zeitweilig
temporary
For a limited, temporary period of time; not intended to be permanent.
EXAMPLE
Wegen Bauarbeiten ist die Straße zeitweilig gesperrt.
Due to construction work, the road is temporarily closed.
zeitweilig
temporary / occasional
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Meanings
zeitweilig
occasional
Sometimes, from time to time; occurring occasionally.
EXAMPLE
Er leidet unter zeitweiligen Kopfschmerzen.
He suffers from occasional headaches.
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is made up of 'Zeit' (time) and 'Weile' (while). Both parts refer to a span of time, which explains the meanings 'vorübergehend' (temporary) or 'von Zeit zu Zeit' (from time to time) well.
EXAMPLE
Die zeitweilige Schließung des Museums dauert eine Woche.
The temporary closure of the museum lasts one week.
Use as an adverb
'Zeitweilig' can be used as an adjective before a noun or as an adverb to describe a verb or situation. As an adverb, it usually comes directly after the verb or at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis.
EXAMPLE
Die Verbindung war zeitweilig unterbrochen.
The connection was temporarily interrupted.
Context clue
The meaning depends heavily on the context. If it is about a planned, limited duration, such as a closure, 'vorübergehend' (temporary) is meant. If it is about irregular, recurring events, such as pain, it means 'gelegentlich' (occasional).
EXAMPLE
Für die Veranstaltung wurde die Straße zeitweilig für den Verkehr gesperrt.
For the event, the road was temporarily closed to traffic.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'vorübergehend' (temporary), 'zeitweilig' is often used in official or formal contexts. Typical collocations are 'zeitweilig gesperrt' (temporarily closed), 'zeitweilig nicht erreichbar' (temporarily unavailable), or a 'zeitweilige Einstellung' (temporary hiring) of staff.
EXAMPLE
Aufgrund technischer Probleme ist unser Service zeitweilig nicht verfügbar.
Due to technical problems, our service is temporarily unavailable.
Compare with
zeitweilig vs zeitweise
at times / temporarily
Zeitweise and zeitweilig can both mean that something does not apply permanently. Zeitweise often emphasizes individual or recurring periods of time. Zeitweilig focuses more on the fact that a state lasts only for a limited period; however, the two words can overlap in usage.
zeitweilig
Nach dem Unfall war die Straße zeitweilig vollständig gesperrt.
After the accident, the road was temporarily completely closed.
zeitweise
Während der Bauarbeiten war die Straße jeden Morgen zeitweise gesperrt.
During the construction work, the road was closed at certain times every morning.
In real life
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