German Phrase
Ich brauch 'nen Weckruf.
Meaning
A casual way to say that you need someone to give you a wake‑up call, usually for an early appointment or to make sure you get out of bed on time.
When to use
Use this informal sentence with friends, family, or close colleagues when arranging a morning call. Avoid it in formal emails or official documents.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ichbrauch'nenWeckruf.
Pronoun Ich
Subject pronoun for the first person singular, always capitalized in German.
Verb brauchen
Means 'to need'. In the present tense, the ending -e is dropped in informal speech: ich brauch.
Colloquial contraction 'nen
Short for 'einen', the accusative masculine indefinite article. Common in spoken German.
Weckruf (masc.)
Masculine noun meaning 'wake‑up call'. Takes the accusative case after brauchen.
🗨In Conversation
Ich brauch 'nen Weckruf für morgen früh.
I need a wake‑up call for tomorrow morning.
Klar, ich ruf dich um sechs Uhr an.
Sure, I’ll call you at six o’clock.
✕Common Mistakes
Ich brauche ein Weckruf.
Weckruf is masculine, so the correct article in accusative is "einen".
Ich brauch den Weckruf.
Using the definite article changes the meaning to 'the wake‑up call' instead of 'a wake‑up call'.
Ich brauch 'ne Weckruf.
The contraction must match the masculine accusative article: "'nen", not "'ne".
↔Alternatives
Ich brauche einen Weckruf.
I need a wake‑up call.
Kannst du mich morgen früh wecken?
Can you wake me up tomorrow morning?
Ich möchte morgen früh einen Anruf zum Aufstehen.
I would like a call tomorrow morning to get up.
Cultural Tip
In Germany many people rely on alarm clocks, but a "Weckruf" is also a common service for seniors or for business meetings that start early. The contraction "'nen" is typical of everyday speech among younger speakers; using the full form "einen" sounds more neutral and is safer in semi‑formal contexts.