Dazwischen

Dazwischen is a German adverb meaning "between" or "in the meantime." It can refer to a spatial relationship, as in something situated between two other objects, or to a temporal relationship, indicating an intervening period or action. In usage, it often marks something that occurs between two established points or activities.

In spatial contexts, dazwischen describes placement or position relative to other elements. For example, "Die Bank steht dazwischen" means that a bench sits in between two things. In temporal contexts, it denotes an intervening moment or sequence, as in "Ich erledige zuerst die E-Mails, dazwischen mache ich eine Pause" (I take care of the emails first, in the meantime I take a break). The expression is common in everyday speech and can adopt a slightly colloquial tone.

Etymology and form: The word combines the elements da (there) and zwischen (between) and functions as a fixed adverb. It is not a preposition and does not require a noun following it. Related forms and particles behave similarly to other light adverbs in German.

Usage notes: Dazwischen is often contrasted with inzwischen, which emphasizes the progression of time from a reference point to the present (meanwhile, by now). Dazwischen highlights an action or situation occurring in the interval between two others rather than focusing on the passage of time itself. It is closely related to phrases such as in der Zwischenzeit or unterdessen, which convey the same temporal sense with slightly different nuances.

See also: in der Zwischenzeit, inzwischen, unterdessen, zwischenzeitlich.