eine E-Mail schreiben
To write an email
직역: an email to write
Use this phrase for any digital correspondence that isn't a quick instant message or text.
15초 만에
- The standard way to say 'writing an email' in German.
- Uses the feminine article 'eine' and the verb 'schreiben'.
- Appropriate for both professional business and personal digital correspondence.
뜻
This phrase is the standard way to say you are composing an electronic message. It is used exactly like the English equivalent, whether you are at work or just updating a friend.
주요 예문
3 / 6At the office
Ich muss noch schnell eine E-Mail schreiben.
I still need to quickly write an email.
Talking to a friend
Schreib mir einfach eine E-Mail mit den Infos.
Just write me an email with the information.
Formal application
Ich schreibe eine E-Mail an die Personalabteilung.
I am writing an email to the HR department.
문화적 배경
In Germany, email is often preferred over phone calls for official business to ensure there is a 'Papierspur' (paper trail). While younger generations are moving toward Slack or Teams, the formal 'E-Mail' remains the gold standard for reliability and documentation. Interestingly, the word is almost always spelled with a hyphen in German, following Duden standards.
The 'Mail' Shortcut
In casual speech, Germans often drop the 'E-' and just say 'eine Mail schreiben'. It sounds more relaxed and modern.
Capitalization Matters
Always capitalize 'E-Mail'. In German, all nouns are capitalized, and 'E-Mail' is no exception. Writing it lowercase looks very messy to a native speaker.
15초 만에
- The standard way to say 'writing an email' in German.
- Uses the feminine article 'eine' and the verb 'schreiben'.
- Appropriate for both professional business and personal digital correspondence.
What It Means
eine E-Mail schreiben is your bread and butter for digital communication. It simply means to sit down and type out an email. In German, the noun E-Mail is feminine, so we use eine. It is a very literal and straightforward expression. You will use this daily if you work in an office. Even at home, it is the go-to phrase for any formal or semi-formal digital contact.
How To Use It
You treat schreiben as the active verb. It changes based on who is doing the writing. For example, ich schreibe or wir schreiben. The phrase eine E-Mail stays together as the object. If you want to say who you are writing to, use the word an plus the person. For example: Ich schreibe eine E-Mail an meinen Bruder. It is simple, clean, and follows basic German sentence structure. Just don't forget that capital 'E' and 'M' in E-Mail!
When To Use It
Use this when you are at the office and need to update your boss. Use it when you are applying for a new flat in Berlin. It is perfect for contacting customer support when your internet dies. You can also use it with friends if you are sending something long. If it involves a subject line and an 'Inbox', this is your phrase. It feels professional yet accessible.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for quick text messages on WhatsApp. For those, just say ich schreibe dir or ich schicke dir eine Nachricht. Using E-Mail for a text makes you sound like a confused time traveler from 1995. Also, avoid it for physical letters. For those, use einen Brief schreiben. If you are just hitting the 'send' button on a draft, you might prefer eine E-Mail abschicken instead.
Cultural Background
Germans take their emails quite seriously. In many cultures, emails have become casual like chat. In Germany, they often retain the structure of a formal letter. You will see formal greetings like Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren very often. An email is often viewed as a binding record of communication. It is the digital version of the famous German love for paperwork. Even a simple request often starts with a formal 'Hello' and ends with a 'Best regards'.
Common Variations
You will often hear people shorten it to just eine Mail schreiben. This is very common in casual conversation. Another variation is eine E-Mail schicken, which means 'to send an email'. If you are replying, you say auf eine E-Mail antworten. If you are CC'ing someone, you might say jemanden in CC setzen. All these keep you moving in the digital workspace.
사용 참고사항
This phrase is universally understood and safe for all levels of formality. The only 'gotcha' is ensuring you use the feminine 'eine' and remember the hyphen in 'E-Mail'.
The 'Mail' Shortcut
In casual speech, Germans often drop the 'E-' and just say 'eine Mail schreiben'. It sounds more relaxed and modern.
Capitalization Matters
Always capitalize 'E-Mail'. In German, all nouns are capitalized, and 'E-Mail' is no exception. Writing it lowercase looks very messy to a native speaker.
The Formal Standard
When writing to someone you don't know, always start with 'Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren'. It's the classic, safe way to open a German email.
예시
6Ich muss noch schnell eine E-Mail schreiben.
I still need to quickly write an email.
A very common phrase used before leaving work or starting a break.
Schreib mir einfach eine E-Mail mit den Infos.
Just write me an email with the information.
Using 'Mail' or 'E-Mail' is common when sharing details like addresses.
Ich schreibe eine E-Mail an die Personalabteilung.
I am writing an email to the HR department.
The preposition 'an' is used to indicate the recipient.
Ich schreibe eine E-Mail an mich selbst, damit ich es nicht vergesse.
I'm writing an email to myself so I don't forget it.
A relatable modern habit of using the inbox as a to-do list.
Er schreibt jeden Abend eine lange E-Mail an seine Freundin.
He writes a long email to his girlfriend every evening.
Shows that emails can still be personal and heartfelt.
Kannst du bitte die E-Mail für mich schreiben?
Can you please write the email for me?
Asking someone else to handle the correspondence.
셀프 테스트
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb 'schreiben'.
Ich ___ heute eine E-Mail an meinen Chef.
For the first person singular 'Ich', the verb 'schreiben' becomes 'schreibe'.
Choose the correct article for E-Mail.
Er möchte ___ E-Mail schicken.
E-Mail is a feminine noun (die E-Mail), so the accusative indefinite article is 'eine'.
🎉 점수: /2
시각 학습 자료
Formality of 'eine E-Mail schreiben'
Shortened to 'Mail' with friends.
Schreib mir 'ne Mail.
Standard daily use.
Ich schreibe eine E-Mail.
Official business or government contact.
Ich schreibe eine E-Mail an das Amt.
When to use 'eine E-Mail schreiben'
Job Hunting
Applying for a position.
Customer Service
Complaining about a product.
University
Asking a professor a question.
Organization
Sending a flight itinerary to a friend.
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문It is feminine: die E-Mail. Therefore, you say eine E-Mail when it is the object of your sentence.
Yes, if the context is clear. For example, Ich schreibe dir später (I'll write to you later) often implies an email or text.
Schreiben focuses on the act of composing the text, while schicken means the actual act of sending it.
No, that sounds weird. For WhatsApp, use eine Nachricht schreiben or simply schreiben.
You use the phrase auf eine E-Mail antworten. Note that antworten requires the preposition auf in this case.
Sometimes, but the official Duden spelling is E-Mail. Without the hyphen, Email can actually refer to 'enamel' (like on a pot)!
If you are writing eine E-Mail to a stranger or a superior, always use Sie. Use du only for friends, family, or colleagues who have offered the 'Du'.
The most common neutral/formal closing is Mit freundlichen Grüßen. For friends, use Viele Grüße or Liebe Grüße.
Yes, mailen is a verb in German, but eine E-Mail schreiben is much more common and standard.
It is always an jemanden. For example: Ich schreibe eine E-Mail an den Lehrer.
관련 표현
eine E-Mail schicken
to send an email
eine Nachricht hinterlassen
to leave a message
einen Brief verfassen
to compose a letter (formal)
jemandem antworten
to answer someone
댓글 (0)
로그인하여 댓글 달기무료로 언어 학습 시작하기
무료로 학습 시작