When someone drops a helpful clue, a subtle suggestion, or a not-so-subtle warning, German speakers call it a Hinweis. It’s the word behind signs, footnotes, tips from friends, and even anonymous police leads. Whether it’s useful or ominous depends entirely on the tone.
The noun Hinweis means hint, tip, indication, or piece of information—usually something that points your attention to something else. It’s used in everyday life, journalism, public signage, and police investigations. And yes, it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, so you’ll definitely run into it often.
It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Hinweis.
Pronunciation
Hinweis is pronounced [HIN-vyse].
- “Hin” is short and snappy, like “hint” without the “t.”
- “weis” rhymes with “ice,” with a sharp “s” at the end.
The whole word sounds like someone pointing something out—brief, purposeful, and a bit serious.
Example sentences:
- Der Lehrer gab einen Hinweis zur Lösung der Aufgabe.
The teacher gave a hint for solving the exercise. - Die Polizei bittet um Hinweise aus der Bevölkerung.
The police are asking for information from the public.
Nuance and usage tips
Hinweis is a helpful, neutral word—but the tone depends on context. It might be:
- A friendly pointer:
Ein kleiner Hinweis für das nächste Mal… – “Just a little tip for next time…” - A warning:
Hinweis: Dieser Film ist erst ab 16 Jahren freigegeben. – “Note: This film is rated 16+.” - A clue in a crime:
Ein entscheidender Hinweis führte zur Festnahme. – “A crucial tip led to the arrest.”
It can also refer to a written or printed note, especially on packaging or documents:
- Sicherheitshinweis – safety notice
Grammatical case examples:
- Nominative:
Der Hinweis war sehr hilfreich.
The tip was very helpful. - Accusative:
Ich habe den Hinweis übersehen.
I missed the hint. - Dative:
Mit dem Hinweis wurde die Aufgabe viel einfacher.
With the hint, the task became much easier. - Genitive:
Wegen des Hinweises änderte sich die Strategie.
Because of the tip, the strategy changed.
Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- hinweisen – to point something out
Er wies mich auf einen Fehler hin. → “He pointed out a mistake to me.” - Hinweisschild – information sign
- Sicherheitshinweis – safety notice
- Hinweisgeber – whistleblower or informant
Pro tip: In casual speech, Tipp is also used (borrowed from English), but Hinweis sounds more formal, technical, or official.
🎥 Learn Hinweis and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Ready for more German words of the day? Do you know what Fehler means? Or Drehbuch?