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German Phrase

Ich will ein Haus kaufen.

/ɪç vɪl aɪn ˈhaʊs ˈkaʊ̯fən/
Meaning"I want to buy a house."
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Meaning

Literally, ‘I want to buy a house.’ The sentence expresses a personal desire or intention to purchase a residential property. In German the modal verb *will* (from *wollen*) conveys a strong, immediate wish.

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When to use

Use this sentence when you talk about your plans for real‑estate, discuss housing goals with friends, a realtor, or in a language‑learning role‑play about future purchases.

✦Grammar Breakdown

IchwilleinHauskaufen

1

Ich (personal pronoun)

First‑person singular pronoun, always capitalised in German.

2

will (modal verb wollen)

The present‑tense form of wollen; it is followed directly by an infinitive without ‘zu’.

3

ein (indefinite article)

Neuter singular indefinite article used before a noun that is not previously mentioned.

4

Haus (noun, neuter)

A neuter noun; its plural is Häuser. In the accusative case the article stays ‘ein’.

5

kaufen (verb infinitive)

A regular verb meaning ‘to buy’; after a modal verb it appears in its bare infinitive form.

🗨In Conversation

A

Ich will ein Haus kaufen.

I want to buy a house.

Das klingt spannend! Hast du schon ein bestimmtes im Blick?

That sounds exciting! Do you already have a particular one in mind?

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich will zu ein Haus kaufen.

    After *will* you do NOT use ‘zu’ before the infinitive.

  • Ich will das Haus kaufen.

    Using the definite article changes the meaning to a specific house already known to the listener.

  • Willst ein Haus kaufen.

    ‘Willst’ is second‑person singular; the subject must match the pronoun.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich möchte ein Haus kaufen.

    I would like to buy a house.

  • Ich plane, ein Haus zu kaufen.

    I am planning to buy a house.

  • Ich habe vor, ein Haus zu kaufen.

    I intend to buy a house.

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Cultural Tip

In German, *möchten* is often preferred over *will* when you want to sound polite or less forceful, especially in formal contexts like speaking with a real‑estate agent. Also, German speakers tend to discuss financing early; you might hear *Ich will ein Haus kaufen, aber ich muss erst einen Kredit bekommen* (I want to buy a house, but I first need a loan). Regional accents can affect the pronunciation of *Haus* (e.g., a more open /aʊ/ in northern Germany).