unterdessen
in the meantime · meanwhile
Dieses Wort beschreibt, dass etwas zur gleichen Zeit passiert, während etwas anderes geschieht.
The German word "unterdessen" is an adverb meaning "meanwhile" or "in the meantime". It is composed of "unter" (under/below) and "dessen" (of it/him), but as a whole, it functions as a temporal connector indicating simultaneous or intervening action.
Similar words include:
- "mittlerweile" (by now, meanwhile)
- "inzwischen" (meanwhile, in the meantime)
- "dazwischen" (in between, meanwhile)
Differences:
- "unterdessen," "inzwischen," and "mittlerweile" are often interchangeable in meaning, though "unterdessen" is somewhat more formal or literary.
- "Dazwischen" emphasizes the notion of being physically or temporally in between, whereas the others focus on concurrent or intervening time without spatial implication.
Make “unterdessen” part of your vocabulary.
Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Unterdessen kocht er das Mittagessen.adverb
In the meantime, he is cooking lunch.
Unterdessen machte er das Abendessen fertig.adverb
Meanwhile, he prepared dinner.
Unterdessen gehen die Kinder nach draußen zum Spielen.adverb
Meanwhile, the children go outside to play.
Keep exploring German
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad