German Phrase
Wir teilen uns die Calamari.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘We split the calamari among ourselves.’ It implies that a group is dividing a portion of fried squid rings so everyone gets a share.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re at a restaurant, a dinner party, or a potluck and you want to indicate that the group will share the calamari dish rather than each person ordering a separate portion.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WirteilenunsdieCalamari
Verb second position (V2)
In main clauses the finite verb occupies the second position, so 'teilen' follows the subject 'Wir'.
Reflexive pronoun with dative
When 'teilen' means 'to split among', it takes a dative reflexive pronoun ('uns') to indicate the people sharing.
Borrowed noun gender
‘Calamari’ is borrowed from Italian and is treated as a masculine plural noun in German, taking the definite article 'die' in the plural.
Word order with reflexive pronoun
The reflexive pronoun normally follows the verb: 'teilen uns', not 'uns teilen'.
🗨In Conversation
Wir teilen uns die Calamari, damit jeder etwas bekommt.
We’ll split the calamari so everyone gets some.
Gute Idee! Dann nehme ich noch ein Glas Weißwein dazu.
Good idea! Then I’ll also have a glass of white wine.
✕Common Mistakes
Wir teilen sich die Calamari.
‘Sich’ is the third‑person reflexive pronoun; with ‘wir’ you must use ‘uns’.
Wir teilen uns der Calamari.
‘Calamari’ is plural, so the correct article is ‘die’, not the masculine singular ‘der’.
Uns teilen wir die Calamari.
In a main clause the verb must stay in second position; the reflexive pronoun follows the verb.
↔Alternatives
Wir teilen die Calamari.
We share the calamari.
Wir teilen uns die Calamari auf.
We split the calamari up among ourselves.
Wir teilen die Calamari unter uns.
We divide the calamari among us.
Cultural Tip
In German-speaking countries it’s common to share appetizers like Calamari in a group setting, especially in Mediterranean‑style restaurants. Using the reflexive form ‘uns teilen’ signals a friendly, inclusive attitude. Remember that ‘Calamari’ stays plural in German, so you’ll hear ‘die Calamari’ even when referring to a single plate.