German word

anfangs

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈanfaŋs/

Meaning

  • adverbat first

Example

Er war anfangs sehr ruhig.

He was very quiet at first.

Illustration for anfangs (at first)

More examples

anfangs war es schwierig, neue Freunde zu finden.

At first, it was difficult to make new friends.

Core concept

A starting condition that holds temporarily while a situation is still unfolding.

Common phrases

  • anfangs schwierig

    at first difficult

  • anfangs oft

    at first often

  • anfangs meist

    at first mostly

Similar words

zunächst: At the outset, for a temporary period before things develop.
zuerst: Occupying the first place in an order.

Definition in German

Bezeichnet den Beginn einer Zeitspanne oder eines Zustands und wird im Sinne von „zuerst“ oder „anfänglich“ gebraucht.

Word origin

The adverb anfangs arose from Anfang, 'beginning', by adding the genitive ending -s to express a relation to the initial period.

Usage tips

  • Anfangs usually describes an initial phase, whereas zuerst more directly identifies the first action or position in an order.

Other meanings

  • initiallyadverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word