adjectiveadverb

gar

at all · absolutely

Dieses Wort beschreibt, dass etwas vollständig gekocht oder gebraten ist und man es essen kann.

Definition & meaning

The word "gar" has two primary meanings in the German language depending on its grammatical use:

Cooked or done: As an adjective, it describes food that has been heated long enough to be ready to eat. It is often used in the context of meat, vegetables, or baked goods to indicate they are no longer raw.
At all / completely: As an adverb or intensifying particle, it is most frequently used in combination with negations. For example, "gar nicht" translates to "not at all" and "gar kein" means "none at all." In this context, it serves to emphasize the absolute nature of the statement. In older or more formal literature, it can also mean "very" or "quite," though this usage is less common in modern everyday speech.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammatically, "gar" functions as either an uninflected adjective or an adverb. When used to describe the state of food, it usually appears in a predicative position (following a verb like "to be") and does not change its ending.

The word originates from the Old High German word "garo," which meant "prepared," "ready," or "complete." This is closely related to the English word "gear" (in the sense of equipment or being prepared). Over centuries, the meaning narrowed in one direction toward culinary readiness and expanded in another direction to serve as a general intensifier for completeness.