ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ein

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈaɪn// ein

n. the number one in German. You might see this in English when someone is using a German phrase or talking about German grammar.

n. the German cardinal number for one, or the indefinite article 'a/an' in the masculine or neuter nominative case. In English contexts, it appears primarily as a loanword in specific cultural references or linguistic discussions.


SIMPLE

The student learned that 'ein' means 'one' in German.

CONTEXTUAL

The professor explained that 'ein' is the masculine indefinite article used in the nominative case.

COMPLEX

While translating the text, the scholar noted that the author used 'ein' to emphasize the singularity of the object in a way that the English 'a' could not fully capture.

Usage

When used in English, it is typically treated as a foreign loanword and may be italicized.

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