German Phrase
Ja, ich geh' einkaufen.
Meaning
Literally “Yes, I’m going shopping.” It is a short, informal answer confirming that the speaker will head out to buy things.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation with friends, family or colleagues when you want to confirm that you’re about to go shopping. It works best in spoken German or informal written chats.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Jaichgeh'einkaufen
Ja
An informal way to say “yes” or to confirm something.
ich
The first‑person singular pronoun, always placed before the verb in declarative sentences.
geh' (gehe)
Colloquial contraction of the verb *gehen* (to go). In spoken German the final “e” is often dropped.
gehen + infinitive
A common spoken construction meaning “to go and do something”. Here it expresses the intention to go shopping.
einkaufen
A separable verb meaning “to shop / to buy”. In this construction it stays in its infinitive form.
🗨In Conversation
Willst du heute noch etwas aus dem Supermarkt holen?
Do you want to pick up anything from the supermarket today?
Ja, ich geh' einkaufen.
Yes, I'm going shopping.
✕Common Mistakes
Ja, ich geh einkaufen.
The apostrophe is needed to show the dropped ‘e’; without it the verb looks like the plain stem and sounds unnatural.
Ja, ich gehe zu kaufen.
German does not use *zu* with *gehen* + infinitive. The correct pattern is *gehen* + infinitive.
Ja, ich gehe zum einkaufen.
When *einkaufen* is used as a noun, it must be capitalized (*Einkaufen*) and the article changes accordingly.
↔Alternatives
Ja, ich gehe einkaufen.
Yes, I’m going shopping.
Ja, ich gehe zum Einkaufen.
Yes, I’m going to shop.
Ja, ich mache einen Einkauf.
Yes, I’m doing a shopping trip.
Cultural Tip
The contraction *geh'* is typical of everyday spoken German, especially among younger speakers. In formal contexts (e.g., a business email) you would keep the full form *gehe*. Also, Germans often specify the type of shop (e.g., *Ich gehe zum Bäcker* – “I’m going to the bakery”) rather than using the generic *einkaufen*.