Ich habe ein Buch.
English: I have a book.
- Language
- German
- Level
- A1
- Unit
- Pronomen und Artikel
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
The 'unbestimmter Artikel' in German is the indefinite article. It is used to talk about a person or thing that is not specifically known or mentioned before.
When to use it
Use the indefinite article in German when you are talking about something for the first time, or when it is not a specific or known person or thing.
Key forms
- ein (masculine, nominative): ein Mann
- eine (feminine, nominative): eine Frau
- ein (neuter, nominative): ein Kind
Examples
Sie kauft eine Blume.
English: She buys a flower.
Er sieht ein Auto.
English: He sees a car.
Wir essen eine Pizza.
English: We eat a pizza.
Tips
- Remember that 'ein' changes depending on the gender and case of the noun.
- Do not use 'ein' with plural nouns. There is no plural form of the indefinite article in German.
- Pay attention to the gender of the noun to choose between 'ein' and 'eine'.
Exceptions and edge cases
- In negative sentences with 'kein', the form changes like 'ein'.
- Some professions or nationalities do not use the article in German.