Breakdown of Der Ausländer braucht einen Ausweis.
ein
a, an (eine)
brauchen
to need
der Ausweis
the ID card
der Ausländer
the foreigner
Questions & Answers about Der Ausländer braucht einen Ausweis.
Why is it einen Ausweis instead of ein Ausweis?
In this sentence, the ID card is the direct object being needed, so it must be in the accusative case. Since der Ausweis is a masculine noun, the word for "a/an" changes from the nominative ein to the accusative einen.
Where does the word Ausländer come from?
It is built from the noun das Ausland, which means "foreign country" or "abroad" (literally "out-land"). By adding the -er ending, it becomes a word for a person from that place.
How would I say this if the foreigner is a woman?
To make this noun feminine, you add the ending -in. The sentence would become: Die Ausländerin braucht einen Ausweis.
Does Ausweis refer to any specific type of ID?
Der Ausweis is a general term for an identity document, badge, or pass. In Germany, citizens carry a specific national ID card called a Personalausweis, which is often just shortened to Ausweis in everyday speech.
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