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German Phrase

Ich wohne in Berlin.

/ɪç ˈvoːnə ɪn bɛʁˈliːn/
Meaning"I live in Berlin."
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Meaning

Literally ‘I live in Berlin.’ The verb wohnen expresses a permanent place of residence rather than a short‑term stay.

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When to use

Use this sentence when you’re asked where you live (e.g., ‘Wo wohnst du?’), when introducing yourself, or when describing your home city in conversation.

✦Grammar Breakdown

IchwohneinBerlin

1

Ich (personal pronoun)

First‑person singular pronoun, always capitalised in German.

2

wohnen (regular verb)

Present‑tense, 1st person singular ends in –e: ich wohne.

3

in (preposition)

Used for location with the dative case when no article follows a city name.

4

Berlin (proper noun)

Name of Germany’s capital; treated as a neuter noun without an article after ‘in’.

🗨In Conversation

A

Wo wohnst du?

Where do you live?

Ich wohne in Berlin.

I live in Berlin.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich wohnt in Berlin.

    Verb must agree with the subject ‘Ich’; correct form is ‘wohne’.

  • Ich wohne auf Berlin.

    ‘Auf’ is not used for cities; the correct preposition is ‘in’.

  • Ich wohne in dem Berlin.

    When a city name follows ‘in’, no article is used; ‘in dem Berlin’ is ungrammatical.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich lebe in Berlin.

    I live in Berlin.

  • Ich bin in Berlin.

    I am in Berlin.

  • Ich wohne in Berlin, im Stadtteil Kreuzberg.

    I live in Berlin, in the Kreuzberg district.

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Cultural Tip

German speakers usually prefer ‘wohnen’ for a fixed address and reserve ‘leben’ for a broader sense of life in a place. When naming a city after ‘in’, no article is used (e.g., ‘in Berlin’, not ‘in dem Berlin’). Adding the district (Stadtteil) gives a more natural, local feel.