01
die Tinte
ink
A colored liquid used for writing or drawing with a fountain pen, a pen, or in a printer.
example
Mein Füller ist leer, ich muss neue Tinte nachfüllen.
My fountain pen is empty; I need to refill it with new ink.
die Tinte
ink
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Fixed expression
The expression 'Die Tinte ist trocken' (the ink is dry) means that a contract or agreement has been finalized and signed. It is often used in business or political contexts.
EXAMPLE
Nach monatelangen Verhandlungen ist die Tinte unter dem Vertrag endlich trocken.
After months of negotiations, the ink on the contract is finally dry.
Typical collocations
In the context of writing and printing, 'Tinte' (ink) is often used with verbs like 'nachfüllen' (to refill), 'eintauchen' (to dip), or 'verschmieren' (to smudge). Common nouns in this context are 'Füller' (fountain pen), 'Feder' (pen/nib), and 'Druckerpatrone' (printer cartridge).
EXAMPLE
Pass auf, die Tinte auf dem Brief ist noch nicht ganz trocken und könnte verschmieren.
Be careful, the ink on the letter is not completely dry yet and could smudge.
Using the idiom
The expression 'in der Tinte sitzen' (to be in trouble) is colloquial. You can intensify the degree of trouble with adverbs like 'tief' (deeply) or 'richtig' (really).
EXAMPLE
Wegen seiner Schulden sitzt er jetzt richtig tief in der Tinte.
Because of his debts, he is really deep in trouble now.
Context clue
You can recognize animal ink from cephalopods by the context. It is usually mentioned in biological contexts or in cooking, for example in pasta recipes.
EXAMPLE
In Italien habe ich Nudeln mit der Tinte vom Tintenfisch gegessen.
In Italy, I ate pasta with squid ink.
Compare with
Tinte vs Farbe
color / paint
'Farbe' and 'Tinte' can both be colored liquids. But 'Farbe' is much more general and is used for painting or coating surfaces. 'Tinte' is used mainly for writing or printing, for example with a fountain pen or printer. Learners may confuse the words because both are colored and can leave marks on paper. For walls, pictures, or brushes, you are more likely to say 'Farbe'. For a fountain pen, nib, or printer, 'Tinte' is the natural word.
Tinte
Die Tinte im Drucker ist leer, deshalb sind die Seiten fast weiß.
The printer is out of ink, so the pages are almost white.
Farbe
Beim Malen ist blaue Farbe auf den Tisch gekommen.
While painting, blue paint got on the table.
In real life
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