heißen
Meaning and Usage
"Heißen" in German means "to be called" or "to mean." It is used to state someone's name or to express what something is called. It also indicates the meaning or significance of something.
Linguistic Analysis
"Heißen" is an infinitive verb in German. It is an irregular verb, and its present tense conjugation for the pronouns "ich" (I) and "er/sie/es" (he/she/it) are "heiße" and "heißt" respectively.
Comparisons between German and English
The German word "heißen" corresponds to the English verb "to be called" or "to mean," but its usage is slightly different. In English, "to be called" can be more directly translated to "genannt werden" in German, but "heißen" covers both meanings.
Cultural Context
In German, using the verb "heißen" correctly is important in introductions and inquiring about someone's name. It's also used to convey the meaning or significance of something.
Example Sentences
- Mein Name ist Anna. (My name is Anna.)
- Das heißt "Buch" auf Deutsch. (That means "book" in German.)
Memory Tips
Associate "heißen" with the idea of "being called" because it is often used to state someone's name.
Additional Vocabulary
- nennen (to call, to name)
- bedeuten (to mean, to signify)
Gender and Plural (for nouns)
N/A
Conjugation (for verbs)
- ich heiße (I am called)
- du heißt (you are called)
- er/sie/es heißt (he/she/it is called)
- wir heißen (we are called)
- ihr heißt (you are called - plural)
- sie heißen (they are called)
Note: The conjugation shown is for the present tense of the verb "heißen."