Focus particle 'sehr wohl' (indeed)

sehr wohl is an emphatic affirmation meaning indeed / very well / certainly. Its hallmark is that it contradicts an assumed doubt or denial: the speaker insists that something is in fact the case, against expectation.

The stress falls on the affirmation, and the phrase usually sits in the middle field.

• Sie hat sehr wohl recht. - She is indeed right (despite what you think).
• Ich habe das sehr wohl bemerkt. - I did very well notice that.
• Das war ihm sehr wohl bewusst. - He was perfectly well aware of that.

Common mistakes: Do not read sehr wohl as very good/healthy - here wohl is the modal particle, not the adjective. It affirms, so do not combine it with a negation. Distinguish it from polite sehr wohl meaning very well (as a servant's acknowledgement), which is archaic; the focus-particle use is the relevant C2 sense.

'sehr wohl' (indeed / very well) emphatically affirms, often against a doubt.

Emphatically affirms, often against an assumed doubt.

'sehr wohl' bekräftigt nachdrücklich, oft gegen einen Zweifel.