German · Everyday Verbs
"to enter" in German: eintreten
eintreten
Note: also: reingehen
To enter in German is eintreten. Say Ich trete ein or Tritt bitte ein! Past participle is eingetreten. Reingehen is a casual alternative for going in.
Knocking
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How to pronounce eintreten
Say it
INE-tray-ten
/ˈaɪ̯nˌtʁeːtn̩/
INE-tray-ten. Soft ei as eye. Soft e in treten.
"to enter" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| eintreten | to enter / step in Core verb, often through a door. | Core verb, often through a door. |
| ich trete ein / tritt ein | I enter / enter! Split present and imperative. | Split present and imperative. |
| eingetreten | entered Past participle with sein. | Past participle with sein. |
| Darf ich eintreten? | May I come in? Polite knock question. | Polite knock question. |
How to use eintreten in real life
- 1Knocking
Darf ich kurz eintreten?
May I enter briefly?
Infinitive eintreten after modal.
- 2Invite in
Tritt ein, es zieht sonst.
Come in, otherwise there's a draft.
Tritt … ein keeps the particle.
- 3After arriving
Als ich eintrat, war das Licht aus.
When I entered, the light was off.
Eintrat is a past form of eintreten.
Mistakes English speakers make with eintreten
Incorrect: Ich eintrete jetzt.
Correct: Ich trete jetzt ein.
Split in present: treten + ein.
Incorrect: Ich gehe ein. (only)
Correct: Ich trete ein. / Ich gehe rein.
For this headword prefer eintreten; reingehen is a different verb.
Good to know
Knocking and waiting for Herein! or Tritt ein! is polite in offices and homes. Eintreten sounds a bit more formal than reinkommen; both are understood at a door.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Arriving at a friend's apartment
ChatPal
Die Tür ist offen — einfach eintreten!
The door is open — just come in!
You
Okay, ich trete ein. Schuhe aus?
Okay, I'm coming in. Shoes off?
ChatPal
Ja bitte. Willkommen!
Yes please. Welcome!
You
Danke. Ich bin froh, dass ich endlich eintreten darf.
Thanks. I'm glad I'm finally allowed to come in.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to enter" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to enter" in German
How do you conjugate eintreten?
Ich trete ein, du trittst ein; past participle eingetreten.
Imperative?
Tritt ein! / Treten Sie ein!
Have entered?
Ich bin eingetreten.
Vs reingehen?
Similar meaning; eintreten is the headword here.
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