German Phrase
Kokosmilch ist 'ne wichtige Zutat.
Meaning
Literally: ‘Coconut milk is an important ingredient.’ The phrase uses the colloquial contraction ’ne for ‘eine’, making it sound informal and conversational.
When to use
Use this sentence when talking about recipes, cooking tips, or describing why coconut milk matters in a dish. It fits casual conversation among friends or in a cooking blog.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Kokosmilchist'newichtigeZutat
Kokosmilch (die)
‘Kokosmilch’ is a feminine noun; use the article ‘die’ in the nominative case.
sein (ist)
‘ist’ is the 3rd‑person singular present of the verb ‘sein’ (to be).
'ne (colloquial ‘eine’)
‘'ne’ is an informal contraction of the indefinite article ‘eine’; it is used mainly in spoken, casual German.
Adjektivdeklination – schwache Endung
After an indefinite article (or its colloquial form), adjectives take the weak ending ‘‑e’ (e.g., ‘wichtige’).
Zutat (die)
‘Zutat’ is also feminine; the article is omitted here because it follows the adjective and indefinite article.
🗨In Conversation
Was brauchst du für das Curry?
What do you need for the curry?
Kokosmilch ist 'ne wichtige Zutat.
Coconut milk is an important ingredient.
✕Common Mistakes
Der Kokosmilch ist 'ne wichtige Zutat.
‘Kokosmilch’ is feminine; the correct article is ‘die’ in the nominative.
Kokosmilch ist ein wichtige Zutat.
After ‘ein’ the adjective needs the weak ending ‘‑e’. Also ‘ein’ should be ‘eine’ (or ’ne) because Zutat is feminine.
Kokosmilch ist 'ne wichtige Zutat.
In formal writing avoid the colloquial contraction; use ‘eine’ instead.
↔Alternatives
Kokosmilch ist eine wichtige Zutat.
Coconut milk is an important ingredient.
Kokosmilch gehört zu den wichtigen Zutaten.
Coconut milk belongs to the important ingredients.
Ohne Kokosmilch fehlt eine wichtige Zutat.
Without coconut milk, an important ingredient is missing.
Cultural Tip
Coconut milk is a staple in many Asian cuisines (Thai, Indian, Indonesian) and is becoming popular in German kitchens, especially for vegan and gluten‑free recipes. In informal German, using ’ne instead of ‘eine’ signals a relaxed, friendly tone – perfect for cooking blogs or YouTube cooking videos.