Ich bin spontan.

I am spontaneous.

Breakdown of Ich bin spontan.

• sein: to be
• ich: I
• spontan: spontaneous

Questions & Answers about Ich bin spontan.

What form of “to be” is bin, and how is sein conjugated?

Bin is the first-person singular of sein (to be). Present tense:

• ich bin
• du bist
• er/sie/es ist
• wir sind
• ihr seid
• sie/Sie sind

Why isn’t spontan capitalized here?

Adjectives in German are lowercase unless they start a sentence or are turned into nouns (nominalized). In Ich bin spontan., spontan is a predicate adjective, so it’s lowercase. Nominalized example: der Spontane (the spontaneous one).

Does spontan change for gender/number with sein?

No. Predicate adjectives after sein don’t take endings, so it’s always spontan, regardless of gender/number/person: Ich bin spontan. / Sie sind spontan. By contrast, attributive adjectives before a noun do take endings: ein spontaner Mensch, eine spontane Person, mein spontanes Kind.

How do I negate this?

Use nicht: Ich bin nicht spontan. For emphasis:

• Ich bin gar nicht/überhaupt nicht spontan.
• With a softener: Ich bin nicht besonders/sehr spontan.

Can I intensify or soften it?

Yes. Common modifiers:

• sehr, ziemlich, total, echt, wirklich: Ich bin sehr/ziemlich/total spontan.
• Hedges: eher, manchmal, oft: Ich bin eher/manchmal spontan.

What are the comparative and superlative forms?

• Comparative: spontaner — Ich bin spontaner als früher.
• Superlative (predicative/adverbial): am spontansten — Er reagiert am spontansten.
• Superlative (attributive): der/die/das spontanste — die spontanste Entscheidung.

How do I pronounce Ich bin spontan?

• Ich: [ɪç] (soft “ch,” not like English “sh”); approximate: “ikh.”
• bin: [bɪn]
• spontan: [ʃpɔnˈtaːn] (initial sp → “shp,” stress on the second syllable, long “a” like “ah”) Approximate: “ikh bin shpon-TAHN.”

Can spontan be adverbial, and does that change the meaning?

Yes. Adverbial spontan means “on the spur of the moment/without planning.”

• Adjective (trait): Ich bin spontan. (I’m a spontaneous person.)
• Adverb: Wir haben uns spontan getroffen. (We met spontaneously.) Fronting the adverb for emphasis: Spontan bin ich dabei! (Count me in, off the cuff!)

Is Spontan bin ich. correct by itself?

It’s unusual on its own. If you continue the thought, it’s fine: Spontan bin ich dabei. / Spontan bin ich nicht. Fronting spontan highlights the adverbial idea (“spontaneously/offhand”) or adds contrastive emphasis.

Is there a more explicit or natural way to phrase the trait?

You can specify the noun: Ich bin ein spontaner Mensch. Variants:

• Ich bin eine spontane Person.
• Informal: Ich bin ein spontaner Typ.

Can I drop the subject and say Bin spontan?

No. German generally requires the subject pronoun: Ich bin spontan. (Exception: very informal notes or headlines, but avoid this while learning.)

What’s the difference between spontan and impulsiv?

• spontan: unplanned, flexible, ready to act without much preparation (often positive).
• impulsiv: driven by impulse, acting without thinking through consequences (can be negative). You can be spontan without being impulsiv.

How would I say this in the past or future?

• Simple past of the trait: Ich war spontan.
• Future: Ich werde spontan sein. More natural for decisions: Ich habe spontan zugesagt. / Ich habe spontan entschieden.

Where do particles like auch, eigentlich, schon, halt go?

Typical placements:

• Ich bin auch spontan.
• Ich bin eigentlich/doch schon ziemlich spontan.
• Ich bin halt/eben spontan. These sit near the adjective and color the statement’s nuance.

Common mistakes to avoid?

• Missing subject: ✗ Bin spontan.
• Wrong negation: ✗ Ich bin kein spontan. → Ich bin nicht spontan.
• Wrong endings with sein: ✗ Ich bin spontane. → Ich bin spontan.
• Wrong word: ✗ spontanisch (doesn’t exist). Use spontan.
• Capitalization: ✗ Ich bin Spontan. (mid-sentence adjective stays lowercase).