teils … teils

partly … partly

conjunction TYLS … TYLS Rare

Also means

some … some

Usage Note

Teils … teils is a correlative adverb-conjunction expressing a divided distribution: Die Reaktionen waren teils positiv, teils negativ — Reactions were partly positive, partly negative. Useful for nuanced descriptions without committing fully to either extreme.

Examples

"Das Publikum war teils begeistert, teils skeptisch."

Natural Translation

The audience was partly enthusiastic, partly sceptical.

Literal Translation

The audience was partly enthusiastic, partly sceptical.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

German Greetings by Region: Grüß Gott to Grüezi

German greetings change by region: say Moin in Hamburg, Grüß Gott in Bavaria, Grüezi in Switzerland. A map of every hello and goodbye, plus du vs. Sie.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German False Friends: 25 Words That Trick You

German false friends like Gift (poison) and bekommen (to receive) trick English speakers daily. Here are 25 words that mean the opposite of what you'd guess.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

German Separable Verbs: When the Prefix Splits

German separable verbs split in two: the verb stays near the front and the prefix flies to the end. Learn the stress test and where every piece goes.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

Wo, Wohin, Woher: Three Ways to Say Where

German splits where into three: wo (location), wohin (destination), and woher (origin). Learn the wo vs wohin rule, the hin/her logic, and common mistakes.

June 5, 2026 6 min read