Ich hatte einen tollen Tag
The English phrase "I had a great day" can be translated into German as Ich hatte einen tollen Tag.
If you want to express that you felt great or had a good time rather than just stating the day was 'great', you can say Mir ging es heute sehr gut.
Which one should you use?
The word tollen (great/awesome) carries a stronger, more enthusiastic connotation than schönen (nice/beautiful/lovely) used in the phrase Ich hatte einen schönen Tag.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase Ich hatte einen tollen Tag uses the accusative case for einen tollen Tag because Tag is the direct object of the verb hatte.
Did you know?
- While 'great' in English is quite versatile, the German toll used in this phrase originally meant 'insane' or 'crazy'. Today, it is used as a common superlative for 'awesome'.
- The German word Tag shares a common ancestor with the English word 'daisy'. The flower's name comes from 'day's eye' because its petals open at dawn and close at dusk.
- The word Tag was used in early German legal documents to refer to a 'fixed day for a meeting' or 'appointment'. This usage survives in the names of German parliaments like the Reichstag and Landtag.
Examples in context
- Es war ein großartiger Tag. Ich habe viele interessante Kontakte geknüpft und viel Neues gelernt.It was a great day. I made many interesting contacts and learned a lot of new things.
- Ich hatte einen super Tag. Wir haben die Sehenswürdigkeiten besichtigt und ein fantastisches Abendessen genossen.I had a super day. We visited the landmarks and enjoyed a fantastic dinner.
- Ich hatte einen tollen Tag heute.I had a great day today.
- Danke, ich hatte einen tollen Tag.Thanks, I had a great day.
- Ich hatte einen tollen Tag im Urlaub.I had a great day on vacation.
Example conversation
Sarah and Felix are talking after work.
- SarahWie war dein Arbeitstag, Felix?How was your workday, Felix?
- FelixGut, ich hatte einen tollen Tag.Good, I had a great day.
- SarahDas freut mich für dich.I am happy for you.
- FelixUnd du, Sarah?And you, Sarah?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ich, Tag, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
