adverbconjunction

außerdem

also · moreover · besides

Dieses Wort benutzt man, wenn man noch einen weiteren Punkt zu etwas hinzufügt.

Definition & meaning

The word außerdem is a common German adverb used to add information to a statement. It translates to "besides," "furthermore," "moreover," "in addition," or "apart from that."

It is used to indicate that something is being added to what has already been said, emphasizing that this additional fact is also true or relevant.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammatically, außerdem is an adverb. When it appears at the beginning of a sentence, it triggers an inversion of the subject and the verb (the verb must occupy the second position).

Etymologically, the word is a compound of:

außer : meaning "outside of," "besides," or "except."
dem : the dative form of the definite article "das," which here refers back to the previously mentioned topic or circumstances (literally "outside of that").

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

zudem : meaning "moreover" or "in addition."
überdies : a slightly more formal term for "furthermore."
außerdem noch : used to emphasize the addition.
darüber hinaus : meaning "beyond that."
zudem : "additionally."

Antonyms: While there is no direct one-word antonym, the function of excluding or restricting information is expressed by:

jedoch : meaning "however" or "nevertheless," often used to contrast rather than add information.
hingegen : meaning "on the other hand" or "by contrast."