Topic: German
https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Elliot-M

word order for "aber"

    I've seen a lot of sentences where the word "aber " comes after the verb and was wondering if it changed meaning to the sentence.

    for example... "ich verstehe aber nicht". Am I right to assume that this just means "but i don't understand"? or would it have different meaning to "aber ich verstehe nicht"

    Thanks

    March 1, 2018

    5 Comments

    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/drvdw

      In "ich verstehe aber nicht", aber is functioning as an adverb meaning however or though. It could translate like:

      I don't understand though.
      However, I don't understand.

      March 1, 2018
      https://www.duolingo.com/profile/slamRN
      • 825

      Here is another good example: It's nice, though. Das ist aber schön.

      March 2, 2018
      https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Max.Em
      • 528

      Unfortunately I can't find any theory about this, I can just say that the meaning stays the same. Aber, jedoch, trotzdem, nur, nichtsdestotrotz and some other (coordinating) conjunctions (they all make a concession of some kind) can also be used like adverbs. No rule, just my observation....

      Edit: cross-posted with drvdw....

      March 1, 2018
      https://www.duolingo.com/profile/jzsuzsi
      • 383

      Here is a nice Youtube video:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Awhco_VHWE&t=48s

      I am not sure whether she mentions aber, but "aber" in the sentence "Das ist aber schön" behaves similar to those other modal particles.

      https://coerll.utexas.edu/gg/gr/mis_04.html

      March 2, 2018
      https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Todd50

        You get a Lingot for mentioning modal particles. "Ja" and "doch" are pretty easy to spot but its more difficult to know when "aber" or "mal" are functioning as modal particles.

        March 2, 2018
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