ohne
/ˈoːnə/
The English phrase "without" is translated into German as ohne.
ohne is a common and versatile term for 'without' in German.
How does it change in a sentence?
The preposition ohne always takes the accusative case.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈoːnə/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the dative case after ohne because they are used to other German prepositions, but it must be the accusative.
Did you know?
- The historical development of ohne suggests it might even be related to the Ancient Greek word ἄνευ, spanning a massive geographical and temporal gap.
- In German, ohne is often used in the phrase ohne Wenn und Aber, which literally means 'without if and but'. This is the equivalent of saying 'no ifs, ands, or buts' in English.
- When Germans want to say they are 'without a penny', they use the phrase ohne einen Pfennig. Even though the 'Pfennig' coin was replaced by the Euro in 2002, the expression remains common.
Examples in context
- Ich komme ohne aus.I can do without it.This sentence is useful for showing how to use ohne with a verb.Tatoeba #2674498 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1519508 by Vy
- Tom ging ohne mich.Tom left without me.This sentence is useful for showing how to use ohne with a person.Tatoeba #3153252 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3023455 by CK
- Ich gehe ohne dich.I'll go without you.Tatoeba #11741384 by Vortarulo, translation #10331996 by shekitten
- Ich gehe ohne Regenschirm aus dem Haus.I go out of the house without an umbrella.
- Der Artikel kostet 20 Euro abzüglich der Mehrwertsteuer.The article costs 20 euros without VAT.
- 2166 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Julian are deciding what to order for dinner.
- HannahMöchtest du die Pizza mit Salami?Would you like the pizza with salami?
- JulianNein, ich möchte sie bitte ohne Salami.No, I would like it without salami, please.
- HannahSoll ich auch Käse weglassen?Should I leave out the cheese too?
- JulianNein, ohne Käse schmeckt sie nicht.No, it doesn't taste good without cheese.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ohne, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ohne, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
