Someone wrote me this sentence (a native speaker):
Mein Deutsch ist aber noch nicht so gut.
Shoudn't "aber" stay in the beginning of the sentence? Like:
Aber mein Deutsch ist noch nicht so gut.
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1Both are correct, as far as I know. But I also wait for an authoritative answer. I'd expect a slightly, subtely different effect caused by changing the natural (0th.) place for aber. Ich bin aber nicht sicher :ṕ– c.p.Dec 21, 2013 at 1:49
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1 Answer
Aber is being used here as a modal particle rather an a coordinating conjunction. When used like it is in your example, it has a similar meaning to if it were used a conjunction
I'd say "Mein Deutsch ist aber noch nicht so gut" roughly translates to
My German isn't really that good yet, though.
When you use aber as a modal particle it has 3 meanings/uses
1) In a statement, aber expresses a surprised reaction
Der Film war aber gut! = The film was good!
1a) ja can also be used to express surprise, but aber expresses surprise to the degree that something is a certain quality
Der Kaffee ist aber heiß!> the coffee is hotter than you expected
Der Kaffee ist ja heiß! > you expected the coffee that wouldn't be hot (warm, iced, etc)
2) aber can be used to express contradiction: in this manner the meaning is very similar to the meaning when used as a conjunction
Mein Freund kam aber nicht = My friend didn't come though
Sie muss uns aber gesehen haben = But she must have seen us
3) When used in exclamations, aber can stress the speaker's opinion
Aber nein! = Of course not!
Aber Kinder! = Now, now, children!
Source: Durrell, Martin. Hammer's German Grammar and Usage. 5 e.d.
answered Dec 21, 2013 at 2:09
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hmmm... it is actually not a modal particle but simply an adverb with the same function that the subordinating conjunction has. "Aber" can be a modal particle but only in exclamations (see your examples 1,1a and 3). Then it expresses surprise. This is theoretically possible here too, but I am 99,9% certain that the person meant a simple "but".... just at a different position. Just as in example 2. The only difference between the adverb "aber" and the conju. is in fact the position. But the fact that I actually can move it to position 1 tells us that it is NOT a particle. Those can't ever be 1.– EmanuelDec 21, 2013 at 20:49
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So while the answer contains a lot of correct information I have to give -1 because the main statement is not correct :)– EmanuelDec 21, 2013 at 20:50