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German Phrase

Wir gehen gleich an Bord.

/viːɐ̯ ˈɡeːən ˈɡlaɪç an bɔʁt/
Meaning"We’ll be boarding shortly."
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Meaning

Literally “We go soon on board.” In everyday English it translates to “We’ll be boarding shortly.” The adverb gleich stresses that the boarding will happen in the next few moments.

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When to use

Use this sentence right before you step onto a ship, airplane, or any vehicle that uses the concept of being “on board”. It’s common in announcements, group travel, or when coordinating with friends at the gate or dock.

✦Grammar Breakdown

WirgehengleichanBord

1

Wir (personal pronoun)

First‑person plural pronoun meaning “we”. It governs the verb in the 1st person plural form.

2

gehen (verb)

Present‑tense form of “gehen” (to go). With the preposition “an” it creates the idiom “an Bord gehen” = to board.

3

gleich (adverb)

Means “soon”, “in a moment”, or “right away”. Placed before the prepositional phrase to indicate immediacy.

4

an Bord (prepositional phrase)

Fixed phrase meaning “on board”. “an” is a two‑way preposition; here it takes the dative “Bord” (no article).

🗨In Conversation

A

Wir gehen gleich an Bord.

We’ll be boarding shortly.

Super, ich habe meine Bordkarte schon bereit.

Great, I already have my boarding pass ready.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Wir gehen gleich an das Bord.

    “Bord” is used without an article; adding “das” is ungrammatical.

  • Wir gehen gleich ein an Bord.

    Mixing the idioms “an Bord gehen” and “einsteigen” creates a non‑native sounding sentence.

  • Wir gehen gleich an Bordes.

    The preposition “an” with this idiom takes the dative, not the genitive.

↔Alternatives

  • Wir steigen gleich ein.

    We’ll get on (the vehicle) right away.

  • Wir gehen gleich an Bord des Flugzeugs.

    We’ll be boarding the plane shortly.

  • Wir gehen gleich an Bord des Schiffes.

    We’ll be boarding the ship shortly.

de

Cultural Tip

In German, “an Bord gehen” is the standard collocation for ships and airplanes, while “einsteigen” is preferred for trains, buses, and trams. When speaking to staff, you can also say “Wir gehen jetzt an Bord, bitte öffnen Sie die Tür.” The phrase sounds polite and shows you’re ready to follow the boarding procedure.