German Grammar A–Z
Look up German grammar topics A–Z, organized by category and level — with clear explanations and examples.
Distinguishing innen, drinnen and rein
In German, the words innen, drinnen and rein all relate to indicating a position or direction toward the inside, but they have different usages and contexts. Below is a detailed breakdown of how each word is used.
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1. Innen
Innen means inside and is usually used to indicate the position inside a specific object or area.
It is often used to describe features or positions on the inside of an object.
Example: - Das Auto ist innen sehr sauber. (The inside of the car is very clean)
- Die Tasche hat innen viele Fächer. (The bag has many compartments inside)
- Von innen sieht das Haus noch größer aus. (Seen from the inside, the house looks even bigger)
Note: innen mainly describes a static position and does not imply movement.
2. Drinnen
Drinnen means inside and is usually used to indicate a position or state inside an enclosed space, such as a house, building or room.
It is used when you want to emphasize that a person or thing is in an enclosed space.
Example: - Es ist warm drinnen. (It is warm inside)
- Die Kinder spielen drinnen. (The children are playing inside)
- Drinnen gibt es viel zu sehen. (There is a lot to see inside)
Note: drinnen mainly describes a static position in an enclosed space.
3. Rein
Rein is the shortened form of herein or hinein, meaning into/in.
It is used to express the action of moving from the outside to the inside, especially in imperative sentences or when describing actions.
Example:- Komm rein! (Come in!)
- Ich muss jetzt rein. (I have to go inside now)
- Kannst du das Paket reinbringen? (Can you bring the package inside?)
Note: rein usually goes with an action and implies movement from the outside to the inside.
