German Phrase
Es ist generell langsamer.
Meaning
Literally, “It is generally slower.” The speaker is stating that, on average or in most cases, something operates at a lower speed than usual or compared to something else.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to comment on the overall speed of a process, device, service, or any phenomenon without referring to a specific moment. It’s common in tech reviews, travel discussions (e.g., “The traffic is generally slower in winter”), or when comparing two systems.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Esistgenerelllangsamer.
Verb "sein" (ist)
The verb "sein" is irregular; in the present tense third‑person singular it becomes "ist".
Adverb "generell"
"generell" means "in general" or "generally" and is placed before the adjective or the whole clause.
Comparative "langsamer"
Form the comparative of a regular adjective by adding -er (and sometimes an umlaut). "langsam" → "langsamer".
Word order
In a simple declarative sentence the subject (Es) comes first, followed by the verb (ist), then adverb(s) and the predicate adjective.
🗨In Conversation
Wie ist das neue WLAN hier?
How is the new Wi‑Fi here?
Es ist generell langsamer als das alte.
It is generally slower than the old one.
✕Common Mistakes
Es ist general langsamer.
Learners sometimes write "generell" with a single "l" ("general"), which is English spelling.
Es ist generell langsam.
Using the base adjective "langsam" instead of the comparative loses the comparative meaning.
Es generell langsamer.
Dropping the verb "sein" makes the sentence ungrammatical.
↔Alternatives
Im Allgemeinen ist es langsamer.
In general, it is slower.
Normalerweise ist es langsamer.
Usually it is slower.
Meistens ist es langsamer.
Most of the time it is slower.
Cultural Tip
German speakers prefer precise wording. "Generell" sounds a bit more formal than "normalerweise" or "meistens". In southern Germany you might hear "grundsätzlich" used in a similar way, but it can imply a stronger, more rule‑like statement. Also, avoid mixing the comparative with a superlative in the same clause (e.g., *"es ist am langsamsten"* would be a superlative, not a comparative).