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schwerlich

hardly

adverb SHVAYR-lish Rare
Grammar & Structure Adverbs

Origin: from schwer (hard, difficult)

Also means

scarcely

Usage Note

schwerlich is a formal adverb meaning 'hardly, scarcely', expressing that something is unlikely, e.g. das wird schwerlich gelingen. It carries a tone of polite scepticism and is more literary than the everyday kaum.

Examples

"So spät wird er schwerlich noch kommen."

Natural Translation

This late he will hardly still come.

Literal Translation

So late becomes he hardly still come.

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