German word

eigen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈaɪ̯gn̩/

Meaning

  • adjectiveown

Example

Er hat ein eigenes Zimmer.

He has his own room.

Illustration for eigen (own)

More examples

Er räumt sein eigenes Zimmer auf.

He tidies up his own room.

Core concept

A personal stamp marks an object, trait, or idea as belonging to its holder or defining it.

Common phrases

  • mein eigenes Zimmer

    my own room

  • meine eigene Meinung

    my own opinion

Similar words

persönlich: Connected with a particular person's life, feelings, or identity.
privat: Kept outside public life and reserved for a person or family.

Definition in German

Jemandem persönlich zugehörig oder auf ihn bezogen; nicht von anderen.

Word origin

The German adjective eigen developed from the Germanic word for possession and is historically related to English own.

Usage tips

  • Eigen can describe a distinctive or characteristic quality, as in 'eine eigene Art', not only something that is possessed.

Other meanings

  • uniqueadjective
  • inherentadjective

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word