darunter

Darunter is a German adverbial particle formed from da ("there") and unter ("under"). It refers to elements connected to or located in relation to something mentioned earlier. It has two primary uses: a figurative sense meaning "among them" or "including," and a literal sense meaning "underneath" or "below it." The etymology is straightforward: a fused form of da and unter.

In the figurative sense, darunter introduces items from a previously mentioned set. Examples: "Viele Vorschläge wurden gemacht, darunter zwei besonders vielversprechende." "Die Stadt wurde genannt, darunter Berlin und München." In such sentences, darunter often follows the referenced noun phrase and is separated from the main clause by a comma.

In spatial or descriptive contexts, darunter can denote position relative to a reference point, roughly "below" or "underneath" that point. This use is more common in formal writing or when clarity about the spatial relation is required.

Related terms include "unter ihnen" (among them) and "einschließlich" (including). Darunter is always written as a single word and cannot be separated; its meaning depends on context and the reference element introduced earlier in the sentence.

Historically, the form derives from da and unter, and it is widely attested in standard German. It is considered a common and useful connector in both spoken and written language, especially in lists, reports, and descriptive texts.