sonst
adv · /zɔnst/ ·Etymology
From Middle High German sunst, sust, sus, from Old High German sus (“thus”), from Proto-West Germanic *sus, from *swā (“so”), formally related to Proto-West Germanic *þus (“thus”). Cognate with Hunsrik sunst, Old Saxon sus (Middle Low German süs), archaic Dutch zonst (“otherwise”), Alemannic German sus and suscht.
Translation
-
otherwise (under different circumstances)
Beeil dich, sonst kommen wir zu spät.
Hurry up, otherwise we'll be late.
- else source:wikdict-en-de-stardict
-
normally, usually (as opposed to a particular case)
Ich trinke sonst nicht so viel.
I don't normally drink so much.
-
else
often
Sonst noch etwas?
Anything else?
Was soll es sonst sein?
What else would it be?
-
so; then; consecutive, but directed against an explicit or implicit alternative
colloquial
Wenn wir jetzt losgehen, sind wir eh zu spät. Sonst lass uns morgen noch mal wiederkommen.
If we go there now, we’ll be late anyway. So [let’s not do that but instead] let’s come back again tomorrow.
Wir gehen grad in die Stadt. Also, wenn du Lust hast... sonst komm doch mit!
We’re headed for the city. So, if you’re interested... [maybe you’re not, but if you are] then come along!