hin
there
Expresses movement away from the speaker toward a specific destination. It is the opposite of 'her' (toward here).
EXAMPLE
Geh du schon mal hin, ich komme gleich nach.
You go there ahead of me; I’ll come along in a moment.
hin
there / toward
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Meanings
hin und her
back and forth
Describes a movement that alternates in one direction and then back in the opposite direction.
EXAMPLE
Er lief nervös im Zimmer hin und her.
He walked nervously back and forth in the room.
hin
done for
Colloquial for “broken,” “lost,” or “over.”
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Sturz war mein Handy leider hin.
After the fall, my phone was unfortunately done for.
hin und wieder
now and then
Means “sometimes” or “occasionally.”
EXAMPLE
Hin und wieder gönne ich mir ein Stück Schokolade.
Now and then I treat myself to a piece of chocolate.
bis ... hin zu
all the way to
Used to mark the endpoint of a range or list and to emphasize the scope.
EXAMPLE
Die Auswahl reicht von einfachen T-Shirts bis hin zu eleganten Abendkleidern.
The selection ranges from simple T-shirts all the way to elegant evening dresses.
hin sein von
crazy about
A colloquial expression for being very enthusiastic about or fascinated by someone or something.
EXAMPLE
Seit dem Konzert ist sie ganz hin von dem Sänger.
Ever since the concert, she has been completely crazy about the singer.
Usage tips
Basic meaning: direction
The core function of 'hin' is to indicate movement that leads away from the speaker. It describes the direction toward a destination.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder laufen zum Spielplatz hin.
The children run toward the playground.
As a separable prefix
'Hin' is a very productive separable prefix for many verbs of movement. Examples include 'hingehen' (to go there), 'hinfahren' (to drive/go there), 'hinlegen' (to put down), or 'hinsehen' (to look there/closely).
EXAMPLE
Ich muss später noch zur Post hingehen.
I still have to go to the post office later.
Sentence structure with separable verbs
When 'hin' is used as a prefix, it stands at the end of the main clause. In subordinate clauses and infinitive constructions, it remains attached to the verb.
EXAMPLE
Er legte das Buch auf den Tisch hin.
He put the book down on the table.
Fixed expression: hin und her
The combination 'hin und her' describes repeated movement in two opposite directions. It is often used with verbs like 'laufen' (to walk/run), 'fahren' (to drive/go), or 'pendeln' (to commute/shuttle).
EXAMPLE
Der Tiger im Zoo lief unruhig in seinem Käfig hin und her.
The tiger in the zoo paced restlessly back and forth in its cage.
Colloquial meaning
In colloquial language, 'hin' often means “broken” or “spoiled.” This usage is very common but should be avoided in formal texts.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe mein Glas fallen lassen, jetzt ist es hin.
I dropped my glass; now it’s done for.
Fixed expression: hin und wieder
The expression 'hin und wieder' is a fixed phrase and means “sometimes” or “occasionally.” It can stand in different positions in the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Wir gehen hin und wieder zusammen ins Kino.
We go to the movies together now and then.
Fixed construction
The structure 'von ... bis hin zu ...' is used to describe a wide range or variety. Here, 'hin' emphasizes the endpoint of the list.
EXAMPLE
Das Festival bietet alles, von lokaler Musik bis hin zu internationalen Stars.
The festival offers everything from local music all the way to international stars.
Colloquial expression
The expression 'hin sein von jemandem/etwas' is colloquial and expresses strong enthusiasm or fascination. It is always used with the preposition 'von' and the dative.
EXAMPLE
Meine kleine Schwester ist total hin von diesem neuen Popsänger.
My little sister is totally crazy about this new pop singer.
Compare with
hin vs her
here / ago
Hin and her describe movement between a starting point and a destination. Hin indicates movement away from the speaker or reference point, while her indicates movement toward it. So consider the viewpoint from which the movement is being described; the same route can be described differently depending on the perspective.
hin
Geh bitte zum Bahnhof hin und warte dort auf mich.
Please go to the train station and wait there for me.
her
Komm bitte vom Bahnhof her direkt zu mir.
Please come straight to me from the train station.
In real life
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