01
zweimal
twice
Indicates that an action or event is repeated two times or takes place at two different points in time.
example
Ich habe heute schon zweimal bei dir angerufen.
I already called you twice today.
zweimal
twice
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
The word is made up of the number word 'zwei' (two) and the suffix '-mal' (times). This suffix is used to indicate the frequency of an action and is very productive (e.g., einmal, dreimal, zehnmal).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe den Film schon dreimal gesehen.
I've already seen the film three times.
Word order
As an adverb, 'zweimal' (twice) can stand flexibly in the sentence. In position 1, it introduces the sentence and the verb follows directly after it. Inside the sentence, it usually comes after the verb and the subject.
EXAMPLE
Zweimal pro Woche gehe ich zum Sport.
Twice a week, I go to the gym.
Context clue
The meaning 'twice the amount' is usually recognized in ordering situations, often in combination with a plural noun. The meaning 'two different times', on the other hand, refers to the repetition of an action.
EXAMPLE
Wir nehmen zweimal die Nudeln mit Tomatensoße.
We'll take two orders of the noodles with tomato sauce.
Compare with
zweimal vs zweit
second
'zweit-' and 'zweimal' both have to do with the number two, but they mean different things. 'zweit-' describes position in a sequence: 'der zweite Platz' (second place), 'die zweite Frage' (the second question), 'das zweite Kind' (the second child). 'zweimal' describes how often something happens or how many times something is present: 'zweimal anrufen' (to call twice), 'zweimal bezahlen' (to pay twice). Learners may confuse the words because both are based on 'zwei'. The practical rule is: use 'zweite' for order, and 'zweimal' for repetition.
zweimal
Meine Nachbarin hat heute zweimal bei mir geklingelt.
My neighbor rang my doorbell twice today.
zweit
Tom hat im Rennen den zweiten Platz erreicht.
Tom came in second place in the race.
In real life
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