German word

öfters

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈœftɐs/

Meaning

  • adverboften

Example

Anna ruft mich öfters an, wenn sie Hilfe braucht.

Anna often calls me when she needs help.

Illustration for öfters (often)

More examples

Im Studium treffe ich öfters Kommilitonen in der Bibliothek.

During my studies, I often meet fellow students in the library.

Core concept

The same kind of occurrence returns again and again in ordinary situations.

Common phrases

  • öfters anrufen

    call often

  • öfters vorkommen

    occur often

Similar words

oft: On many occasions or at frequent intervals.
öfter: Repeatedly and fairly often, in a neutral register.
häufig: At a high frequency, with repeated occurrence.
mehrmals: Several times, rather than just once.

Definition in German

Lockerere, gesprochene Variante von öfter; bedeutet häufig oder mehrmals.

Word origin

The adverb öfters developed from öfter, which combines the inherited Germanic adverb oft with the comparative suffix -er; the added -s marks a colloquial form.

Usage tips

  • Öfters is more conversational than öfter, so öfter is generally the safer choice in formal writing.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word