teilweise
/ˈtaɪ̯lˌvaɪ̯zə/
The English phrase "partly" is translated into German as teilweise or zum Teil.
Meaning: in part (adv)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| teilweise | /ˈtaɪ̯lˌvaɪ̯zə/ |
| zum Teil | /tsʊm taɪ̯l/ |
Both forms are used as adverbs to mean "in part". In formal discussions, Germans use the pair einerseits … andererseits to express "on the one hand … on the other hand".
What does it mean word for word?
The word teilweise is composed of Teil (part) and the suffix -weise (manner/way), literally meaning "in a part-way manner".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form teilweise is an adverb and does not change its ending based on the gender or case of the noun it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtaɪ̯lˌvaɪ̯zə/
Did you know?
- The German word Teil shares an ancestor with the English word 'deal', which is why we use 'a good deal' to mean a large amount.
- The suffix -weise is used in other surprising ways, such as in stundenweise, which means 'hourly' or 'by the hour' rather than just 'in a hour-way manner'.
- In German, if you say a glass is teilweise full, it is a neutral observation, but using zum Teil can sometimes sound like you are qualifying a statement or making a concession.
Examples in context
- Sie hat teilweise recht.She's partly right.This sentence shows how to use teilweise to say someone is partly right.Tatoeba #2984876 by al_ex_an_der, translation #10515949 by sundown
- Das stimmt nur zum Teil.That's only partly true.This sentence demonstrates the use of zum Teil to say something is only partly true.Tatoeba #13012703 by Waldelfe, translation #12945098 by sundown
- Wir hatten zum Teil recht.We were partly right.This sentence shows how to use zum Teil to say a group was partly right.Tatoeba #4245093 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3312835 by CK
- Die Verzögerung war zum Teil auf technische Probleme zurückzuführen.The delay was partly due to technical issues.
- Der Erfolg ist teilweise auf das harte Training zurückzuführen.The success is partly attributed to the rigorous training.
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Maximilian are discussing their project progress.
- LauraIst das Projekt schon fertig?Is the project finished already?
- MaximilianNein, es ist nur teilweise fertig.No, it is only partly finished.
- LauraWas fehlt denn noch?What is still missing?
- MaximilianDer Bericht muss noch geschrieben werden.The report still needs to be written.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “partly” translations and entries teilweise, zum Teil, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Teil, teilweise, zum, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
