German word

immer

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈɪmɐ/

Meaning

  • adverbalways

Example

Ich trinke immer Kaffee am Morgen.

I always drink coffee in the morning.

Illustration for immer (always)

More examples

Ich helfe dir immer gern.

I am always glad to help you.

Core concept

A clock hand passes every point without leaving one out, covering continuous states, repeated habits, and any suitable time.

Common phrases

  • immer gern

    always willingly

  • immer pünktlich

    always punctual

  • immer noch

    still

Similar words

noch: Shows that a situation remains true up to the present.
immer noch: Emphasizes that a situation remains true even now.
immer wieder: Shows that the same event happens again and again.
ständig: Shows that something occurs with very high frequency.

Definition in German

Kontinuität oder Ununterbrochenheit einer Handlung oder eines Zustands betont.

Word origin

The modern adverb immer is the result of the historical development of Old High German iomer into Middle High German and then modern German immer.

Usage tips

  • Before a comparative, immer means "increasingly," as in immer mehr or immer besser, not "always more" in a literal time sense.

Other meanings

  • anytimeadverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word