hinzu

Hinzu is a German adverbial particle and a common component of compound verbs. It primarily conveys the sense of “in addition” or “to be added,” and it is used to indicate something that is added to what has already been stated or established. For example, in the phrases Kosten kommen hinzu (Costs are added) or Noch Regen kam hinzu (More rain was added to the day).

As a component of verbs, hinzufü­gen (to add) is a standard example. The verb zusätzlich merged with fü­gen forms the meaning “to add.” In usage, hinzufügen is conjugated normally: ich füge hinzu, du fügst hinzu, er fügt hinzu, and the perfect is ich habe hinzugefügt. The word hinzu can also appear in other phrasal constructions with verbs that express addition, often maintaining the sense of something being appended or added to a prior situation.

Etymology and grammar: hinzu originates from a combination of hin (toward, there) and zu (to), reflecting its role in indicating that something is being brought to bear on a situation. It has been part of standard German since the Middle High German period and remains common in both spoken and written language. In sentences, hinzu can strengthen a statement by signaling an additional element, contrasting with synonyms like zusätzlich or darüber hinaus.

See also: zusätzlich, darüber hinaus, addieren, hinzufügen. Hinzu is primarily a function word for marking addition rather than a contentful noun or fixed term, and its meaning relies on context within the surrounding clause.