German Phrase
Ja, sind wir.
Meaning
A short, emphatic way to answer a yes/no question with "yes" and confirm that the speaker and their group belong to the state or condition mentioned. It literally translates to "Yes, we are." The comma signals a brief pause, giving the response a confident tone.
When to use
Use this phrase when someone asks a question like "Sind wir bereit?" (Are we ready?) or "Sind wir zu spät?" (Are we late?) and you want to give a quick, affirmative reply. It works best in informal or semi‑formal spoken German; in very formal writing you would expand it to a full sentence.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Jasindwir
Ja (yes)
A simple affirmative particle used to confirm a statement or answer a yes/no question.
sind (are)
Present tense of the verb *sein* (to be) for the 1st‑person plural (wir) and 2nd‑person plural (ihr).
wir (we)
Personal pronoun for the first‑person plural; it always follows the verb in declarative sentences.
🗨In Conversation
Sind wir fertig mit dem Projekt?
Are we finished with the project?
Ja, sind wir.
Yes, we are.
✕Common Mistakes
Ja, wir sind.
While grammatically correct, native speakers usually place the verb before the subject in short confirmations.
Ja, sind wir?
Adding a question intonation turns the statement into a question, which changes the meaning.
↔Alternatives
Ja, das sind wir.
Yes, that's us.
Genau, das sind wir.
Exactly, that's us.
Ja, wir sind es.
Yes, we are.
Cultural Tip
In German, starting an answer with "Ja" followed by the verb (instead of the subject) is a common, concise way to confirm something. It sounds natural in everyday conversation but can feel abrupt in very formal contexts, where you might prefer a full sentence like "Ja, wir sind bereit." Also, remember that the verb *sein* changes with the subject, so "Ja, sind wir" is correct for "we," while "Ja, bin ich" would be used for "I."