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German Phrase

Mein Akku ist fast leer.

/maɪ̯n ˈʔak.u ɪst fast ˈleːɐ̯/
Meaning"My battery is almost empty."
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Meaning

The sentence means ‘My battery is almost empty.’ It is a straightforward way to tell someone that the power left in a device (phone, laptop, etc.) is very low and needs recharging soon.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you notice the battery indicator is low, especially in informal conversation with friends, family, or colleagues. It’s also handy when you need to ask for a charger or excuse yourself from a task because you must plug in your device.

✦Grammar Breakdown

MeinAkkuistfastleer

1

Mein (possessive determiner)

‘Mein’ shows ownership and agrees with the noun’s gender, number, and case; here it is masculine nominative singular.

2

Akku (noun)

Short for ‘Akumulator’, a masculine noun (der Akku) in the nominative case, the subject of the sentence.

3

ist (sein – to be)

Third‑person singular present of ‘sein’; links the subject with a predicative adjective.

4

fast (adverb)

Means ‘almost’ or ‘nearly’; it modifies the adjective that follows.

5

leer (predicative adjective)

Used predicatively after ‘sein’, it stays in its base form without an ending.

🗨In Conversation

A

Mein Akku ist fast leer.

My battery is almost empty.

Du solltest das Ladegerät holen.

You should get the charger.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Mein Akku ist bald leer.

    ‘Bald’ means ‘soon’, not ‘almost’. Using it would change the meaning.

  • Mein Akku ist fast leerer.

    When used predicatively after ‘sein’, the adjective stays uninflected; ‘leerer’ is incorrect here.

  • Mein Akku ist fast leer.

    If the speaker refers to someone else’s battery, the possessive must change (e.g., ‘dein Akku’).

↔Alternatives

  • Mein Handy‑Akku ist fast leer.

    My phone battery is almost empty.

  • Der Akku ist fast leer.

    The battery is almost empty.

  • Ich habe nur noch wenig Akku.

    I have only a little battery left.

de

Cultural Tip

In German, it’s common to talk about the ‘Akku’ rather than ‘Batterie’, especially for mobile devices. The phrase is informal but perfectly acceptable in most everyday situations. If you need to be more formal (e.g., in a business email), you might say ‘Der Akku meines Geräts ist fast leer.’