Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| etwa | /ˈɛtva/ |
| ungefähr | /ˈʊnɡəfɛːɐ̯/ /ˈʊnɡəfeːɐ̯/ |
When you mean 'approximately' or 'about' in relation to numbers or quantities, you use etwa or ungefähr. However, if 'around' refers to spatial or circular movement or position circling an object, German typically uses the construction um [object] herum rather than the approximation forms.
Which one should you use?
While etwa and ungefähr are often interchangeable when meaning 'approximately', ungefähr is slightly more common in spoken German when discussing quantities or numbers.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In southern Germany and Austria, the dialectal expression umadum corresponds to 'around' in standard German.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that something is 'alive, existent or present', you may use the phrase es gibt X noch. To express movement from one state or condition to an opposite or very different one, you use um or herum.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɛtva/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse the adverb etwa (meaning 'about/approximately') with the word etwas (meaning 'something/a little bit'). They are not interchangeable.
Did you know?
- The word ungefähr has a surprisingly dark origin. It is derived from the Middle High German phrase meaning 'without deceit' or 'without danger', which evolved into its modern sense of 'approximately'.
- While a learner might use etwa to mean 'approximately', it can also function as a particle in questions to add a sense of 'perhaps' or 'mayhap'. For example, 'Ist er etwa krank?' translates to 'Is he perhaps ill?'
Examples in context
- Tom ist ungefähr dreißig.Tom is around thirty.This sentence shows how to use ungefähr with an age.Tatoeba #7636390 by wolfgangth, translation #5715976 by CK
- Niemand sagt mir hier etwas.No one ever tells me anything around here.This sentence shows the use of etwa in a phrase regarding a location.Tatoeba #3900562 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3305908 by Hybrid
- Er wiegt etwa 140 Kilogramm.He weighs around 300 pounds.This sentence demonstrates using etwa to describe a weight.Tatoeba #4417910 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #4398807 by XenoKat
- Die Stadt hat viele Parks rund um das ZentrumThe city has many parks around the center
- Ich wohne in der Nähe von MünchenI live around Munich
- Wir treffen uns etwa um 8 UhrWe are meeting around 8 o'clock
- Wir gehen um zehn Uhr herum spazieren.We are going for a walk around ten o'clock.
- Ich suche ein Hotel rund um den Hauptbahnhof.I'm looking for a hotel around the main train station.
- Kommst du so circa um halb sieben?Are you coming around half past six?
- 72 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Laura are discussing the arrival time of a train.
- JulianKommt der Zug etwa um acht?Does the train arrive around eight?
- LauraJa, etwa um acht Uhr zehn.Yes, around eight-ten.
- JulianDas passt mir gut.That works well for me.
- LauraWir sehen uns dann am Bahnhof.We will see each other at the station then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “around” translations and entries etwa, ungefähr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries etwa, ungefähr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
