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Individually, words like schon, noch, immer, nie, and mehr are easy A1 vocabulary. But combine them, and their meaning shifts in ways that a word-for-word translation won't help you with. These 10 word combinations show up constantly in daily spoken German, and understanding them is often the difference between following a conversation and getting lost halfway through it.

The 10 Word Combinations

• schon einmal — ever, at some point before. Warst du schon einmal in Berlin? — Have you ever been to Berlin?
• noch nie — never (up to now). Ich war noch nie in Berlin. — I've never been to Berlin.
• noch nicht — not yet. Ich habe noch nicht gegessen. — I haven't eaten yet.
• noch einmal — once more, again. Kannst du das noch einmal sagen? — Can you say that once more?
• immer noch — still (something ongoing continues). Er schläft immer noch. — He's still sleeping.
• immer noch nicht — still not, still hasn't happened. Sie ist immer noch nicht angekommen. — She still hasn't arrived.
• immer wieder — again and again, repeatedly. Er macht immer wieder denselben Fehler. — He makes the same mistake again and again.
• nie wieder — never again. Das mache ich nie wieder! — I'm never doing that again!
• schon wieder — yet again (often said with mild frustration). Schon wieder Regen? — Rain again already?
• nicht mehr — not anymore, no longer. Ich rauche nicht mehr. — I don't smoke anymore.

How to Keep Them Apart

Most of the confusion with these combinations comes from mixing up two ideas: whether something is being described as ongoing (immer noch, noch nicht) or as repeated/finished (schon einmal, nie wieder, schon wieder). A useful way to sort them:

• Talking about experience (ever/never): schon einmal ↔ noch nie
• Talking about something not yet done vs. still happening: noch nicht ↔ immer noch
• Talking about repetition: immer wieder, schon wieder, noch einmal, nie wieder, nicht mehr

Learning them in these opposite-meaning pairs makes it much easier to pick the right one in conversation, instead of translating from English word by word — which rarely works with these combinations.

A Note on Spoken vs. Formal German

All ten of these combinations are used in both spoken and written German — there's no "informal only" version here. What changes is frequency: in casual conversation, Germans reach for these constantly, often several times in a single exchange, so recognizing them instantly (without mentally translating) is what actually helps your listening comprehension the most.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between "schon einmal" and "noch nie"?

"Schon einmal" means "ever" or "at least once before" and is used to ask or state that something has happened, e.g. "Warst du schon einmal dort?" (Have you ever been there?). "Noch nie" means "never" and is its direct opposite: "Ich war noch nie dort" (I've never been there).

What is the difference between "noch nicht" and "immer noch"?

"Noch nicht" means something hasn't happened yet ("Ich bin noch nicht fertig" — I'm not done yet). "Immer noch" means something is still ongoing ("Ich bin immer noch hier" — I'm still here). One points to the future, the other describes the present continuing.

What does "schon wieder" mean?

"Schon wieder" means "yet again" or "already again," and is very often used to express mild annoyance that something is happening once more, e.g. "Schon wieder zu spät!" (Late again!).

What is the difference between "nie wieder" and "nicht mehr"?

"Nie wieder" means "never again" and usually expresses a firm decision about the future. "Nicht mehr" means "not anymore/no longer" and describes a change from how things used to be, e.g. "Ich trinke nicht mehr" (I don't drink anymore).

Are these word combinations used in formal German too?

Yes — unlike some colloquial expressions, all of these combinations are perfectly normal in formal and written German as well. They're simply used very frequently in everyday spoken conversation, which is why recognizing them quickly matters so much for listening comprehension.

Our A2 German course builds exactly these kinds of everyday combinations into real listening and speaking practice.