01
urplötzlich
all of a sudden
Completely unexpectedly and very suddenly; without any warning.
example
Mitten im Sonnenschein fing es urplötzlich an zu hageln.
In the middle of the sunshine, it suddenly started to hail.
urplötzlich
suddenly
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure: intensification
The prefix 'ur-' serves here as an intensifier for the adverb 'plötzlich' (suddenly). It emphasizes that something happens extremely suddenly and completely unexpectedly. You also find this prefix in other words such as 'uralt' (very old).
EXAMPLE
Das Auto kam urplötzlich von rechts.
The car came from the right all of a sudden.
Sentence position
As an adverb, 'urplötzlich' (all of a sudden) can stand in different positions in the sentence. It often appears at the beginning of the sentence to emphasize the surprise, which triggers inversion (verb before subject).
EXAMPLE
Urplötzlich wurde es ganz still im Raum.
All of a sudden, the room became completely quiet.
Register and style
'Urplötzlich' (all of a sudden) is stylistically stronger and more dramatic than just 'plötzlich' (suddenly). It is often used in stories and reports to mark a climax or an unexpected turn.
EXAMPLE
Die Musik hörte urplötzlich auf und alle sahen sich erschrocken an.
The music stopped all of a sudden, and everyone looked at each other in shock.
Compare with
urplötzlich vs plötzlich
suddenly
'plötzlich' and 'urplötzlich' both mean that something happens without warning. 'urplötzlich' is stronger than 'plötzlich' and especially emphasizes that truly no one expected it. In normal everyday situations, 'plötzlich' is usually enough. 'urplötzlich' fits better when the moment seems especially surprising or dramatic.
urplötzlich
Urplötzlich wurde es dunkel, und alle im Raum waren still.
All of a sudden, it got dark, and everyone in the room was quiet.
plötzlich
Der Chef steht plötzlich im Büro und fragt nach dem Bericht.
The boss suddenly appears in the office and asks about the report.
In real life
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