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German Phrase

Ich hab vom neuen Plan Wind bekommen.

/ɪç hap fɔm ˈnɔʏən plaːn vɪnt bəˈkɔmən/
Meaning"I got wind of the new plan."
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Meaning

Literally, ‘I got wind of the new plan’, i.e. I heard about the new plan through informal channels or a rumor. The phrase conveys that the information was not received officially but was picked up in conversation.

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When to use

Use this idiom in informal spoken German when you want to say that you have just learned about something indirectly, especially when the news is still a bit of a rumor or not yet officially announced.

✦Grammar Breakdown

IchhabvomneuenPlanWindbekommen

1

hab (haben)

‘hab’ is the colloquial short form of ‘habe’, the first‑person singular of ‘haben’ used in spoken German.

2

vom = von dem

‘vom’ is the contraction of the preposition ‘von’ + the dative article ‘dem’; it governs the dative case.

3

Adjective declension after ‘vom’

After ‘vom’ the adjective takes the weak dative ending ‘‑en’: ‘neuen Plan’.

4

Wind bekommen (idiom)

Literally ‘to get wind’, the idiom means ‘to hear about something, to get a rumor’.

🗨In Conversation

A

Hast du schon vom neuen Plan gehört?

Have you heard about the new plan yet?

Ja, ich hab vom neuen Plan Wind bekommen.

Yes, I got wind of the new plan.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich habe vom neuen Plan Wind bekommen.

    ‘hab’ is informal; in very formal contexts you should use ‘habe’. The meaning stays the same.

  • I got actual wind from the new plan.

    Learners sometimes translate it literally as ‘air’; remember it is an idiom meaning ‘rumor’ or ‘information’.

  • Ich hab von dem neuen Plan Wind bekommen.

    Do not use ‘von dem’ with a full article in this idiom; ‘vom’ is the idiomatic contraction.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich habe vom neuen Plan erfahren.

    I learned about the new plan.

  • Ich habe vom neuen Plan gehört.

    I heard about the new plan.

  • Mir ist der neue Plan zu Ohren gekommen.

    The new plan has reached my ears.

de

Cultural Tip

‘Wind bekommen’ is a colloquial idiom used throughout German‑speaking countries. It is perfectly natural in everyday conversation but should be avoided in formal writing or presentations. The phrase carries a slightly informal, sometimes playful tone, implying that the information arrived via gossip or a side‑channel rather than an official announcement.