Breakdown of Ich gehe einmal im Monat in die Bibliothek.
in
in
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
ich
I
gehen
to go
die Bibliothek
the library
der Monat
the month
einmal
once
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Questions & Answers about Ich gehe einmal im Monat in die Bibliothek.
Why is it einmal written as one word instead of ein Mal?
In German, the adverb meaning “once” is usually written as one word: einmal. You can technically write ein Mal, but that looks more like a noun phrase (“one occurrence”) and is less idiomatic. As an adverb, stick with einmal.
What exactly does einmal im Monat mean?
It literally means “once in the month,” but idiomatically it’s “once a month.”
- einmal = one time
- im Monat = in the month (i.e. per month)
Why is it im Monat instead of in dem Monat, and what case is Monat here?
- in dem contracts to im in everyday German.
- Monat is in the dative case because time expressions with in normally use dative when you specify “in” a period.
Why does the sentence use in die Bibliothek instead of in der Bibliothek?
When you express movement toward a destination, in takes the accusative case.
- The library is feminine (die Bibliothek).
- In accusative it stays die, so you get in die Bibliothek (“into the library”).
If you were stationary (no movement), you’d use dative: in der Bibliothek (“in the library”).
Could I say Ich gehe einmal im Monat zur Bibliothek instead?
Yes. zur is the contraction of zu der (dative) and is perfectly common:
- Ich gehe zur Bibliothek = “I go to the library.”
It doesn’t explicitly highlight entering but is idiomatic for going there. in die Bibliothek just stresses movement into the building itself.
Is einmal pro Monat interchangeable with einmal im Monat?
Generally yes. pro is more loan-style (from Latin) and often appears in formal contexts:
- einmal pro Monat (formal)
- einmal im Monat (everyday speech)
Why is the time phrase einmal im Monat placed before the place phrase in die Bibliothek, and can I swap them?
German word order for adverbials typically follows: Time – Manner – Place. That’s why einmal im Monat (time) comes before in die Bibliothek (place).
You can swap them for emphasis:
- In die Bibliothek gehe ich einmal im Monat. (emphasizes “to the library”)
- Einmal im Monat gehe ich in die Bibliothek. (puts focus on the frequency)
Could I use monatlich instead of einmal im Monat?
Yes. monatlich is an adverb meaning “monthly.” For example:
- Ich gehe monatlich in die Bibliothek.
It’s slightly more formal and less conversational than einmal im Monat.