tonnenweise
tons of
Colloquial and exaggerated for a very large, countless amount of something.
EXAMPLE
Für die Party haben wir tonnenweise Chips und Getränke gekauft.
For the party, we bought tons of chips and drinks.
tonnenweise
by the ton / tons of
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Meanings
tonnenweise
by the ton
In an amount measured in tons.
EXAMPLE
Die Fabrik verarbeitet tonnenweise Stahl pro Tag.
The factory processes steel by the ton every day.
Usage tips
Word structure
The word consists of 'Tonne' (ton) and the ending '-weise'. This ending forms adverbs with the meaning 'in the manner of ...', so here literally 'in the manner of tons'.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Sturm lagen ästeweise Blätter auf der Straße.
After the storm, leaves were lying on the street in piles.
No declension
'Tonnenweise' (by the ton/tons of) is an adverb and is never declined. Its form always stays the same, no matter which noun it refers to.
EXAMPLE
Im Herbst gibt es hier tonnenweise Äpfel zu ernten.
In autumn, there are tons of apples to harvest here.
Colloquial style
In the meaning 'sehr viel' (a lot), 'tonnenweise' (tons of) is colloquial and a strong exaggeration. It is used in informal conversation to emphasize a huge amount.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe noch tonnenweise Arbeit zu erledigen, bevor ich in den Urlaub fahren kann.
I still have tons of work to do before I can go on vacation.
Context clue
The literal meaning is used in technical or industrial contexts (e.g., with steel, coal, grain). The figurative, colloquial meaning is found in everyday language for almost anything (e.g., homework, money, problems).
EXAMPLE
Das Schiff transportiert tonnenweise Eisenerz.
The ship transports iron ore by the ton.
Compare with
tonnenweise vs massenhaft
massive / in large quantities
Both words can express a huge quantity. Massenhaft tends to emphasize that many individual things or people are present, whereas tonnenweise is colloquial and exaggerated, highlighting the enormous quantity. Massenhaft suits many individual occurrences, while tonnenweise is more of a figurative quantity expression.
tonnenweise
Auf dem Markt lagen tonnenweise reife Äpfel in den Kisten.
Tons of ripe apples lay in crates at the market.
massenhaft
Auf dem Markt lagen massenhaft reife Äpfel in den Kisten.
Huge numbers of ripe apples lay in crates at the market.
In real life
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