German Phrase
Das nehm' ich.
Meaning
Literally, 'I take that.' In everyday speech it means 'I'll take that' or 'I'll have that,' often used when ordering food or selecting an item.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal, spoken contexts when you want to claim or accept something that has just been mentioned or presented, such as at a café, market, or among friends.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Dasnehm'ich
Demonstrative pronoun 'das'
'Das' is a neuter demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'this', used here to refer to a specific object.
Verb contraction 'nehm''
'nehm'' is a colloquial contraction of 'nehme', the first person singular present of 'nehmen' (to take). The apostrophe marks the omitted 'e'.
Pronoun order
In German, the object pronoun (or demonstrative) often comes before the verb in main clauses, especially in spoken, informal language.
Subject-verb inversion
When the sentence starts with an object or adverbial, the verb follows directly, and the subject comes after the verb.
🗨In Conversation
Möchtest du das Stück Kuchen?
Do you want that piece of cake?
Das nehm' ich.
I'll take that.
✕Common Mistakes
Das nehm ich.
Missing the apostrophe; the correct colloquial form drops the 'e' and marks it with an apostrophe.
Das nehme ich.
While grammatically correct, using the full form in a casual setting can sound overly formal.
Das nehme ich nicht.
If you want to decline, you must add a negation word like 'nicht' or 'keine' and adjust the context.
↔Alternatives
Ich nehme das.
I will take that.
Das nehme ich gern.
I would gladly take that.
Das nehme ich.
I'll have that.
Cultural Tip
In German cafés and bakeries, it's common to point at an item and say 'Das nehme ich' rather than using a full sentence. The contraction 'nehm'' signals a relaxed, friendly tone; avoid it in formal settings or when speaking with strangers you want to impress.