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Wir scannen die Tickets am Eingang.

Wir scannen die Tickets am Eingang.
We scan the tickets at the entrance.
FromLesson 53inHardcore German

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.
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