irgend

German

Alternative forms

• jrgent (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle High German irgent, iergen (“somewhere”), from Old High German io wergin, hwergin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hwargin.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Adverb

irgend

1. (chiefly with möglich) at all (regarding possibility/ability)

   soweit irgend möglich ― if at all possible

   Komm heute noch vorbei, wenn es irgend geht.

   Come by (still) today if at all possible.

2. (informal, with certain pronouns and adverbs) any, some

Usage notes

• In text messaging, irgend is sometimes shortened as i like iwann (from irgendwann).
• (any, some):
  • In combination with pronouns that are already indefinite, the arbitrariness and lack of individual significance is emphasized.
  • In standard spelling, irgend in this sense is chiefly merged with the following pronoun or adverb (see derived terms). Separated spelling occurs especially with the generalizing particle so, as in "irgend so ein" (some kind of/some random).

Derived terms

• irgendein, irgend ein – irgendeiner
• irgendetwas, irgend etwas
• irgendjemand
• irgendwann
• irgendwas
• irgendwelche
• irgendwer
• irgendwie
• irgendwo
• irgendwoher
• irgendwohin

Related terms

• nirgend

Further reading

• “irgend” in Duden online
• Friedrich Kluge (1883), “irgend”, in John Francis Davis, transl., Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, published 1891