So, What Are Modal Particles, Anyway?

Modal particles, also commonly just called “particles,” are words that don’t
change grammatical meaning but still add a conditional change to a
sentence.

They are, in a sense, flavoring words that add a deeper element to

language. In German, these could be words that soften the harshness of a
comment, add a persuasive or suggestive element to a request or otherwise
add subtle meaning to a sentence without changing the grammatical
context.
It’s very difficult to define particles for English speakers because linguists
don’t really agree on whether or not English even has modal particles! So
finding completely accurate translations is oftentimes difficult. Add in the
fact that there are differences depending on regional dialect and it can seem
like a pretty intimidating concept. But don’t give up! Particles are some of
the most fun words to use in German, and once you start using them, you
won’t be able to stop!
How Do Particles Work?
Most of the time, particles are only used in spoken contexts. However, in the
digital age, they’re also commonly used in German social media, due to the
informality of the medium, so you can take advantage of this in your
learning. Particles are likely not going to be used in an academic paper or a
formal presentation, unless it’s for added linguistic effect, such as reinforcing
the seriousness or urgency of a command.

A lot of the time, the particle will follow the verb in the sentence—however,
some come at the end.

“Die Katze ist ja schon gefüttert worden!” (The cat has already been fed!)
Here, the word ja is being used as a particle, reinforcing the fact that the cat
has been fed, and follows the verb.
“Versuch’s doch mal!” (Come on, try it!)
This example combines two particles (doch and mal) and is a very
commonly used phrase.
“Kanzlerin Merkel ist aber jeder Montag betrunken!” (But Chancellor Merkel
is drunk every Monday!)
In this example, you’ll notice that the word aber, or “but,” is a lot more
flexible than its direct English translation. It can be placed in the sentence
differently and has more shades of meaning than the simple English “but.”
Discover some of its other meanings below!

When spoken, particles remain unstressed, so even though you’re excited to

use your favorite particle in a sentence, hold back and don’t stress it—just
throw it in there to add an extra flare to your speech. Native speakers will
take notice, trust me!

9 Powerful Modal Particles to Spice Up Your German

Speaking
Modal particles can be broken down into a few different types: particles
that affirm elements of a sentence, particles that negate or
resignelements of a sentence and particles that intensify or
highlight elements of a sentence.

There are also a handful of particles that don’t fall into any category and
simply need to be memorized. These are just guidelines, however, as some
particles have different meanings depending on context.

Affirmation
1. Aber
This can sometimes mean “indeed” or “however,” depending on how it’s
used. Don’t get it confused with aber (but) when used as a coordinating
conjunction.
“Donnerstag wird aber wärmer als Heute sein.” (But Thursday will be warmer
than today.)
“Das Pferd ist aber sehr klug!” (The horse is [indeed] very smart!)
“Du bist aber süß!” (Aw, you’re so sweet/cute!)
2. Ja
This one is possibly easiest to remember as an affirmation because of its
generally translated meaning of “yes.” Much like aber, it’s used to affirm
whatever the sentence is trying to say.
“Sein Geburtstag ist ja wichtig!” (His birthday is [indeed] important!)
“Deine Freundin ist ja attraktiv.” (Your girlfriend is [quite] attractive.)
Ja can also be used as an intensifier.
3. Wohl
Wohl is a very tricky particle to use because it’s usually translated to mean
“well,” as in the phrase Ich fühle mich wohl (I feel well). However, as a
particle it can mean that the speaker is assuming something to be true.
“Klaus isst nie Fleisch, er ist wohl Vegetarier.” (Klaus never eats meat, he is
[assumingly] vegetarian.)
In this sentence, the wohl signifies that the speaker does not for certain
know Klaus is vegetarian, but since he never eats meat the speaker is
assuming it to be true.
It can also be used in an ironic context, when the speaker does know
something to be the case, or wants to imply that it’s the case.
“Er hat sich einen Porsche gekauft.” (He bought himself a Porsche.)
“Er muss wohl jemanden beeindrucken.” (Looks like he needs to impress
someone.)
Negation
4. Doch
Ah, doch. It sometimes seems like this word is used so often just because it’s
so hard to translate. In fact, it simply does not have a one-word English
equivalent. The best way to think of it is “really!” or “on the contrary.” A
children’s argument might look like this:
“Nein!” “Doch!” “Nein!” “Doch!” (No! Yeah! Nuh-uh! Yeah-huh!)

