01
ohne
without
Expresses the lack or absence of something or someone.
example
Ich trinke meinen Kaffee immer ohne Zucker.
I always drink my coffee without sugar.
ohne
without
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Always with accusative
The preposition 'ohne' (without) always requires the accusative. So the noun or pronoun that follows 'ohne' must be in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Ich gehe nicht ohne meinen Schirm aus dem Haus.
I don't leave the house without my umbrella.
Often without an article
When the absence of something is expressed in a general way, there is often no article after 'ohne' (without). For example, you say 'Ich habe kein Auto' (I don't have a car) or 'Ich bin ohne Auto hier' (I'm here without a car).
EXAMPLE
Er reist immer ohne Gepäck.
He always travels without luggage.
Sentence structure: 'ohne … zu'
The construction 'ohne ... zu + infinitive' (without ... -ing) is used when the subject in the main clause and subordinate clause is identical. The 'zu' stands directly before the infinitive at the end of the clause.
EXAMPLE
Sie ging an mir vorbei, ohne mich zu grüßen.
She walked past me without greeting me.
Sentence structure: 'ohne dass'
The conjunction 'ohne dass' (without) introduces a subordinate clause and is used when the main clause and subordinate clause have different subjects. After 'ohne dass', a complete subordinate clause follows with the verb at the end.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe das Auto repariert, ohne dass mein Vater es gemerkt hat.
I repaired the car without my father noticing.
Typical collocations
Common and useful expressions with 'ohne' (without) are 'ohne Zweifel' (without a doubt), 'ohne Frage' (without question), 'ohne Grund' (without reason), and 'ohne Erfolg' (without success).
EXAMPLE
Er ist ohne Zweifel der beste Spieler der Mannschaft.
He is without a doubt the best player on the team.
Fixed expression
The expression 'ohne Weiteres' (without difficulty / easily) is a fixed expression and means 'without problems' or 'quite simply'. You should learn it as a unit.
EXAMPLE
Du kannst das Formular ohne Weiteres online ausfüllen.
You can easily fill out the form online.
Compare with
ohne vs mit
with
'mit' and 'ohne' form a clear contrast. 'mit' means that someone or something is there, is being used, or is present. 'ohne' means that someone or something is missing or not there. That is why many sentences can be directly contrasted: 'mit Geld' (with money) and 'ohne Geld' (without money), 'mit meiner Freundin' (with my girlfriend / friend) and 'ohne meine Freundin' (without my girlfriend / friend). Learners may confuse the words because both come before a noun and often appear in similar positions in a sentence. But their meanings are exactly opposite.
ohne
Wegen der Arbeit gehe ich morgen ohne meine Freunde einkaufen.
Because of work, I'm going shopping without my friends tomorrow.
mit
Ich komme heute mit meinem Laptop ins Büro.
I'm coming to the office with my laptop today.
In real life
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