total
totally
Colloquially as an adverb for emphasis: very, completely, absolutely.
EXAMPLE
Ich bin heute total müde.
I'm totally tired today.
total
totally / total
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Meanings
total
As an adjective: complete, entire, comprehensive.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Stromausfall herrschte in der Stadt totale Finsternis.
After the power outage, there was total darkness in the city.
Usage tips
Adjective or adverb?
'Total' can have two roles in a sentence. As an adjective before a noun, it is declined and means 'complete'. As an invariable adverb before another adjective, it colloquially means 'very'.
EXAMPLE
Der Film war ein totaler Erfolg.
The film was a total success.
Common mistake
When 'total' is used as an intensifier (adverb) before an adjective, it is not declined. A common source of errors is incorrectly inflecting it like an adjective.
EXAMPLE
Das ist ein total schönes Kleid.
That is a totally beautiful dress.
Colloquial use
In the meaning of 'very' or 'completely', 'total' is a very common word in spoken language and informal texts. It is used to emotionally intensify a statement.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe das total vergessen!
I totally forgot that!
Typical collocations
In the meaning of 'complete' or 'entire', 'total' is often used in more formal or factual contexts. Typical combinations are 'totaler Schaden' (total loss), 'totale Kontrolle' (total control), or 'der totale Betrag' (the total amount).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Unfall hatte das Auto einen totalen Schaden.
After the accident, the car was a total loss.
Compare with
total vs sehr
very
Sehr and total can intensify an adjective. Sehr is neutral and suitable in almost any situation, whereas total is colloquial and usually sounds more emphatic. In standard formal German, sehr is therefore often the more appropriate choice.
total
Der Film war total spannend.
The movie was totally exciting.
sehr
Der Film war sehr spannend.
The movie was very exciting.
In real life
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