adjectiveadverb

sonderbar

strange

Etwas wirkt ungewöhnlich oder komisch und weicht vom Gewohnten ab.

Definition & meaning

Sonderbar means strange, odd, or peculiar—something that seems unusual or unexpected. It can sound neutral, mildly critical, or express surprise, depending on context.

It can also mean remarkable or curious, though this sense is less common.

Grammar & word origin

Sonderbar is an adjective. Its comparative forms are sonderbarer and am sonderbarsten. Like other German adjectives, it takes endings when used before a noun, as in ein sonderbarer Zufall (“a strange coincidence”).

The word is formed from sonder- (“special” or “separate”) and the suffix -bar . In modern usage, it means “strange” or “unusual”; it does not usually mean “able to be separated.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

seltsam — strange or odd; a close, common synonym.
merkwürdig — odd or curious, often suggesting that something catches one’s attention.
eigenartig — unusual or peculiar, often emphasizing that something has a distinctive character.

Antonyms:

gewöhnlich — ordinary or commonplace; the opposite when sonderbar means unusual.
normal — normal or expected; contrasts with the sense of being out of the ordinary.