Breakdown of Wir sprechen offen miteinander.
wir
we
sprechen
to talk
miteinander
with each other
offen
openly
Questions & Answers about Wir sprechen offen miteinander.
Is offen here an adjective or an adverb, and what does it add to the sentence?
In this sentence offen functions as an adverb of manner, describing how people speak with each other.
In German, adjectives are often used in an adverbial way without changing form:
- ein offenes Gespräch – an open conversation (adjective, describing Gespräch)
- offen sprechen – to speak openly (adverbial use, describing sprechen)
So Wir sprechen offen miteinander means that the way of speaking is frank, direct, and without hiding things.
What exactly does miteinander mean, and is it literally “with each other”?
Yes. miteinander literally combines mit (with) and einander (each other). Today it is written as one word and behaves like an adverb / pronoun-like form meaning:
- miteinander = with one another, with each other
It stresses that the action happens reciprocally among the people involved, not just side by side.
Compare:
- Wir sprechen. – We speak. (no information about to whom)
- Wir sprechen miteinander. – We speak with each other. (reciprocal: I speak to you, you speak to me, etc.)
Is miteinander always one word? Can I write mit einander instead?