sein

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be, be, be located, exist, be
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العربية الفصحى
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/zaɪ̯n/
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To be present or have a particular identity, state or relation.
Practice using sein in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Wo bist du?
    Where are you?
  • Uns ist bei dem Gedanken unwohl.
    We feel uneasy at the thought.
  • Alles, was einmal war, kann vergehen.
    Everything that once was can pass away.
  • Meine Freunde sind gekommen.
    My friends have come.
  • Sind noch Fragen?
    Are there any more questions?

Similar words

stehen
vorhanden sein
sich fühlen
bestehen
stattfinden
liegen
geschehen
sich befinden
existieren

Meanings

Identity and state

verb
identity
neutral
Links someone or something to what it is, what it is like or how it feels.

Examples

  • Ich bin Maria.
    I am Maria.
  • Das ist mein Bruder.
    That is my brother.
  • Die Suppe ist heiß.
    The soup is hot.
  • Wir sind müde.
    We are tired.
  • Wie alt bist du?
    How old are you?

Similar words

Location

verb
location
neutral
Places someone or something at a particular location.

Examples

  • Der Schlüssel ist in der Tasche.
    The key is in the bag.
  • Wo bist du?
    Where are you?
  • Die Kinder sind im Garten.
    The children are in the garden.
  • Mein Büro ist im zweiten Stock.
    My office is on the second floor.
  • Ich bin schon am Bahnhof.
    I am already at the station.

Similar words

sich befinden
stehen
liegen

Existence

verb
existence
neutral
Indicates that someone or something exists or is present.

Examples

  • Früher war hier ein Wald.
    There was once a forest here.
  • Sind noch Fragen?
    Are there any more questions?
  • In diesem Teich sind viele Fische.
    There are many fish in this pond.
  • Es ist genug Brot für alle da.
    There is enough bread for everyone.
  • Alles, was einmal war, kann vergehen.
    Everything that once was can pass away.

Similar words

existieren
bestehen
vorhanden sein

Personal condition

verb
feelings
neutral
With a dative person, describes how that person physically or emotionally feels.

Examples

  • Mir ist kalt.
    I am cold.
  • Ihr war nach dem Essen übel.
    She felt sick after the meal.
  • Ist dir heute besser?
    Do you feel better today?
  • Uns ist bei dem Gedanken unwohl.
    We feel uneasy at the thought.
  • Dem Kind ist zu warm.
    The child is too warm.

Similar words

sich fühlen

Time or place of an event

verb
events
neutral
Says when or where an event takes place.

Examples

  • Das Treffen ist morgen.
    The meeting is tomorrow.
  • Der Vortrag ist im großen Saal.
    The lecture is in the large hall.
  • Wann ist dein Geburtstag?
    When is your birthday?
  • Die Prüfung war am Montag.
    The exam was on Monday.
  • Das Konzert ist um acht Uhr.
    The concert is at eight.

Similar words

stattfinden
geschehen

Perfect auxiliary

verb
grammar
neutral
Forms the perfect and other compound tenses of certain verbs, especially movement and change of state.

Examples

  • Sie ist gestern angekommen.
    She arrived yesterday.
  • Wir sind nach Berlin gefahren.
    We drove to Berlin.
  • Das Kind ist früh eingeschlafen.
    The child fell asleep early.
  • Er war schon gegangen.
    He had already left.
  • Meine Freunde sind gekommen.
    My friends have come.

Similar words

Resulting state

verb
grammar
neutral
With a past participle, describes a state that results from an action.

Examples

  • Die Tür ist geschlossen.
    The door is closed.
  • Das Fenster war geöffnet.
    The window was open.
  • Alle Plätze sind besetzt.
    All seats are occupied.
  • Der Brief ist schon geschrieben.
    The letter has already been written.
  • Die Arbeit war erledigt.
    The work was done.

Similar words

Possibility or obligation

verb
grammar
formal
With a zu-infinitive, says that an action can be done or must be done, depending on context.

Examples

  • Diese Aufgabe ist leicht zu lösen.
    This task can be solved easily.
  • Der Ausweis ist vorzuzeigen.
    The ID must be shown.
  • Das Problem war nicht zu vermeiden.
    The problem could not be avoided.
  • Die Regeln sind einzuhalten.
    The rules must be followed.
  • Der Text ist kaum zu lesen.
    The text can hardly be read.

Similar words

Possessive his or its

pronoun
possession
neutral
Marks something as belonging to a male person or to a noun referred to as masculine or neuter.

Examples

  • Sein Hund schläft.
    His dog is asleep.
  • Er sucht seine Schlüssel.
    He is looking for his keys.
  • Das Kind hat sein Buch vergessen.
    The child has forgotten its book.
  • Ist das sein Fahrrad?
    Is that his bicycle?
  • Ich kenne seine Schwester.
    I know his sister.

Similar words

Etymology

The verb combines old Germanic forms from several stems, including Old High German sīn, bin and was. The possessive pronoun goes back to Old High German sīn.

FAQ

What does sein mean?

As a verb it usually means “be”; the same spelling is also the possessive “his” or “its”.

How does the verb sein change?

Key forms include ich bin, du bist, er ist, war and ist gewesen.

When does sein form the perfect tense?

It forms the perfect of many movement and change-of-state verbs, as in ist gegangen.

Can sein mean “his”?

Yes. Before a noun, sein and its inflected forms show that something belongs to him or to a neuter referent.

Where does sein come from?

The verb combines several old stems; Duden traces the possessive pronoun to Old High German sīn.

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