anfangs
Translation
at first, initially, in the beginning
Examples
Anfangs war es schwierig.
At first, it was difficult.
Er war anfangs sehr schüchtern.
He was very shy in the beginning.
Grammar Patterns
anfangs + V + S... At first... Anfangs verstand ich nichts.
S + V + anfangs... ...at first. Ich verstand anfangs nichts.
Similar Words
Synonyms: zuerst, am Anfang, zunächst; Antonyms: später, am Ende, schließlich
Etymology
Derived from the genitive form of 'Anfang' (beginning), 'des Anfangs', which became an adverb.
Memory Tips
Think of it as meaning 'of the beginning' or 'at the beginning's time'. It often starts a sentence.