Schon vs. bereits
The German words schon and bereits both translate to already in English, but they have subtle differences in usage and connotation.
Schon
A1Schon is more common in everyday speech and can express a sense of surprise or emphasis.
Ich bin schon fertig.
(I'm already finished.)
Bist du schon da?
(Are you there already?)
Es ist schon spät.
(It's already late.)
Bereits
B1Bereits is slightly more formal and tends to be used in written language or more official contexts.
Der Zug ist bereits abgefahren.
(The train has already departed.)
Wir haben bereits alle Dokumente eingereicht.
(We have already submitted all the documents.)
Das Projekt wurde bereits letzte Woche abgeschlossen.
(The project was already completed last week.)
Summary
While schon and bereits can often be used interchangeably, schon is more colloquial and can add emphasis, while bereits is more formal and neutral. Schon is preferred in spoken German, whereas bereits is common in written or official contexts.