eine Verabredung
In German, "a date" is translated as eine Verabredung.
eine Verabredung refers to a social appointment to meet someone. To say that you "have a date", you use the verb haben with this noun: eine Verabredung haben.
Which one should you use?
While eine Verabredung is a neutral term for any social appointment, the loanword ein Date is commonly used in modern, informal German to specifically imply a romantic date.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Verabredung is feminine, which is why the indefinite article is eine. The plural form of the word is Verabredungen.
Did you know?
- While eine Verabredung covers any meeting, Germans often use the word Termin for professional appointments. Calling a romantic date a Termin can make the encounter sound like a cold business transaction or a doctor's visit.
- The noun Verabredung is built from the verb verabreden, which comes from the word Rede, meaning 'speech' or 'talk'.
- Unlike English, where 'a date' can also mean the fruit or a calendar day, eine Verabredung is only used for the social meeting. For the fruit, Germans use Dattel and for the calendar day, they use Datum.
Examples in context
- Ich habe eine Verabredung.I have a date.This sentence is useful for saying you have a date using eine Verabredung.Tatoeba #2195755 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2195477 by Hybrid
- Ich habe heute Abend eine Verabredung.I have a date tonight.This sentence is useful for specifying that you have a date tonight using eine Verabredung.Tatoeba #10190536 by wolfgangth, translation #5391010 by Hybrid
- Ich habe leider schon eine Verabredung.I'm sorry, but I already have a date.This sentence is useful for politely declining because you already have a date using eine Verabredung.Tatoeba #7286069 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #7285566 by Hybrid
- Am zwölften Juli zweitausendzwanzig.On the twelfth of July, 2020.
- Der fünfzehnte Mai neunzehnhundertneunundneunzig.The fifteenth of May, 1999.
- Am siebzehnten Dezember zweitausendzwanzig.On the seventeenth of December, 2020.
- Am fünfzehnten Mai.On the fifteenth of May.
- Am 15. Mai.On the 15th of May.
- Am zehnten Juli.On the tenth of July.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Hannah are talking about their weekend plans.
- JulianHast du am Samstag schon etwas vor?Do you already have plans for Saturday?
- HannahJa, ich habe eine Verabredung im Kino.Yes, I have a date at the cinema.
- JulianMit wem gehst du ins Kino?Who are you going to the cinema with?
- HannahDas ist noch eine Überraschung, Julian!That is still a surprise, Julian!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Verabredung, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
