Wieder vs. NochmalWhat's the difference?

Learn the difference between "wieder" and "nochmal" in German, two adverbs that are often confused by learners.

blogGerman grammarwieder vs. nochmal
01.12.2023

As a learner of the German language, it is important to understand the differences between similar adverbs, such as "wieder" and "nochmal". While both words can be translated to "again" in English, they are not always interchangeable. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between these two adverbs and how to use them correctly in context.

"Wieder"

"Wieder" is an adverb that means "again" or "anew". It is often used to express repetition of an action or event that has already occurred in the past.

Here are some examples of how to use "wieder" in a sentence:

Ich werde ihn nächste Woche wiedersehen.

I will see him again next week.
Sie lernt nach einer Pause wieder Deutsch.

She is learning German again after a break.
Er liest das Buch wieder.

He is reading the book again.

As you can see from these examples, "wieder" is used to express the idea of repeating an action or event that has happened before.

"Nochmal"

"Nochmal" is an adverb that means "once more" or "another time". It is often used to express the idea of doing something again or giving something another try.

Here are some examples of how to use "nochmal" in a sentence:

Kannst du das bitte nochmal erklären?

Can you please explain that again?
Ich möchte den Kuchen nochmal probieren.

I want to try the cake again.
Lass uns den Film nochmal anschauen.

Let's watch the movie one more time.

In these examples, "nochmal" is used to express the idea of doing something again, but not necessarily repeating an action that has happened before.

Using "Wieder" and "Nochmal" in Context

It is important to understand the differences between "wieder" and "nochmal" in order to use them correctly in context.

Let's take a look at a dialogue between two friends, Layla and Mahmoud, to see how they use these two adverbs:

Ich habe gestern den neuen Film von Tarantino gesehen.
Cool! Wollen wir ihn uns nochmal zusammen anschauen?
Klar, aber wenn du wieder die ganze Zeit so laut Popcorn isst, dann habe ich keine Lust.
Ok!

In this dialogue, Nietzsch uses "nochmal" to suggest watching the movie again, while Layla uses "wieder" to suggest that they won't watch it again if Nietzsch doesn't like it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while "wieder" and "nochmal" both translate to "again" in English,

If you'd like to support our free content, consider sharing our material & following on YouTube and Spotify.

You can also always get in touch, if you have criticism or feedback. If you're a German teacher yourself, ask us about free learning resources! 😊

B1 Immersion Course

Explore diverse articles on German culture, supported by grammar lessons, audio recordings, and interactive exercises.


About

Sloeful German is a language learning platform focused on immersive learning. We help intermediate German learners achieve fluency through content that is interesting but at the right level.
Downloads

Follow

Join Us

Tags

German grammarwieder vs. nochmal