine.
Context clue
The meaning of 'speziell' depends strongly on context. If it refers to an object or purpose, it usually means 'special' or 'made specifically for that'. If it describes a person, their taste, or their behavior, it can also mean 'peculiar' or 'odd'.
EXAMPLE
Ich suche eine spezielle Software für meine Arbeit.
I'm looking for special software for my work.
Typical collocations
When 'speziell' means 'for a specific purpose', it is often combined with factual nouns. Typical collocations are 'ein spezieller Fall' (a special case), 'ein spezielles Werkzeug' (a special tool), 'spezielle Kenntnisse' (special knowledge/skills), or 'eine spezielle Aufgabe' (a special task).
EXAMPLE
Für diese Reparatur benötigt man spezielle Kenntnisse.
For this repair, you need special skills.
Use as an adverb
In the meaning of 'insbesondere' (in particular), 'speziell' is used like an adverb to emphasize part of the sentence. It often stands directly before the word or phrase that is meant to be emphasized.
EXAMPLE
Ich mag Obst, speziell Erdbeeren.
I like fruit, especially strawberries.
Compare with
speziell vs besonders
especially / special
Besonders emphasizes that something is unusual or not ordinary. Speziell focuses more on something being intended for a particular purpose or area. An object can be both, but speziell is more precise when referring to its specific function.
speziell
Das ist ein spezielles Messer zum Schneiden von Brot.
That is a special knife for cutting bread.
besonders
Das ist ein besonders schönes Messer.
That is an especially beautiful knife.
In real life
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