etwa

The German word "etwa" is an adverb with several related meanings, primarily:

• "approximately" or "about" (indicating an estimate):
  Example: etwa 20 Personen (about 20 people)
• "perhaps" or "maybe" (expressing possibility):
  Example: Kommst du etwa nicht? (Are you perhaps not coming?)
• "such as" or "like" in examples or comparisons.

There are no compound words here—"etwa" is a standalone word.

Similar words:

• ungefähr (approximately)
• circa (circa, about)
• vielleicht (perhaps, maybe)

Difference:

• etwa, ungefähr, circa are mostly interchangeable when meaning "approximately", but etwa is more versatile since it also expresses possibility ("perhaps").
• vielleicht means "maybe" or "perhaps" but is less used to express approximation of numbers.