German Phrase
Das ist 'ne lange Reise.
Meaning
Literally, "That is a long journey." It is a casual comment made after a tiring or extended trip, emphasizing how far you’ve come or how much time has passed.
When to use
Use this sentence in informal conversations with friends, family, or fellow travelers when you want to remark on the length of a trip you just finished or are currently on. It is not appropriate for formal writing or business contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Dasist'nelangeReise.
Das (demonstrative pronoun)
Points to something specific; here it refers to the journey just experienced.
ist (verb "sein")
Third‑person singular present of "sein"; links the subject to its description.
'ne (colloquial "eine")
A spoken contraction of the indefinite article "eine"; used only in informal speech.
lange (adjective)
Describes the length of the journey; it stays in the weak declension after "eine".
Reise (noun, feminine)
Means "journey" or "trip"; the noun is in the nominative case as the subject complement.
🗨In Conversation
Wow, wir sind endlich in Berlin! Das ist 'ne lange Reise.
Wow, we finally made it to Berlin! That’s a long journey.
Ja, aber die Aussicht war die Mühe wert.
Yes, but the view was worth the effort.
✕Common Mistakes
Das ist 'ne lange Reise.
In formal writing you must use the full article "eine".
Das ist 'ne langer Reise.
Do not add an ending (e.g., *langer*) after "eine"; the adjective stays weak.
Das sind 'ne lange Reise.
The verb must agree with the singular subject; never use "sind" here.
↔Alternatives
Das war eine lange Reise.
That was a long journey.
Das ist eine sehr lange Reise.
That is a very long journey.
Das ist eine ausgedehnte Reise.
That is an extended journey.
Cultural Tip
The contraction "'ne" (short for "eine") is typical of spoken, everyday German, especially in northern Germany and among younger speakers. In written German, or in any formal situation, replace it with the full article "eine". Also, note that "lange" stays in the weak form after "eine" – you would not say "langer" here.