die  Einwanderung

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈaɪnˌvandʁʊŋ/

🌍 What exactly is "die Einwanderung"?

Die Einwanderung is the German word for immigration. It describes the process when people come from another country to settle permanently or for a longer period in a new country. It refers to the influx of people from abroad into a specific country.

The word is feminine, so it always takes the article die: die Einwanderung.

It refers to the process or phenomenon as a whole. For example: Die Einwanderungspolitik wird im Parlament diskutiert. (Immigration policy is being discussed in parliament.)

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Einwanderung

The noun "Einwanderung" is feminine. It's mostly used in the singular because it often describes a general process or concept.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

The plural "die Einwanderungen" is very rare and only used when referring to multiple specific immigration events or waves. Usually, the word remains singular.

📝 Example Sentences

1. Die Einwanderung nach Deutschland hat in den letzten Jahren zugenommen. (Immigration to Germany has increased in recent years.)
2. Sie beschäftigt sich wissenschaftlich mit dem Thema der Einwanderung. (She studies the topic of immigration academically.)
3. Mit der Einwanderung sind viele Hoffnungen verbunden. (Many hopes are connected with immigration.)
4. Die Regierung hat neue Regeln für die Einwanderung beschlossen. (The government has decided on new rules for immigration.)

🗣️ How to Use "die Einwanderung" Correctly

"Einwanderung" is mainly used in formal contexts, especially in politics, sociology, history, and news reporting.

• Political Discussions: Die Debatte über Einwanderung und Integration ist hitzig. (The debate about immigration and integration is heated.)
• Statistics: Das Amt veröffentlicht Zahlen zur jährlichen Einwanderung. (The office publishes figures on annual immigration.)
• Personal Stories (less direct): One would rather say: Meine Familie ist nach Deutschland eingewandert. (My family immigrated to Germany.) than Die Einwanderung meiner Familie fand 1990 statt. (My family's immigration took place in 1990.)

Differences from Similar Terms

• Zuwanderung: Often used synonymously, sometimes considered more neutral or broader, covering any kind of influx (even internal migration, though less common). "Einwanderung" emphasizes settling permanently from another country more strongly.
• Migration: The umbrella term for any permanent change of residence, including both immigration (Einwanderung) and emigration (Auswanderung), as well as movement within a country (Binnenmigration).
• Immigration: The direct loanword for Einwanderung, often used in academic or international contexts.

⚠️ Be careful not to confuse "Einwanderung" (coming into a country) with "Auswanderung" (leaving a country).

🧠 Memory Aids for "Einwanderung"

Article Mnemonic: Words ending in -ung in German are almost always feminine (die). Think of die Achtung (attention), die Meinung (opinion), die Lösung (solution)... and therefore die Einwanderung. It's a common rule! ♀️

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine someone wandering 🚶‍♂️ in ➡️ to a new country. That's Ein-wanderung (in-wandering = immigration).

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

🚨 Potential Confusion

• Wanderung: Can mean hiking in nature, but also migration in a broader sense (e.g., Völkerwanderung - migration of peoples). Context is key!

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Grenzbeamte den Einwanderer: "Wo wollen Sie hin?"
Sagt der Einwanderer: "Ich möchte nach Deutschland einwandern."
Fragt der Beamte: "Haben Sie kriminelle Absichten?"
Antwortet der Einwanderer: "Ist das jetzt eine Voraussetzung?" 🤔

--- Translation ---

The border official asks the immigrant: "Where do you want to go?"
The immigrant says: "I want to immigrate to Germany."
The official asks: "Do you have any criminal intentions?"
The immigrant replies: "Is that a requirement now?" 🤔

📜 A Little Poem

Ein Koffer packt, das Herz schlägt bang,
Ein neues Leben, ein neuer Klang.
Die Einwanderung, ein großer Schritt,
Bringt Hoffnung, Chance, Zukunft mit.
Man lässt Vertrautes hinter sich,
Für einen Traum, ganz sicherlich.

--- Translation ---

A suitcase packed, the heart beats anxiously,
A new life, a new sound.
Immigration, a big step,
Brings hope, chance, future with it.
One leaves the familiar behind,
For a dream, most certainly.

🧩 Fun Riddle

Ich bin kein Urlaub, kein kurzer Trip,
Ich bringe Menschen über den großen Slip (Ozean/Grenze).
Sie suchen Heimat, Arbeit, Glück,
Verlassen oft ihr altes Stück (Heimat).

Was bin ich, feminin und oft diskutiert?

--- Translation ---

I am not a vacation, not a short trip,
I bring people across the big slip (ocean/border).
They seek home, work, happiness,
Often leave their old piece (homeland) behind.

What am I, feminine and often discussed?

(Solution: die Einwanderung / immigration)

💡 More About "Einwanderung"

Word Composition

The word "Einwanderung" is composed of:

• ein- (prefix indicating inward direction)
• wandern (verb: to wander, hike; here in the sense of moving, migrating)
• -ung (suffix turning a verb into a noun, usually denoting a process or state; makes the noun feminine)

Social Relevance

"Einwanderung" is a central term in social and political debates worldwide. Topics such as integration (Integration), skills shortage (Fachkräftemangel), demographics (Demografie), and cultural diversity (kulturelle Vielfalt) are closely linked to it.