Here’s another example:

“Du spinnst! Er hat nicht vor seinem Professor gekotzt!” (You’re kidding! He
didn’t barf in front of his professor!)
“Doch, und es war ihm nicht mal peinlich!” (On the contrary, he didn’t even
find it embarrassing!)
Perhaps the true appeal of doch lies in how concisely it can be used. It says
in one word what would take several in English. English is, however, a
Germanic language after all, and what remains of doch can be seen in the
word “though.” The usages don’t line up, but they’re in the same family.
5. Halt
While not quite as common as the previous particles, halt is one that’s still
important to understand. When it’s used, it shows the speaker attempting to
displace blame or burden onto another force. Depending on who’s speaking,
though, you might hear halt all the time (think of, like, the often ridiculed
valley girl).
“Alter, du hast mein ganzes Schnitzel aufgegessen!” (Dude, you ate my
whole schnitzel!)
“Ich hatte halt Hunger!” (What can I say, I was hungry!)
“Wie hat sie denn darauf reagiert?” (How did she react, then?)
“Sie war halt richtig sauer.” (She was, like, totally peeved.)
Intensification
These particles exaggerate or intensify. They may be used to draw emphasis
to something or to illustrate the significance or importance of part of a
sentence.

6. Schon
Schon can be used to intensify the message that’s being conveyed or
to show a sense of anger.
“Die Katze ist schon traurig!” (That cat really is sad!)
“Gib mir schon das Geld!” (Give me the money already!)
7. Mal

This one conveys a sense of interest, and can be used as a suggestion. It can
also soften commands or make things sound less formal.

“Hörst du mal gern Reggaemusik?” (Do you like to listen to reggae music?)
“Moment mal, ich bin müde!” (Give me a minute, I’m tired!)
8. Nun
Nun is often used with questions to show an intensification or possibly anger
in what is being asked. In more formal contexts, it just means “now.”
“Was machst du nun mit dem Gewehr?” (Now what are you doing with that
gun?)
“Bist du nun blöd oder einfach nur faul?” (Are you [in fact] stupid or just
lazy?)
9. Denn
Used almost exclusively to convey a subtle interest in something, denn is an
excellent particle to use on first dates! Depending on how you say it,
however, the word can also add annoyance or anger to a sentence. Don’t
worry, though, if you’re speaking with the right tone of voice, nobody will
ever get confused.
“Wo hast du denn Russisch gelernt?” (So, where did you learn Russian?)
“Was machst du denn mit dem Einhorn?” (What are you doing with that
unicorn?)
“Bist du denn immer noch nicht fertig?!” (Are you still not finished?)

Affirmation/ aber
Agreement aber gerne!
with pleasure!

aber sicher!
most certainly
 Das ist wohl wahr!
wohl
That’s certainly true!

Das ist ja eine tolle idee!

ja
That’s really a great idea!

Na klar komme ich!

You bet I‘m coming!
na
Na logisch!
Of course!

Du bist doch nur zugekifft.

You're just [saying that because you're]
high.
Contradiction/
doch
Disagreement Q: Das ist doch nicht dein Ernst, oder?
A: Doch!
Q: You’re not being serious, are you? A: I
am!

Dass ich das gerade von DIR höre...

That I'm hearing that from YOU (of all
people)…
gerade

Gerade heute musste es schneien!

Special It had to snow today (of all days)!
Emphasis/
Focus

Ich versuche, eine Antwort auf eben die

Frage zu formulieren.
eben
I'm trying to find an answer to [just] that
very question.
 So ist es eben. / Es ist eben so.
eben
That's just how it is.

Naja, was hast du erwartet?

Resignation naja
Ah well, what did you expect?

Ich war halt besoffen.

halt
(What can i say?) I was drunk.

Das war aber nett von dir!

aber That was nice of you! [I wasn't expecting
it]
Surprise

Ist das etwa für mich?

etwa
Is that for me?

Wie alt bist du denn? [to a child]

denn
So how old are you?

Interest

Guck dir das mal an!

mal
Take a look at that!

Intensifiers schon
Das ist schon viel!
It’s more than you think/more than it
seems
 Du bist ja blöd!
ja
Are you ever dumb!

Das ist aber völliger Quatsch!

aber
That's complete nonsense!

Wie konntest du nur?

How COULD you?
nur
Was hat er sich nur dabei gedacht?
What WAS he thinking?

Exasperation/
Anger
Was will er schon von mir?
schon
What in the world does he want from me?

Was soll das nun bedeuten?

nun
Now what’s that supposed to mean?

Es war halt ein Vorschlag.

halt
It was just a suggestion.
Softening/
Casual
Warte mal.
mal
Wait a sec.