German word

zwischen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈtsvɪʃn̩/

Meaning

  • prepositionbetween

Example

Das Buch liegt zwischen den beiden Tassen.

The book is between the two cups.

Illustration for zwischen (between)

More examples

Er beantwortete E-Mails zwischen zwei Terminen.

He replied to emails between two appointments.

Core concept

A point or interval held in the gap separating two reference points.

Common phrases

  • zwischen Arbeit und Freizeit

    between work and leisure time

  • zwischen zwei Terminen

    between two scheduled appointments

  • zwischen zwei Stühlen

    between two chairs

Similar words

in: Inside a thing or enclosed space.
an: Touching a vertical surface or boundary.
auf: Touching and supported by a horizontal surface.

Definition in German

Zwischen ist eine Präposition, die ausdrückt, dass etwas zeitlich oder räumlich im Abstand von zwei Bezugspunkten liegt.

Word origin

Zwischen developed from Old High German zwiskēn, related to a Germanic root meaning "twofold" and expressing a position between two things.

Usage tips

  • As a two-way preposition, zwischen takes the dative for a fixed location and the accusative for movement toward a location.

Other meanings

  • amongpreposition

Opposites

Related words

  • Zwischenraumintervening spacenoun
  • Zwischenzeittime in betweennoun

Word lists with this word