wohl

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See also: Wohl and wóhl

German

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle High German wol, wole, from Old High German wola (“well”), from Proto-Germanic *wela, from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁-. Compare Dutch wel, English well, Danish vel, Swedish väl.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /voːl/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -oːl

Adverb

wohl

  1. possibly, probably; as I was told (modal particle expressing an assumption, often like English must + infinitive, or (US) guess + clause)
    Er ist wohl schon gegangen. ― He must have left already. / I guess he has left already.
    Seine Frau ist wohl irgendeine bekannte Ärztin. ― his wife is some well-known doctor.
    Was das wohl zu bedeuten hat?
    What does that mean, though?
  2. of course, indeed (modal particle adding stress to the statement to contradict a preceding one, often like English do + infinitive)
    Du warst ja noch nie in Frankreich. − Ich war wohl schon in Frankreich! ― "Since you've never been to France..." − "Of course I've been to France!"
    Ich kann's dir nicht sagen, weil ich's nicht weiß. − Du weißt es ja wohl! ― "I can't tell you because I don't know." − "But you do know!"
  3. (regional, north-western Germany) actually, somehow, quite (modal particle making the statement weaker or expressing a concession)
    Was habt ihr denn alle mit der Suppe? Ich find die wohl nicht schlecht. ― "Why are you all complaining about the soup? I don't find it all that bad, actually."
  4. (mostly elevated) well, very well
    Ihr habt wohl gesprochen, mein Herr! ― "Ye have spoken well, my lord!"
  5. (regional in Austria, South Tyrol, in response to a negative question or statement) yes; surely; really; on the contrary
    Das stimmt nicht. — Wohl! ― That's not correct. — Yes, it is!
    Kommst du heute Abend nicht? — Wohl! ― Aren't you coming tonight?? — Yes, I am!

Usage notes

  • The distinction between the strengthening particle (“of course”) and the weakening particle (“actually”) is through intonation. With the former wohl is strongly stressed, with the latter it is unstressed.
  • The weakening particle is regional (as indicated above); more general words for this sense are schon or eigentlich.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Further reading

  • “wohl” in Duden online
  • “wohl” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
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