Breakdown of Ich gebe jetzt mein Passwort ein.
ich
I
jetzt
now
mein
my
das Passwort
the password
eingeben
to enter
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Questions & Answers about Ich gebe jetzt mein Passwort ein.
Why is eingeben split into gebe and ein in this sentence?
In German, eingeben is a separable verb. In a main clause the finite part (gebe) goes in the second position and the prefix (ein) moves to the end. So Ich gebe … ein is the correct word order.
What does the prefix ein add to geben, and why does eingeben mean “to enter” instead of “to give in”?
When you attach ein- to geben, you form a new verb eingeben, which means “to input” or “to enter data.” It has nothing to do with “giving in” (in the sense of surrender). Many German verbs change meaning completely when you add a separable prefix.
Why is jetzt placed before mein Passwort? Could I move it elsewhere?
Jetzt is a temporal adverb and normally occupies the so-called “midfield” (between the verb and the object). You could also say Ich gebe mein Passwort jetzt ein, but then you shift the emphasis slightly onto the timing rather than onto the action itself. Both are grammatically correct.
Why is it mein Passwort and not meine Passwort?
Passwort is a neuter noun in German (das Passwort). Therefore the correct possessive adjective is mein (not meine, which you would use for feminine nouns).
Why is Passwort capitalized? Are all German nouns capitalized?
Yes. In German every noun is always capitalized, regardless of where it appears in the sentence. This rule helps you identify nouns at a glance.
Could I replace eingeben with tippen? Is there a difference?
You can say Ich tippe jetzt mein Passwort ein if you want to emphasize the physical act of typing on a keyboard. Eingeben is more general (“to input”), whereas tippen focuses on the keystrokes. Both are commonly used for passwords.