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     Table of Contents Chapter 25 25.3 Formation of Adverbs
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Chapter 25: Adverbs

  25.3 Formation of Adverbs


We are going to present some comments about the formation of adverbs, but we have to admit, it's probably only interesting for the linguistically interested reader. Actually the formation of German adverbs does not really follow any rules; therefore it is probably best to just learn them by heart, just like any other word.

In English we have the rule, that adjectives become adverbs with the ending -ly.
  easy => easily
  slow => slowly
  quick => quickly

In German there are different endings, e.g. -weise or -mässig.

Example
  adjective adverb
  dumm (stupid) => dummerweise
  intelligent (intelligent) => intelligenterweise

It is also possible to form adverbs from nouns.

Adverbs formed from nouns
  noun adverb
  bucket => in buckets (bucketly)
  Eimer => eimerweise
  Sie haben eimerweise Kirschen geklaut. => They stole cherries in buckets.
     
  pig like pigs
  Sau saumässig
  Sie haben sich saumässig benommen. They behaved like pigs.

But adverbs cannot be created from every noun. Even though probably people would understand, but you wouldn't find them in a dictionary.

example
  incorrecto: Ich fahre jetzt aufzugsmässig in den dritten Stock. = I go liftwise to the third floor.
  incorrecto: Ich schreibe bleistiftmässig einen Brief. = I write pencilly a letter.

These phrases can be created as a joke. You might find them in spoken or even in written language, but hardly in a dictionary.

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