German Conversation · Level 96
60 words
German word
vielmehr
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈfiːlmeːɐ̯/
Meaning
- adverbrather
Example
Er ist nicht faul, vielmehr sehr fleißig.
He isn't lazy; rather, he's very hardworking.
More examples
Das Problem war nicht ernst, vielmehr eine Kleinigkeit.
The problem was not serious; rather, it was a minor matter.
Core concept
The sentence turns from a weaker or mistaken description toward the fact that deserves emphasis.
Common phrases
nicht ..., vielmehr
not ___, but rather
vielmehr sogar
rather, even
Similar words
stattdessen: Shows that one action or thing takes the place of another.
eher: Suggests that one possibility fits better than another, without full certainty.
eigentlich: States the real situation or feeling despite different expectations.
Definition in German
Eine vorherige Aussage korrigiert oder präzisiert und die korrigierte Aussage als zutreffender darstellt.
Word origin
Middle High German vil mer became modern German vielmehr, with the sense 'much more' extending to correction, contrast, and emphasis.
Usage tips
- English 'rather' can express preference, but vielmehr usually revises an earlier statement rather than choosing between two options.
Other meanings
- actuallyadverb
Related words
- Mehrheitmajoritynoun
- Mehrwertadded valuenoun