German word

ans

Pronunciation

IPA/ans/

Meaning

  • prepositionto

Example

Wir fahren ans Meer.

We are driving to the sea.

Illustration for ans (to)

More examples

Sie stellt die Vase ans Fenster.

She puts the vase up to the window.

Core concept

A traveler heads right up to a named place or boundary, with the destination treated as a specific neuter noun.

Common phrases

  • ans Meer

    to the sea

  • ans Fenster

    up to the window

  • ans Telefon

    to the telephone

Similar words

an: Toward a surface or edge, involving contact or close approach.
ins: Into the interior of a place or object.
zum: Toward a building, place, or other general destination.
am: In a position beside or on the surface of something.

Definition in German

Verschmelzung von 'an' und 'das'; zeigt das Ziel bei Bewegungen zu einem neutralen bestimmten Nomen an.

Word origin

The form combines "an" with "das" and preserves the meaning of the phrase "an das" in a shortened form.

Usage tips

  • The contraction is standard in phrases such as "ans Meer"; "ins Meer" instead uses "in das" and suggests movement into the water.

Opposites

  • vonfrompreposition

Related words

Word lists with this word