Which one should you use?
While ich vermute implies a logical deduction or an analytical suspicion, other options exist depending on the tone. For a sense of estimation or speculation, you can use Ich schätze mal. To express a simple hunch or a sense of "I reckon" in casual spoken German, ich schätze is very common. If you want to say "probably," you can use the word Wahrscheinlich. Finally, ich nehme an is a common alternative used when making an assumption based on available information.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ich vermute is used in formal conversations and sounds more analytical than the English "I guess." In contrast, Ich schätze mal and ich schätze are more informal and colloquial ways to express the same idea.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using ich vermute to introduce a subordinate clause with the conjunction dass (meaning "that"), the verb is moved to the end of the sentence.
When do people say it?
If you want to express uncertainty or doubt using a filler phrase similar to "well, yeah," you can use the expression Na ja.
Did you know?
- In German, the word Schatz, meaning 'treasure' or 'sweetheart', is the noun form of the verb schätzen used in ich schätze.
- The word wahrscheinlich meaning 'probably' is composed of Wahr meaning 'true' and scheinlich meaning 'seeming'.
- While 'I guess' in English can sound quite casual, using ich vermute in a coffee shop might make you sound like a detective or a scientist providing a formal report.
Examples in context
- Ich vermute, dass Tom im Urlaub ist.I guess Tom is on vacation.This sentence shows how to use ich vermute to express a guess about someone's location.Tatoeba #2455122 by Manfredo, translation #2330107 by CK
- Ich vermute, sie steht auf Fesseln und Unterwerfung.I guess she's into bondage and domination.This sentence uses ich vermute to express a guess about someone's interests.Tatoeba #12463786 by Yorwba, translation #327958 by jakov
- Ich vermute, dass du Recht hast.I guess you are right.This sentence demonstrates using ich vermute to express a guess about someone being right.Tatoeba #571592 by MUIRIEL, translation #17795 by CC
- Ich schätze mal, dass es morgen regnen wird.I guess it will rain tomorrow.
- Ich vermute, dass er die Präsentation bereits vorbereitet hat.I assume that he has already prepared the presentation.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Felix are talking about a colleague's absence at work.
- JuliaIst Herr Weber heute krank?Is Mr. Weber sick today?
- FelixIch vermute, er hat die Grippe.I guess he has the flu.
- JuliaDas wäre wahrscheinlich.That would be likely.
- FelixEr sah gestern schon sehr blass aus.He looked very pale yesterday.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
