German word

alles

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈaləs/

Meaning

  • pronouneverything

Example

Ich habe alles verstanden.

I understood everything.

Illustration for alles (everything)

More examples

Er hat alles verloren.

He has lost everything.

Core concept

A single mental basket holds every relevant item, leaving nothing outside.

Common phrases

  • alles klar

    everything clear

  • alles erledigt

    everything done

  • alles Gute

    all the best

Similar words

alle: The full set of people or things in a group.
jeder: Each member or item viewed separately within a group.
etwas: Some unspecified thing, matter, or quantity.
nichts: Nothing present or involved in any way.

Definition in German

alles ist ein unbestimmtes Fürwort, das die Summe oder das Ganze von etwas bezeichnet.

Word origin

German alles descends from Old High German alles, the neuter singular form of all, from Proto-Germanic *allaz and related to English all.

Usage tips

  • Unlike English 'all', German 'alles' is singular and neuter, while 'alle' refers to plural people or things, as in 'alle sind da'.

Opposites

Related words

  • allzuoverlyadverb
  • allerleivariousadjective
  • allumfassendcomprehensiveadjective

Word lists with this word