ich bin
The English phrase "I am" is translated into German as ich bin.
The phrase ich bin is used to state who someone is or to describe their current state.
How does it change in a sentence?
ich bin is the first-person singular present tense of the verb sein (to be).
What mistakes should you avoid?
To express the past tense "I was", use ich war instead of ich bin.
Did you know?
- The word bin actually contains two different linguistic histories. It is a hybrid of a Proto-Indo-European root shared with the English 'am' and a separate Proto-Germanic root that added the starting 'b' sound.
- In some German dialects, particularly in the south, you might hear speakers use i instead of the standard ich to say 'I am'.
- The German word ich sounds very similar to the English 'I' but is a distant relative of the Latin word ego.
Examples in context
- Ich bin in Rom.I am in Rome.This sentence is useful for stating your location in Rome using ich bin.Tatoeba #2132969 by Sirio60, translation #2133023 by CN
- Ich bin im Haus.I am in the house.This sentence is useful for stating you are in the house using ich bin.Tatoeba #1169478 by Vortarulo, translation #256502 by CK
- Ich bin im Netz.I am online.This sentence is useful for stating you are online using ich bin.Tatoeba #2750237 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #436415 by lukaszpp
- Ich bin glücklich.I am happy.
- Ich bin müde.I am tired.
- Ich bin hungrig.I am hungry.
- Ich bin Ihnen dankbar.I am grateful to you.
- Ich bin Ihnen behilflich.I am here to help you.
- Ich bin Ihnen zur Verfügung.I am at your disposal.
- Ich bin frohI am glad
- 1622 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah are meeting at a cafe.
- FelixHallo, ich bin Felix.Hello, I am Felix.
- HannahFreut mich, ich bin Hannah.Nice to meet you, I am Hannah.
- FelixBist du oft hier?Are you here often?
- HannahJa, ich bin sehr gerne hier.Yes, I like being here very much.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bin, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
