inner
Refers to a person's thoughts, feelings, or psyche.
EXAMPLE
Trotz des Lärms fand er zu seiner inneren Ruhe zurück.
Despite the noise, he found his way back to his inner calm.
inner
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Meanings
inner
Describes the position inside something; located on the inside. The opposite of 'äußerer' (outer).
EXAMPLE
Die innere Sicherheit eines Landes ist eine zentrale Aufgabe des Staates.
The internal security of a country is a central responsibility of the state.
Usage tips
Sentence structure and use
The adjective 'inner' is used almost exclusively before a noun (attributive use). It usually does not stand alone at the end of a sentence.
EXAMPLE
Er spürte einen tiefen inneren Frieden.
He felt a deep inner peace.
Word family
'Inner' is derived from the preposition 'in' (in). The ending '-er' is often used to form adjectives from expressions of place, for example also with 'außen' (outside) → 'äußerer' (outer) or 'oben' (above) → 'oberer' (upper).
EXAMPLE
Der innere Teil der Mauer muss repariert werden.
The inner part of the wall needs to be repaired.
Typical collocations
In the psychological sense, 'inner' is often combined with feelings and states. Common phrases are 'innere Ruhe' (inner calm), 'innerer Konflikt' (inner conflict), 'innere Stimme' (inner voice), or 'innere Uhr' (internal clock).
EXAMPLE
Manchmal muss man einfach auf seine innere Stimme hören.
Sometimes you simply have to listen to your inner voice.
Typical collocations
When referring to a location, 'inner' is often found in fixed terms. Typical examples are 'innere Organe' (internal organs) in medicine, 'innere Sicherheit' (internal security) in politics, or 'innere Angelegenheiten' (internal affairs).
EXAMPLE
Die Polizei ist für die innere Sicherheit zuständig.
The police are responsible for internal security.
Compare with
inner vs intern
internal
When referring to organs or bleeding, both words relate to the inside of the body. „Inner“ generally describes a location inside the body, while „intern“ is used mainly in medical terminology for the internal organs or internal medicine. In everyday situations, „inner“ is usually the better choice; in a medical context, „intern“ can also be used.
inner
Die Untersuchung zeigte eine innere Blutung im Bauch.
The examination revealed internal bleeding in the abdomen.
intern
Die intern zu behandelnde Erkrankung betraf die inneren Organe.
The disease requiring treatment by an internist affected the internal organs.
In real life
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