ich gehe
In German, the phrase 'I am going' is expressed as ich gehe.
ich gehe is used to state that you are leaving a place or moving on foot. You may also use the phrase Es tut mir leid, aber ich muss gehen to politely excuse yourself when you need to leave.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ich gehe is composed of the first-person singular pronoun ich (I) and the verb gehen (to go/walk) conjugated as gehe.
Which one should you use?
While ich gehe translates to 'I am going', it specifically implies that you are moving on foot. If you are traveling by vehicle, you should use ich fahre instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
In German, the present tense is used for both the English 'I go' and 'I am going'.
Did you know?
- The word gehen is used in the phrase ich gehe in Rente to say 'I am retiring', though the person is not actually walking anywhere.
- The verb gehen is used in the expression das geht nicht, which means 'that is not possible' or 'that will not work'.
- The word ich shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'I', both descending from the Proto-Indo-European root *eǵh₂óm.
Examples in context
- Ich gehe zur Post.I am going to the post office.This sentence is useful for saying you are going to the post office with ich gehe.Tatoeba #1714589 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1665353 by Amastan
- Ich gehe zur Schule.I am going to school.This sentence is useful for saying you are going to school with ich gehe.Tatoeba #708626 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #396887 by kamile
- Ich gehe in den Laden.I am going to the store.This sentence is useful for saying you are going to the store with ich gehe.Tatoeba #1262083 by Espi, translation #11491159 by megamanenm
- Entschuldigung, aber ich gehe jetzt. Tschüss!Sorry, but I am going now. Goodbye!
- Es tut mir leid, aber ich muss gehen. Es war schön, Sie kennenzulernen.I'm sorry, but I have to go. It was nice to meet you.
- Ich mach' mich langsam auf den Weg nach Hause.I'm slowly making my way home.
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia are saying goodbye in a park.
- MaximilianEs ist spät, ich gehe jetzt.It is late, I am going now.
- JuliaOk, bis morgen, Maximilian!Okay, see you tomorrow, Maximilian!
- MaximilianTschüss, Julia!Bye, Julia!
- JuliaMach's gut!Take care!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
