erstmals

Erstmals is a German adverb meaning “for the first time” or “initially.” It is used to indicate that an event or phenomenon occurs or is observed for the first time, a function common in historical, scientific, and journalistic writing. The word carries a nuance of novelty or a new occurrence in a sequence of events.

Etymology and form: erd from erst meaning “first” or “previous,” combined with mal meaning “time” or “occasion.” The result is a single-word adverb: erstmals. In most contexts it is lowercase within a sentence, and only capitalized at the beginning of a sentence.

Usage: Typical constructions place erstmals before the verb, especially in literary or formal prose: Erstmals wurde das Experiment erfolgreich durchgeführt. It can also follow the subject in some sentences: Das Phänomen trat erstmals in den 1990er Jahren auf. The word is commonly used in past and present narrative to emphasize novelty, and it often substitutes for the phrase zum ersten Mal.

Variants and related terms: Zum ersten Mal is a common, more colloquial alternative with the same meaning. Erstmal is a related form used in spoken German with broader senses, including “for the time being” or “first of all,” depending on context.

Examples:

- Erstmals wurde das Medikament im Jahr 1999 getestet.

- Der Bericht zeigt, dass dieses Phänomen erstmals in der Region beobachtet wurde.

- Die Ergebnisse erscheinen erstmals in der aktuellen Studie.

See also: zum ersten Mal, erst einmal. In English, rough equivalents include “for the first time.”