German word

wohl

Pronunciation

IPA/voːl/

Meaning

  • adverbprobably

Example

Er wird wohl bald anrufen.

He'll probably call soon.

Illustration for wohl (probably)

More examples

Er hat wohl nicht genug Zeit.

He probably doesn't have enough time.

Core concept

A speaker marks a conclusion as likely while leaving room for doubt.

Common phrases

  • wohl nicht

    probably not

  • wohl kaum

    probably hardly

  • wohl schon

    probably already

Similar words

wahrscheinlich: A high likelihood inferred from evidence or the situation.
vielleicht: An uncertain possibility that may or may not be true.
eventuell: A possibility that depends on how circumstances develop.
möglicherweise: A possibility that cannot be ruled out despite limited evidence.

Definition in German

Wohl ist ein Modaladverb, das eine Vermutung ausdrückt und anzeigt, dass der Sprecher etwas für wahrscheinlich hält, ohne es sicher zu behaupten.

Word origin

German wohl developed from Old High German wola, an adverb meaning 'well', and later gained a modal use for a likely inference.

Usage tips

  • In the modal use, wohl often follows the finite verb, as in 'Er wird wohl bald anrufen', and makes the prediction less definite than a fact.

Other meanings

  • apparentlyadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word