Verschieden vs. Anders: Learn the Difference in German

Oct 16

When you learn German, you’ll often come across words that seem to mean the same thing — but in German, small differences in meaning matter a lot. Two very common examples are „verschieden“ and „anders“.

At first sight, both mean different. But each has its own specific use in German. Let’s look at what they mean, how they’re used, and how to remember them easily.

Recommended study materials on the topic:

Langenscheidt Go Smart - German Verbs
A-Grammar: Practice German grammar German (incl. answers)
German self-study book for A1-B1 (incl. answers)
German Verb Charts: Learning Regular and Irregular Verbs at a glance

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1. The meaning of verschieden

The German adjective verschieden means different, various or several kinds of.
You use it when talking about a group of things that are not the same.

Examples:

Wir haben verschiedene Meinungen. → We have different opinions.
Ich habe verschiedene Bücher gelesen. → I read several different books.
Sie wohnen in verschiedenen Städten. → They live in different cities.

👉 So verschieden is about variety — it describes several things that differ from each other, not a direct comparison between two things. If you can say several different or various in English, then verschieden is probably the right choice.

Grammar tip:

You’ll usually see verschieden before plural nouns, for example:

verschiedene Leute
verschiedene Farben
verschiedene Ideen.

Remember: Verschieden is used when you talk about different kinds of things in a group before plural nouns, just like saying various in English.

2. The meaning of anders

The word anders also means different, but it’s used when comparing one thing with another.

Examples:

Heute ist das Wetter anders als gestern. → Today the weather is different than yesterday.
Ich denke anders als du. → I think differently than you.
Dieses Auto ist anders als das andere. → This car is different from the other one.

👉 Anders focuses on contrast or change — something is not the same as before or not the same as something else.

Grammar tip:

You’ll often see it with als (meaning than):

anders als du
anders als gestern
anders als letztes Jahr

Remember: Anders is used when you compare one thing with another, just like saying different than in English.

3. Verschieden vs Anders: The Core Difference

Let’s make it simple:

  
      Situation
      Use
    
      Talking about several kinds or types with plural noun.
      verschieden
    
      Comparing one thing with another.
      anders

Example that shows both:

Wir haben verschiedene Meinungen, denn ich denke anders als du.

→ We have different opinions, because I think differently than you.

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4. Quick Practice

Try to fill in the right word:

Ich habe Bücher gelesen.
Deine Meinung ist als meine.
Wir wohnen in Städten.
Heute fühle ich mich als gestern.

Answers:

verschiedene
anders
verschiedenen
anders

Remember the difference

Verschieden = variety, several kinds.
Anders = comparison, contrast.

Both can translate as different, but they are used in different contexts.

Conclusion

If you want to understand German words clearly and remember them easily, check out my German study materials.
They include worksheets, vocabulary guides, and grammar explanations with answers to help you practice what you’ve learned.

You might also enjoy this related article The Difference Between besonders and insbesondere in German — a clear guide to two more easily confused German words.

Bis bald!

Steffie

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