beziehungsweise
Translation
or rather, respectively, or, alternatively
Examples
Ich fahre nach Berlin, beziehungsweise mein Zug fährt.
I'm going to Berlin, or rather my train is going.
Anna und Ben sind 10 bzw. 12 Jahre alt.
Anna and Ben are 10 and 12 years old, respectively.
Grammar Patterns
A, beziehungsweise B A, or rather B I am tired, or rather exhausted.
A and B are X bzw. Y A and B are X and Y, respectively Anna and Ben are 10 bzw. 12 years old.
Similar Words
Synonyms: oder, respektive, genauer gesagt (more precisely)
Etymology
From 'Beziehung' (relation) + 'Weise' (way/manner). It indicates a relationship between two statements.
Memory Tips
Think of it as clarifying the 'relationship' (Beziehung) between two ideas. First idea, then a more precise version.