Learn Hardcore German: Im Posteingang ist der Entwurf bereits zweimal vorhanden. - In the inbox the draft is already there twice.

It’s the contraction of in dem (“in the”). German commonly contracts prepositions plus definite articles, so in dem → im. The dative case is signaled by dem.

Which case is Posteingang in, and why?

Dative masculine: dem Posteingang. The preposition in is a two-way preposition; with a static location (no movement), it takes the dative, hence im Posteingang.

What is the subject of the sentence?

der Entwurf is the subject (nominative). Im Posteingang is a place phrase (not the subject), and vorhanden is a predicate adjective linked by ist.

Why is the verb second even though the sentence starts with Im Posteingang?

German main clauses follow the verb-second (V2) rule. A whole phrase can occupy first position, so after fronting Im Posteingang, the finite verb ist still comes second.

Can I start with the subject instead? Does the word order change the emphasis?

Yes: Der Entwurf ist im Posteingang bereits zweimal vorhanden. That’s neutral and slightly emphasizes the subject. Inside the clause, time/frequency typically comes before place (a TeKaMoLo tendency), so … bereits zweimal … im Posteingang … sounds very natural.

What does vorhanden mean? Is it necessary? Any alternatives?

vorhanden means “present/available/existing.” You can omit it and say Der Entwurf ist bereits zweimal im Posteingang, which is idiomatic; vorhanden just adds a slightly formal/technical nuance. Common alternatives are liegt/befindet sich (e.g., … liegt bereits zweimal im Posteingang) or a formal liegt … vor.

How do bereits and zweimal work together? Can I use schon instead?

bereits = “already,” zweimal = “twice,” so bereits zweimal = “already twice.” That order is the default; zweimal bereits is possible but marked/emphatic. schon is the more colloquial equivalent of bereits: schon zweimal.

Is zweimal the same as doppelt or zweifach?

Not exactly. zweimal = “two times/occurrences.” doppelt = “double/duplicated” (e.g., doppelt vorhanden). zweifach = “twofold,” often in formal/administrative contexts: in zweifacher Ausfertigung (“in duplicate”).

Can I rephrase the sentence with es gibt?

Yes: Im Posteingang gibt es den Entwurf bereits zweimal. With es gibt, the thing mentioned is accusative (den/einen Entwurf). You can also use a pronoun: … gibt es ihn bereits zweimal.

How do I negate this?

Not yet: Im Posteingang ist der Entwurf noch nicht vorhanden.
No draft there: Im Posteingang gibt es keinen Entwurf.
No longer: Im Posteingang ist der Entwurf nicht mehr vorhanden.

What’s the difference between im and ins with in?

im = in dem (dative, location: “in the inbox”). ins = in das (accusative, direction: “into the inbox”). Here it’s location, so im Posteingang.

How would this look in a subordinate clause?

Verb-final: …, dass der Entwurf im Posteingang bereits zweimal vorhanden ist. The finite verb ist goes to the end.

What are the gender and plural of Entwurf?

Masculine: der Entwurf. Genitive singular des Entwurfs, plural die Entwürfe (with umlaut).

Is zweimal written as one word?

Yes, zweimal is the standard spelling. Use two words when “Mal” is a true noun you might modify: zwei Mal, das zweite Mal, zum x-ten Mal.

Does Posteingang always mean an email inbox?

Typically yes, Posteingang is the email “Inbox.” More generally, Eingang can mean receipt/incoming (of mail/documents), and Postfach can mean a (physical) PO box or an email mailbox.

How do you pronounce the key words?

Approximate guide: Posteingang [POST-eye-ngang] (stress on the first syllable), Entwurf [ent-VOORF] (stress on the second), vorhanden [for-HAN-den] (stress on the second). In Post-, the st is pronounced [st] here (not [ʃt]) because it’s followed by a consonant.

Why is there no comma in the sentence?

It’s a single main clause without inserted elements or a subordinate clause. German doesn’t require a comma here.