mieten

Meaning and Usage

The German word "mieten" means "to rent" in English. It is used to express the action of temporarily obtaining the use of something, such as a house, apartment, car, or equipment, in exchange for payment.

Linguistic Analysis

"Mieten" is a verb in its infinitive form. It does not contain any prefixes or suffixes. It comes from the Middle High German word "miuten," which means "to reward" or "to pay."

Comparisons between German and English

The word "mieten" in German directly corresponds to the English word "to rent." Both words convey the same idea of obtaining temporary use of something in exchange for payment.

Cultural Context

In Germany, renting is a common and popular practice, especially for housing. Many people in Germany choose to rent apartments or houses instead of purchasing them.

Example Sentences

  1. Ich möchte ein Auto mieten. (I want to rent a car.)
  2. Wir haben die Wohnung für zwei Jahre gemietet. (We have rented the apartment for two years.)

Memory Tips

Associate "mieten" with the English word "to meet." When you "meet" a need for something temporarily, you "mieten" (rent) it.

Additional Vocabulary

  • die Miete (f) - the rent
  • der Mieter (m) / die Mieterin (f) - the male/female renter
  • vermieten - to rent out
  • der Vermieter (m) / die Vermieterin (f) - the male/female landlord/landlady

Gender and Plural (for nouns)

N/A (mieten is a verb)

Conjugation (for verbs)

  • ich miete (I rent)
  • du mietest (you rent)
  • er/sie/es mietet (he/she/it rents)
  • wir mieten (we rent)
  • ihr mietet (you all rent)
  • sie mieten (they rent)