German word

daneben

Pronunciation

IPA/daˈneːbm̩/

Meaning

  • adverbout of place

Example

Sein Kommentar war daneben.

His comment was out of place.

Illustration for daneben (out of place)

More examples

Der Schraubenzieher lag daneben.

The screwdriver was lying next to it.

Core concept

A remark landing beside the intended target instead of hitting the point.

Common phrases

  • ganz daneben

    completely out of place

  • ein bisschen daneben

    a little out of place

Similar words

unangemessen: Not suitable for the situation, setting, or person involved.
unpassend: Not fitting the mood or circumstances and therefore seeming out of place.
taktlos: Showing little consideration for others' feelings or sensitivities.
peinlich: Causing embarrassment or awkwardness for those who witness it.

Definition in German

Unpassend, fehl am Platz oder im Sinn von nicht zutreffend

Word origin

Daneben combines da, meaning 'there', with neben, meaning 'beside'; its spatial sense extended to remarks or actions that miss the point or seem inappropriate.

Usage tips

  • In colloquial evaluation, Das ist daneben often signals that something is inappropriate or tactless, not merely physically misplaced.

Other meanings

  • off the markadjective
  • next to itadverb

Opposites

Related words

  • danebenliegenbe off the markverb
  • danebenstehenbe beside the pointverb

Word lists with this word