Regelmæssig

regelmässig is the spelling used in Swiss Standard German for the German adjective and adverb meaning occurring at fixed intervals or in a regular, orderly manner. The corresponding standard German spelling used in Germany and Austria is regel­mäßig. Both forms share the same meaning and usage, with the only difference being the orthography dictated by regional spelling conventions.

Etymology and meaning. The word is built from Regel (rule or regular pattern) and the suffix -mäßig, which forms adjectives meaning “in the manner of” or “like.” Thus regelmässig literally conveys “in a regular way.” In practice, it describes actions or events that recur with predictable regularity, as well as processes that proceed in a steady, methodical manner.

Usage and grammar. Regelmässig can function as an adjective and as an adverb. As an adjective it declines like other German adjectives (der regelmäßige Ablauf, die regelmäßige Tätigkeit, das regelmäßige Intervall). The adverbial use is identical to the adjective form in meaning, as in “Er trainiert regelmässig” or “Die Busse kommen regelmässig.” In Swiss German contexts, you will often see the spelling regelmässig; in Standard German contexts, regel­mäßig is more common.

Synonyms and antonyms. Similar terms include regelmäßig, planmäßig, konstant, and kontinuierlich. The opposite is unregelmäßig (unregelmässig in Swiss spelling), which denotes irregular or sporadic intervals or patterns.

See also. Related concepts include Regelmäßigkeit (the noun form “regularity”), planmäßige Abläufe (scheduled sequences), and periodische oder zyklische Vorgänge, which describe recurring patterns in time or process.