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Questions & Answers about Diesmal bin ich pünktlich.
Why is it “Diesmal bin ich …” and not “Ich bin … diesmal”?
German is a verb-second (V2) language for main clauses. If you put the time adverb Diesmal in first position, the finite verb bin must come second, so the subject ich moves after the verb: Diesmal bin ich pünktlich. You can also say Ich bin diesmal pünktlich—both are correct. Fronting Diesmal adds emphasis to “this time” (contrast with other times).
Is diesmal one word or should it be dieses Mal?
Both are correct, but they’re slightly different:
- diesmal = adverb (“this time” as a single word)
- dieses Mal = determiner + noun (literally “this occasion/time”); note the capital M in Mal Stylistically, both are standard. Don’t write diesemal—that’s incorrect.
What part of speech is pünktlich here, and why is there no ending?
pünktlich is an adjective used predicatively after the verb sein (“to be”). Predicative adjectives in German do not take endings: Ich bin pünktlich. Endings appear when adjectives directly modify a noun (attributive use), e.g., ein pünktlicher Mensch (“a punctual person”).
How do I pronounce the sentence?
- Diesmal: [ˈdiːsmaːl] (long “ie” = [iː]; the s is [s] before consonant m)
- bin: [bɪn]
- ich: [ɪç] (the “ich-sound” [ç], like a soft hissing)
- pünktlich: [ˈpʏŋktlɪç] (“ü” = rounded front vowel [ʏ]; “nk” = [ŋk]; final “ch” = [ç]) Main stress: DIEsmal and PÜNKtlich.
What’s the difference between pünktlich and rechtzeitig?
- pünktlich = “on time, at the exact agreed time” (neither early nor late)
- rechtzeitig = “in time, early enough (before a deadline/too late)” Example: If a meeting is at 10:00, arriving at 10:00 is pünktlich; sending a form a day before the deadline is rechtzeitig.
Could I say Diesmal komme ich pünktlich instead?
Yes. kommen focuses on the act of arriving on time. sein + pünktlich states the resulting state. In many contexts, both are idiomatic and mean the same thing here.
How do I negate it?
Place nicht before the predicate adjective/adverbial:
- Diesmal bin ich nicht pünktlich.
- With kommen: Diesmal komme ich nicht pünktlich.
Why present tense? Can it refer to the future?
German often uses the present tense with a time expression to talk about near-future plans: Diesmal bin ich pünktlich can mean “I’ll be on time this time.” For extra clarity or emphasis about the future, you can say Diesmal werde ich pünktlich sein.
Why is ich lowercase here? When would it be capitalized?
German personal pronouns are lowercase, including ich, unless they begin the sentence. In this sentence, Diesmal starts the sentence, so ich stays lowercase. In dieses Mal, the noun Mal is capitalized because all nouns are capitalized in German.
Where can I put diesmal in the sentence?
Common, natural options:
- Diesmal bin ich pünktlich. (fronted for emphasis)
- Ich bin diesmal pünktlich. (neutral) End placement like Ich bin pünktlich diesmal is possible but less typical; time adverbs usually come early (rule of thumb: Time–Manner–Place).
Do I need a comma after Diesmal?
No. It’s just a fronted adverb, not the start of a subordinate clause. No comma: Diesmal bin ich pünktlich.
Can I add modal particles for nuance?
Yes, very idiomatic:
- Diesmal bin ich aber pünktlich. (contradicting an expectation)
- Diesmal bin ich ja pünktlich. (shared knowledge/soft emphasis)
- Diesmal bin ich doch pünktlich. (protest/correction) Particles add tone rather than new information.
Can I drop the subject ich like in Spanish or Italian?
No. German is not a pro‑drop language. You must include the subject pronoun: Diesmal bin ich pünktlich, not just Diesmal bin pünktlich.
How do I type pünktlich without an umlaut key?
Write puenktlich. In general: ä → ae, ö → oe, ü → ue, ß → ss. So this sentence can be typed as: Diesmal bin ich puenktlich.