sinn

To Be: Sinn

Level 1

Sinn means to be. Learn its six present forms by heart: ech sinn, du bass, hien ass, mir sinn, dir sidd, si sinn.

How It Works

The present forms of sinn

  • ech sinn – I am
  • du bass – you are (one person you know well)
  • hien / si / et ass – he / she / it is
  • mir sinn – we are
  • dir sidd – you are (several people), and polite Dir sidd for one or more people
  • si sinn – they are

The n-rule. Following the n-rule, sinn keeps its n before a vowel, before d, h, n, t and z, and at the end of a sentence: Ech sinn aus Lëtzebuerg. Mir sinn hei. Si sinn doheem. Before any other consonant it is written si: Mir si frou. D'Kanner si midd. The same rule turns hien into hie: Hien ass midd, but Ass hie krank?

What sinn is used for. It links a person or thing to a description, a job, an origin or a place: D'Zopp ass waarm. Ech sinn Dokter. Mir sinn aus Portugal. D'Kanner sinn am Gaart. Jobs take no article. An adjective after sinn has no ending (adjectives after sinn). Age is also given with sinn: Ech sinn zwanzeg Joer al.

A helper verb too. Verbs of movement and change form their past with sinn: Ech si komm (I came). See the perfect with sinn. The simple past of sinn is war (war and hat).

If you know German, watch out: Luxembourgish says du bass and hien ass, not bist and ist.

Examples (6)

  1. Ech sinn aus Lëtzebuerg.

    I am from Luxembourg.

    Word by Word: I am from Luxembourg.

    The n of sinn stays because aus starts with a vowel.

  2. Bass du midd?

    Are you tired?

    Word by Word: Are you tired?

    In a yes or no question, the verb comes first.

  3. D'Anna ass haut krank.

    Anna is sick today.

    Word by Word: the Anna is today sick.

    Ass is the form for hien, si and et. Women and girls named by their first name take the article d'.

  4. Mir si ganz frou.

    We are very happy.

    Word by Word: We are very happy.

    Sinn becomes si before the consonant g, by the n-rule.

  5. Sidd dir prett?

    Are you all ready?

    Word by Word: Are you ready?

    Sidd is the form for dir, when you talk to several people.

  6. D'Kanner sinn am Gaart.

    The children are in the garden.

    Word by Word: the children are in-the garden.

    The n stays because am starts with a vowel.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the German forms bist or ist.

    Du bist midd.
    Du bass midd.

    Luxembourgish uses bass for du and ass for hien, si and et.

  • Keeping the n of sinn before a consonant that drops it.

    Mir sinn midd.
    Mir si midd.

    M is not one of the letters d, h, n, t or z, so the n-rule removes the n in speech and in writing.

  • Using sinn instead of sidd with polite Dir.

    Sinn Dir Lëtzebuerger?
    Sidd Dir Lëtzebuerger?

    Polite Dir always takes the dir form sidd, even when you speak to one person.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

sinnLevel 1To Be: Sinn

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Before To Be: Sinn, learn Subject Pronouns: Plural.

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