German word

dagegen

Pronunciation

IPA/daˈgeːgn̩/

Meaning

  • adverbon the other hand

Example

Ich esse Fleisch, dagegen isst meine Freundin kein Fleisch.

I eat meat; on the other hand, my girlfriend doesn't eat meat.

Illustration for dagegen (on the other hand)

More examples

Ich habe nichts dagegen, wenn du früher gehst.

I don't mind if you leave earlier.

Core concept

A second viewpoint set directly against the first viewpoint.

Common phrases

  • nichts dagegen haben

    have nothing against it

  • dagegen sprechen

    speak against it

Similar words

doch: Briefly contradicts a preceding denial or opposing claim.
trotzdem: Shows that something happens despite an expectation or condition.
jedoch: Adds a somewhat formal contrast to what was stated earlier.
allerdings: Partly accepts the earlier point while adding a condition or limitation.

Definition in German

Markiert einen Gegensatz oder eine Gegenmeinung zum Vorhergehenden und dient zur Gegenüberstellung von Aussagen oder Tatsachen.

Word origin

Dagegen developed as a da-compound with gegen, whose basic meaning is against, and its contrastive use extends that relation to preceding statements.

Usage tips

  • Unlike coordinating aber, dagegen can stand as an independent adverb at the start of a clause and causes normal verb-second word order after it.

Other meanings

  • on the contraryadverb
  • by contrastadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word