adjectiveadverb

extra

Etwas, das zusätzlich oder mehr als normal ist.

Definition & meaning

The German word extra is versatile and functions primarily as an adverb or an indeclinable adjective. It has three main meanings:

Additional or supplementary: It describes something that is provided or required beyond the normal or agreed-upon amount. In a commercial context, it often refers to costs that are not included in the base price. For example, a service that costs "extra" is a surcharge.
Specially or specifically: It is used to indicate that an action was performed specifically for a certain purpose or person. If you wake up early just to catch a train, you did it "extra" for that reason.
Intentionally or on purpose: In certain contexts, it can mean that something was done by design rather than by accident.

Grammar & Word origin

The word originates from the Latin preposition and adverb extra, which means "outside," "beyond," or "except."

In German grammar, extra is an indeclinable word. This means that unlike many other German adjectives, its ending does not change regardless of the gender, number, or case of the noun it might modify (though it is most frequently used as an adverb). It is also commonly used as a prefix in compound nouns like Extrawurst or Extrablatt.