besonders

Besonders is a German adverb meaning “especially” or “notably.” It is used to emphasize a quality, action, or circumstance and to single out something as more significant than others. Grammatically, es is the adverbial form related to the adjective besonders, which means “special” or “particular.”

Usage typically places besonders before the word it modifies: “Das ist besonders wichtig.” “Sie hat ihn besonders oft angerufen.” It can also modify an adjective phrase: “eine besonders schwierige Aufgabe.” In many contexts it functions as a mild intensifier, similar to the English “especially” or “in particular.”

Related terms include particularly formal or more precise expressions such as insbesondere, which is often used to single out a specific item within a larger set: “In diesem Bereich, insbesondere der Bereich X, gibt es Herausforderungen.” The noun form das Besondere means “the special thing” or “the distinctive feature” and is capitalized.

Origin and nuance: besonders is a standard adverb in written and spoken German. It signals emphasis without implying a categorical claim about every example, and its tone is typically neutral to slightly formal, depending on context.

Synonyms and alternatives: insbesondere, vor allem, speziell, largely depending on nuance and register.

See also: das Besondere; insbesondere; vor allem.