German Phrase
Wir brauchen eine Unterschrift.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘We need a signature.’ It is a straightforward way to state that a document, form, or agreement requires someone’s written name.
When to use
Use this phrase in business or administrative contexts when you are asking a client, colleague, or official to sign a paper. It works both in formal written requests and in spoken conversation, especially in offices, banks, or government offices.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WirbraucheneineUnterschrift
Subject pronoun (Wir)
‘Wir’ is the first‑person plural pronoun and requires the verb to be conjugated in the ‘wir’ form.
Verb ‘brauchen’
‘brauchen’ means ‘to need’ and is a regular verb; in the present tense it follows the pattern: ich brauche, du brauchst, er/sie/es braucht, **wir brauchen**, ihr braucht, sie/Sie brauchen.
Accusative object
The thing that is needed (here ‘eine Unterschrift’) is the direct object, so it appears in the accusative case.
Indefinite article ‘eine’
‘Unterschrift’ is a feminine noun; in the accusative singular the indefinite article is ‘eine’.
Noun gender – Unterschrift
‘Unterschrift’ (signature) is feminine, therefore it takes ‘die’ in the nominative/accusative and ‘einer’ in the dative.
🗨In Conversation
Wir brauchen eine Unterschrift.
We need a signature.
Natürlich, hier ist meine Unterschrift.
Of course, here is my signature.
✕Common Mistakes
Wir **braucht** eine Unterschrift.
‘braucht’ is the 3rd‑person singular form; with ‘wir’ you must use ‘brauchen’.
Wir brauchen **der Unterschrift**.
The object of ‘brauchen’ is accusative, not dative; the correct article is ‘eine’.
Wir brauchen **ein Unterschrift**.
‘Unterschrift’ is feminine, so the indefinite article must be ‘eine’, not ‘ein’.
↔Alternatives
Wir benötigen eine Unterschrift.
We require a signature.
Eine Unterschrift ist nötig.
A signature is necessary.
Bitte unterschreiben Sie hier.
Please sign here.
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries signatures are taken very seriously. In formal settings you’ll often see the polite formula ‘Bitte unterschreiben Sie hier’ followed by a line. When addressing someone you don’t know well, keep the tone formal (Sie) rather than informal (du). Also, make sure the signature line is clearly marked; otherwise the request may be seen as vague.