schon vs doch
German word comparison
Listen to schon
Listen to doch
| schon | doch |
|---|---|
SHOHN adverb | dohkh adverb |
| already; quite; indeed — a very common particle/adverb used to express that something has happened before now, to soften statements, or to add emphasis. | indeed; after all; in fact |
How they differ
Doch is only a synonym for schon in the emphatic particle sense, as in reinforcing a statement or contradiction. It does not replace schon in the meaning “already,” so the overlap is limited to the discourse-particle use.
When to use each
When to use schon: Use schon when the word means “already” or when you want a broadly usable particle with many functions.
When to use doch: Use doch when you are emphasizing a statement, correcting an assumption, or pushing back politely against doubt.
Side-by-side examples
- Das ist schon richtig.
(That is indeed correct.) - Das ist doch richtig.
(That is indeed correct.)
Register & nuance: Doch is very common in spoken German and can sound more direct or argumentative than schon in this use.
- See the full Word of the Day entry for schon
- See the Word of the Day entry for doch
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