Schon vs. Bereits: Easy German Grammar Explanation

🔗 选择语言

German adverbs can look similar but carry different nuances. A common confusion for learners is between 现在 和 无. Both often translate as 业已, but they are not always interchangeable.

---

The Simple Rule

• 现在 → very common in everyday spoken German.
• 无 → more formal, used in writing, news, and official contexts.

---

Schon: Everyday Usage

Schon is flexible and used constantly in daily conversations.

例如

• Ich habe schon gegessen. (I have already eaten.)
• Bist du schon fertig? (Are you already finished?)
• Er ist schon da. (He is already there.)

It can also mean yet 或 even, depending on context:

• Schon um 7 Uhr war er da. (He was there as early as 7 o’clock.)

---

Bereits: Formal and Written Style

Bereits is more common in newspapers, reports, and official texts. It has the same meaning as 业已, but sounds more formal.

例如

• Die Firma hat das Projekt bereits abgeschlossen. (The company has already completed the project.)
• Bereits im 19. Jahrhundert gab es diese Tradition. (As early as the 19th century, this tradition existed.)

---

Schon vs. Bereits: Side by Side

Context	Preferred Form	Example
Everyday speech	现在	Ich habe schon bezahlt.
News article	无	Er hat das Rennen bereits gewonnen.
Informal chat	现在	Hast du schon gehört?
Formal report	无	Die Arbeiten wurden bereits beendet.

---

Common Mistakes — and How to Fix Them

• ❌ Bist du bereits fertig? (too formal in casual talk)
  ✔️ Better: Bist du schon fertig?
• ❌ Die Firma hat das Projekt schon abgeschlossen. (grammatically fine but too casual for a report)
  ✔️ Better: Die Firma hat das Projekt bereits abgeschlossen.

---

FAQ: Schon vs. Bereits

Q: Are they synonyms?
Yes, in meaning, but not in style.

Q: Which one should I learn first?
Start with 现在 — it’s used far more often in conversation.

Q: Can I always replace schon with bereits?
Grammatically yes, but it will sound too formal in casual contexts.

---

Final Note

For beginners:

• Use 现在 in daily life.
• Use 无 in writing, news, or formal speech.

👉 For stylistic and cultural nuances, see Schon vs. Bereits: Why One Word Feels Warmer and the Other Colder by Tymur Levitin.

---

📚 Related Articles

• Perfekt vs. Präteritum: What’s the Real Difference?
• Schon vs. Bereits: Why One Word Feels Warmer and the Other Colder

---

👨‍🏫 作者: Tymur Levitin — founder, director, and senior teacher at Levitin Language School | Start Language School by Tymur Levitin.
View teacher’s profile →

🌍 Learn German with us:
German Language Learning Page →

---

© Tymur Levitin | Category: German Grammar for Beginners