German Phrase
Im Bad gibt's ein Leck.
Meaning
The sentence reports that water is leaking in the bathroom. It is a straightforward way to point out a problem that needs fixing.
When to use
Use this phrase when you discover a leak in the bathroom and need to inform a roommate, landlord, plumber, or a friend. It works well in informal spoken German.
✦Grammar Breakdown
ImBadgibt'seinLeck
Im = in dem
‘Im’ is the contraction of the preposition ‘in’ + dative article ‘dem’, used before masculine or neuter nouns.
Bad (dative)
‘Bad’ is a neuter noun; after ‘in dem’ it stays in the dative case (das Bad → dem Bad).
gibt's = gibt es
‘gibt's’ is the colloquial spoken contraction of ‘gibt es’, meaning ‘there is/are’.
ein (indefinite article)
‘ein’ is the nominative neuter indefinite article, matching ‘Leck’.
Leck (noun)
‘Leck’ is a neuter noun meaning ‘leak, crack’.
🗨In Conversation
Im Bad gibt's ein Leck.
There's a leak in the bathroom.
Oh nein, ich rufe sofort den Klempner.
Oh no, I'll call the plumber right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Im Bad gibt's ein Lecke.
‘Lecke’ is not a German noun; the correct word is ‘Leck’.
Im Bad gibt's ein Lecks.
‘Leck’ is singular here; the plural would be ‘Lecks’, but the article ‘ein’ requires singular.
Im Bad gibt es ein Leck.
While grammatically correct, using the contraction ‘gibt's’ sounds more natural in everyday speech.
↔Alternatives
Im Badezimmer gibt es ein Leck.
There's a leak in the bathroom.
Im Bad ist ein Leck.
There is a leak in the bathroom.
Im Bad gibt es ein Leck.
There is a leak in the bathroom.
Cultural Tip
In German households it’s common to report maintenance issues promptly. ‘gibt's’ is informal and perfect for spoken conversation; in formal writing you would use the full ‘gibt es’. Also, ‘Bad’ can refer to the whole bathroom or just the bathtub, so context matters.