irgendwie
/ɪɐ̯ɡəntˈviː/
The English phrase 'kinda' can be translated into German as irgendwie.
irgendwie is used to express that something is true to some extent, or in a way that is difficult to describe. It can be translated as 'somehow', 'in a way' or 'sort of'.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adverb, irgendwie does not change its form based on the gender, number or case of the noun it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɪɐ̯ɡəntˈviː/
Did you know?
- The prefix irgend- can be attached to many question words to create an 'indefinite' version, such as irgendwo for 'somewhere' or irgendwann for 'sometime'.
- In casual spoken German, irgendwie is frequently used as a 'discourse marker' to soften a statement or make it sound less aggressive, even if it does not change the factual meaning of the sentence.
- While irgendwie is common, Germans often use the filler word halt or eben to convey a similar sense of 'just kinda' or 'simply' when expressing a resigned acceptance of a situation.
Examples in context
- Ich finde das irgendwie blöd.I think that's kinda dumb.This sentence shows how to use irgendwie to describe an opinion.Tatoeba #13069031 by Waldelfe, translation #9752507 by megamanenm
- Irgendwie bin ich froh, dass ich ihn nicht wiedersehen werde.I'm kinda glad that I won't see him again.This sentence demonstrates using irgendwie to express a feeling.Tatoeba #9705828 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #9182126 by DJ_Saidez
- Einige dieser Sätze sind irgendwie lustig.Some of these sentences are kinda funny.This sentence illustrates using irgendwie to qualify an adjective.Tatoeba #10787326 by megamanenm, translation #10787321 by megamanenm
- Die Präsentation war einigermaßen interessant.The presentation was somewhat interesting.
- Der Kunde war etwas unzufrieden mit dem Service.The customer was somewhat dissatisfied with the service.
- Das Essen war irgendwie komisch.The food was kinda strange.
- Das Konzert war so ein bisschen laut.The concert was kinda loud.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Julia are discussing a new movie they just watched.
- JulianWie fandest du den Film?How did you find the movie?
- JuliaEr war irgendwie langweilig.It was kinda boring.
- JulianEcht? Ich fand ihn spannend.Really? I thought it was exciting.
- JuliaVielleicht, aber er war irgendwie zu lang.Maybe, but it was kinda too long.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry irgendwie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
