In German, many adverbs ending in -weise are used to express a particular manner, perspective, or relation to a broader category. These words are typically derived from nouns or adjectives and are similar in function to adverbial phrases in English like in terms of, with regard to, or for example. A common example is beispielsweise, which means for example. This word is formed from Beispiel (example) and the suffix -weise, and is used to introduce examples or instances: Einige Länder, beispielsweise Deutschland und Österreich, haben strengere Umweltgesetze – Some countries, for example Germany and Austria, have stricter environmental laws.
The suffix -weise originally comes from the word Weise (manner, way), and it attaches to a base word to create an adverb that expresses something like in the manner of or in the way of. These adverbs are mostly used in formal, written, or academic German, though some appear in everyday speech.
Another common form is teilweise, from Teil (part), meaning partially or in part. In a sentence like Die Straßen waren teilweise gesperrt – The roads were partially closed, the word indicates that only a part of the subject applies. Schrittweise is formed from Schritt (step), meaning gradually or step by step: Die Reform wird schrittweise umgesetzt – The reform will be implemented step by step. Similarly, abschnittsweise (from Abschnitt, section) would refer to something happening in sections or phases, often used in contexts like construction or reading texts.
Gelegentlichweise (from Gelegenheit, opportunity or occasion) is rare and somewhat redundant, since gelegentlich already functions as an adverb meaning occasionally. This highlights an important point: not all -weise forms are necessary or stylistically preferred. Some adverbs like zufällig (accidentally), plötzlich (suddenly), or offensichtlich (obviously) already cover the intended meaning without needing an additional construction.
For each of these -weise adverbs, there is usually an alternative construction using a prepositional phrase. For instance, beispielsweise can be replaced by zum Beispiel, as in Einige Länder, zum Beispiel Deutschland und Österreich... The meaning is the same, but zum Beispiel is slightly more neutral and common in spoken language, while beispielsweise may appear more often in formal writing or academic texts.
Likewise, instead of teilweise, one might say zum Teil: Die Straßen waren zum Teil gesperrt. The difference is mainly stylistic. Zum Teil is somewhat more flexible in register, while teilweise can sound more concise and technical. With schrittweise, a phrase like in einzelnen Schritten or nach und nach (gradually) could convey a similar meaning, but might not match the compactness or clarity of the -weise form in formal writing.
The choice between the -weise adverb and the equivalent prepositional phrase depends largely on register, rhythm, and clarity. The adverb form tends to sound more precise and is often used in structured, written contexts. Prepositional phrases are more frequent in spoken German and can be easier for learners to understand or produce early on.
Many -weise adverbs can be anticipated once you’re familiar with the pattern. Take a noun like Richtung (direction) and you'll find richtungsweise in certain technical contexts to mean direction-wise. Similarly, stellenweise from Stelle (place, spot) means in places or here and there, often describing partial coverage or occurrence: Stellenweise war die Straße vereist – In places, the road was icy.