Ankunft
/ˈankʊnft/feminine
The English word 'arrival' is translated into German as Ankunft. If unsure, use Ankunft. Wiktionary also lists Eintreffen.
Meaning: act of arriving (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ankunft | /ˈankʊnft/ | feminine |
| Eintreffen | [ˈʔaɪ̯nˌtʁɛfɱ̩] (narrow) [ˈʔaɪ̯nˌtʁɛfən] (narrow) |
neuter |
What does it mean word for word?
Ankunft is a compound consisting of the prefix an- (at/to) and kunft, which comes from the verb kommen (to come).
How does it change in a sentence?
Ankunft is a feminine noun, while Eintreffen is a neuter noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈankʊnft/
Did you know?
- The word Ankunft is often paired with the verb erwarten in the phrase die Ankunft erwarten, which can be used both for a train and for the birth of a baby.
- The verb treffen, which forms the basis of Eintreffen, originally meant 'to hit a mark' or 'to strike', suggesting that arriving is like hitting a target destination.
- In German railway stations, the arrival board is often labeled Ankunft, but the actual arrival of a train is sometimes referred to as Einfahrt if the focus is on the train physically entering the station.
Examples in context
- Es geschah vor meiner Ankunft.It happened prior to my arrival.This sentence is useful for showing how to use Ankunft to describe the timing of an event.Tatoeba #2146123 by Tamy, translation #42403 by CK
- Ken wartet auf die Ankunft des Zuges.Ken is waiting for the arrival of the train.This sentence is useful for showing how to use Ankunft when talking about a train arriving.Tatoeba #710748 by Manfredo, translation #62451 by CN
- Er ging bald nach unserer Ankunft weg.He left soon after our arrival.This sentence is useful for showing how to use Ankunft to describe an action occurring after a group has arrived.Tatoeba #651290 by kolonjano, translation #297407 by CK
- Die Ankunft des Zuges wurde um 15:30 Uhr erwartet.The arrival of the train was expected at 3:30 pm.
- Wow, endlich bist du angekommen! Ich freue mich über deine Ankunft!Wow, you've finally arrived! I'm thrilled about your arrival!
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are waiting at the airport.
- LukasWann ist die Ankunft des Fluges?When is the arrival of the flight?
- HannahEr landet in zehn Minuten.It lands in ten minutes.
- LukasIch freue mich auf seine Ankunft.I am looking forward to his arrival.
- HannahIch mich auch, Lukas.Me too, Lukas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “arrival” translations and entries Ankunft, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry eintreffen.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ankunft, eintreffen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
