'Ein' Definition

What is the meaning of the German word 'Ein'?

Home > German Language > What is the meaning of Ein?

The word 'Ein' is a German word that can mean 'A/an' in English. You can find example sentences below to help you understand how to use the word in context.

Definition of 'Ein' in English

Ein - A/an

article

The article 'ein' in German is equivalent to the English indefinite article 'a' or 'an', depending on the gender and declination of the following noun. It signals that the noun it precedes is singular and masculine or neuter.

Example Sentences:

  • Er hört ein Geräusch im Inneren der Villa. - He hears a noise inside the villa.

German Challenges

Beginner

Fill in the blank with the correct form of the definite article "the" in the accusative case for a Masculine noun.

Ich entdecke den Brief unter einem Stapel alter Bücher.

Reset answer
You answered correctly!
The word "Brief" is a masculine noun in German. In German grammar, "Brief" is "der Brief" in the nominative case. However, when a masculine noun is used in the accusative case, the definite article changes from "der" to "den." Therefore, in the sentence "Ich entdecke den Brief unter einem Stapel alter Bücher," which translates to "I discover the letter under a pile of old books" in English, "den Brief" correctly uses the accusative case for the masculine noun "Brief."
Explore these topics to learn more!
View Full Challenge
Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "kämpfen" to mean "to fight for"?

Er kämpft um seine Rechte.

Reset answer
You answered correctly!
The correct preposition to use with "kämpfen" to convey the meaning of "to fight for" is "um", making the expression "kämpfen um". The sentence "Er kämpft um seine Rechte" means "He is fighting for his rights." The other prepositions are not suitable to express the act of fighting for something. An alternative that also works is "für" - "Er kämpft für seine Rechte".
Explore these topics to learn more!
View Full Challenge
Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "erinnern" to mean "to remember"?

Erinnern Sie sich an meinen Namen?

Reset answer
You answered incorrectly.
The correct preposition to use with "erinnern" to convey the meaning of "to remember" is "an", making the expression "sich erinnern an". The sentence "Erinnern Sie sich an meinen Namen" means "Do you remember my name".
Explore these topics to learn more!
View Full Challenge
Beginner

Which adjective correctly describes the feminine noun in the nominative case?

Er fand eine alte, verfallene Hütte

Reset answer
You answered correctly!
The adjective 'alte' is the correct word to use here because it is in the nominative case, feminine form. This adjective describes the noun 'Hütte', which is a feminine noun. 'Alt', the base form of the adjective, 'alten', the masculine or dative plural form, and 'altes', the neutral form, would all be incorrect in this context because they do not match the gender of the noun being described.
View Full Challenge
Intermediate

What is the correct form of the definite article "the" in the genitive case for the masculine noun "Vater" (father)?

Das ist das Auto des Vaters.

Reset answer
You answered correctly!
The definite article for masculine nouns in the genitive case is "des." Therefore, the sentence should be "Das ist das Auto des Vaters," which translates to "That is the father's car" in English.
Explore these topics to learn more!
View Full Challenge
Intermediate

Which word best completes the sentence to mean 'little'?

Er hat nur wenig Geld in seiner Tasche.

Reset answer
You answered correctly!
In this context, 'wenig' is used as a pronoun that means 'little' in English. The word 'wenig' does not change based on declination in this context. When used with countable objects in a negative context, 'wenig' typically indicates a smaller than expected quantity. The other options are grammatically incorrect declinations of 'wenig' and do not fit in this particular sentence.
Explore these topics to learn more!
View Full Challenge
Beginner

What is the correct form of the definite article "the" in the genitive case for a Feminine noun?

Die Idee der Frau ist sehr gut.

Reset answer
You answered correctly!
The phrase indicates possession, using the genitive case. The correct definite article for feminine nouns in the genitive case is "der." Hence, the sentence should be "Die Idee der Frau ist gut," which means "The woman's idea is very good" in English.
Explore these topics to learn more!
View Full Challenge
Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "warten" to mean "to wait for"?

Ich warte auf den Bus

Reset answer
You answered correctly!
The correct preposition to use with "warten" to convey the meaning of "to wait for" is "auf", making the expression "warten auf". The sentence "Ich warte auf den Bus" means "I am waiting for the bus." The other prepositions cannot be used to express the act of waiting for something or someone.Did you know? Prepositions in German can change the case of the noun that follows them. In the case of "warten auf", the preposition "auf" requires the noun to be in the accusative case.
Explore these topics to learn more!
View Full Challenge
Beginner

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the personal pronoun 'wir' in the dative case.

Der Lehrer hat uns die Hausaufgaben aufgegeben

Reset answer
You answered correctly!
The dative case form of the personal pronoun 'wir' (we) is 'uns'. In the sentence "Der Lehrer hat uns die Hausaufgaben aufgegeben," 'uns' is used as the indirect object, receiving the action of the verb. Here, the verb 'aufgeben' (to assign) requires an indirect object to indicate to whom the homework is assigned. 'Wir' changes to 'uns' in the dative case to reflect its role as the recipient of the action in the sentence.
Explore these topics to learn more!
View Full Challenge
Intermediate

Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?

Die Kinder haben im Park gespielt.

Reset answer
You answered correctly!
In the case of 'spielen' which is an action verb, we typically use 'haben' as an auxiliary verb when forming the past tense. Thus, 'Die Kinder haben im Park gespielt' (The children played in the park) is the correct sentence. 'Sein' is usually used with verbs that depict movement or state change, which is not the case with 'spielen'. Understanding the appropriate usage of 'haben' and 'sein' forms a fundamental part mastering past tense in the German language.
Explore these topics to learn more!
View Full Challenge

Track your progress, get daily alerts!

Simply provide your email address to keep track of your answers, and optionally receive daily alerts for new challenges.