German Conversation · Level 8
90 words
German word
als
Pronunciation
IPA/als/
Meaning
- prepositionas
Example
Sie arbeitet als Lehrerin.
She works as a teacher.
More examples
Viele sehen ihn als Experten.
Many see him as an expert.
Core concept
A person steps into a named capacity, while als can also connect a comparison or an event viewed at a particular time.
Common phrases
als Lehrer
as a teacher
als Beispiel
as an example
als Kind
as a child
Similar words
wie: Connects things by showing that they are similar in some respect.
wenn: Introduces a condition or circumstance for an event or action.
als ob: Describes something unreal as though it were actually the case.
Definition in German
Als zeigt die Funktion oder Stellung einer Person oder Sache an, oft ohne Artikel, zum Beispiel: Er tritt als Vertreter auf.
Word origin
The German preposition and conjunction als developed from Old High German also and alse, forms related to the Germanic source of English as.
Usage tips
- The time meaning normally refers to a single past event, as in Als ich ankam, while wenn commonly introduces repeated or present conditions.
Other meanings
- thanconjunction
- whenconjunction
Opposites
- stattinstead ofpreposition