German word

damals

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈdaːmaːls/

Meaning

  • adverbback then

Example

Ich war damals noch Student.

I was still a student back then.

Illustration for damals (back then)

More examples

Damals als Kind spielte ich oft draußen.

As a child back then, I often played outside.

Core concept

A present viewpoint points back to a clearly bounded period in the past.

Common phrases

  • damals als Kind

    as a child back then

  • damals in der Schule

    at school at that time

Similar words

früher: During an earlier period, well before the present or another reference time.
davor: At a time before the event or moment being discussed.
später: During a time that follows the event or point being discussed.

Definition in German

Damals drückt aus, dass etwas zu einer bestimmten Zeit in der Vergangenheit so gewesen ist.

Word origin

Damals developed from da, meaning 'then' or 'there', and Mal, meaning 'time' or 'occasion', with an adverbial -s.

Usage tips

  • Damals points to a past time or period already established in context, while einmal can mean 'once' and does not have this backward reference.

Other meanings

  • at that timeadverb
  • in those daysadverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word