Breakdown of Wir scannen die Tickets am Eingang.
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
wir
we
an
at
das Ticket
the ticket
der Eingang
the entrance
die
the; (plural, accusative)
scannen
to scan
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Questions & Answers about Wir scannen die Tickets am Eingang.
What tense is scannen here? Does it cover “are scanning”?
It’s the German present tense (Präsens). In German, the present covers:
- simple present: We scan
- present progressive: We are scanning
- near future, if context makes it clear: We will scan (e.g., tomorrow) Using the future with werden is possible but only needed for emphasis or clarity: Wir werden die Tickets am Eingang scannen.
Why is it die Tickets and not den Tickets or das Tickets?
Because die Tickets is the accusative plural (direct object). Key points:
- Ticket is neuter singular: das Ticket
- Plural is die Tickets in both nominative and accusative
- den Tickets would be dative plural (not used here)
- das Tickets mixes singular article with a plural noun and is incorrect
What’s the gender and plural of Ticket?
- Gender: neuter → das Ticket
- Plural: die Tickets
- Examples: ein Ticket, kein Ticket, keine Tickets
What does am mean in am Eingang, and why that form?
am = an dem (a contraction). an with the dative is used for a static location (“at/on” a place). Eingang is masculine, so the dative is dem Eingang → am Eingang (“at the entrance”).
What’s the difference between am Eingang, an den Eingang, im Eingang, and beim Eingang?
- am Eingang (an + dem, dative): at the entrance (static location). Most idiomatic for checkpoints.
- an den Eingang (accusative): to/toward the entrance (motion toward).
- im Eingang (in + dem): in the doorway/entry area (physically inside the entrance space).
- beim Eingang (bei + dem, dative): by/near the entrance (in the vicinity). You’ll also hear event jargon am Einlass (“at admission/check-in”), which focuses on the checkpoint process rather than the physical doorway.
Is the word order fixed? Could I say Wir scannen am Eingang die Tickets?
Both are fine:
- Neutral: Wir scannen die Tickets am Eingang.
- Slight place emphasis: Wir scannen am Eingang die Tickets. If the object is a pronoun, it normally comes earlier: Wir scannen sie am Eingang.
Is scannen separable? What about einscannen?
scannen is not separable. einscannen is a common separable variant meaning “to scan (into a system).”
- Present: Wir scannen die Tickets am Eingang ein.
- Perfect: Wir haben die Tickets am Eingang eingescannt.
Is scannen idiomatic, or is there a better verb?
scannen is idiomatic Modern German for barcode/QR scanning. Alternatives:
- kontrollieren / prüfen: to check (general, may or may not involve a scanner)
- einlesen: to read in electronically (often for machines/systems)
- entwerten: to validate/cancel a paper ticket (public transport)
- abscannen: to scan over (surface or quickly with eyes); less common for ticket checks For event entry with devices, scannen (or einscannen) is natural.
How do I pronounce tricky parts like scannen and Eingang?
- Wir: “veer” (long ee)
- scannen: “SKAN-en” (sc = sk, short a)
- die: “dee”
- Tickets: “TIK-ets” (final “ts” like in “cats”)
- am: “ahm”
- Eingang: “EYE-n-gahng” (hard g; final “ng” as in “song”)
Why are Tickets and Eingang capitalized?
All nouns are capitalized in German. Tickets and Eingang are nouns. wir would normally be lowercase mid‑sentence; it’s capitalized here only because it starts the sentence. Verbs like scannen are not capitalized.
Can I drop the article and say Wir scannen Tickets am Eingang?
Yes. Without the article, it’s more general/habitual (“we scan tickets at the entrance” in general). With die, it points to a specific, known set (“the tickets” of this event).
How do I negate this? Where does nicht go?
- Negate the place: Wir scannen die Tickets nicht am Eingang, sondern am Ausgang.
- Negate the action (no scanning at all): Wir scannen die Tickets nicht.
- Negate the object (not those tickets): Wir scannen diese Tickets nicht (sondern andere). Position of nicht depends on what you’re negating; it typically precedes the element in focus.
How do I form the passive?
- Present passive: Die Tickets werden am Eingang gescannt.
- With einscannen: Die Tickets werden am Eingang eingescannt.
- Past passive (spoken perfect): Die Tickets sind am Eingang gescannt worden.
How do I say this in the past or future?
- Spoken past (Perfekt, preferred): Wir haben die Tickets am Eingang gescannt.
- Simple past (Präteritum, rarer in speech): Wir scannten die Tickets am Eingang.
- Future: Wir werden die Tickets am Eingang scannen. (Often you can just use the present with a time word.)
Why the double “n” in scannen and gescannt?
The loanword is adapted to German spelling: scannen – scannte – gescannt. The double “n” keeps the vowel short (like “SKAN‑en”). The past participle is regular with ge-: gescannt (and with einscannen → eingescannt).
Should I use Ticket or Karte?
Both occur, but usage varies:
- das Ticket: modern/international; common for flights, concerts, online/mobile tickets.
- die Karte / Eintrittskarte: traditional for events/entry; Fahrkarte for public transport. At venues, you’ll hear both: Ticket is very common in contemporary usage.