In German
Eins
Meaning: one (the number 1)
Example sentences
Eins,zwei,drei!
One, two, three!
Ichnehmeeins,bitte.
I'll take one, please.
IchhabeeinBuchundeineKatze.
I have a book and a cat.
Grammar note
“Eins” is the number on its own. Before a noun, use “ein”, “eine” or “einen”, depending on gender and case: “ein Buch”, “eine Katze”.
Common mistake
Don't say “eins Buch”. Before a noun, always use “ein”.
Quick check
Which of these means “one”?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
Why does “eins” become “ein” before a noun?
“Ein” is the article form used before nouns, like “a” or “an” in English. “Eins” is only the number itself.
How do you count with “eins”?
Count with “eins, zwei, drei”. Note that “eins” is also used alone when you mean the number one in a list.