Whether you’re throwing a birthday party, hosting a dinner, or planning a big event—if you want people to come, you send an Einladung. It’s the German word for invitation, and it’s all about connection, community, and making someone feel welcome.
The noun Einladung means invitation, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll encounter it in social settings, emails, event planning, and even official summons.
It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Einladung.
Pronunciation
Einladung is pronounced [INE-lah-doong].
- The “ein” rhymes with “mine,”
- The “la” is stressed and short,
- The “dung” ends with a nasal “ng,” like in “song.”
It’s a warm, clear-sounding word—perfect for welcoming others.
Example sentences:
- Vielen Dank für die Einladung zur Party!
Thanks so much for the invitation to the party! - Ich habe die Einladung per E-Mail bekommen.
I got the invitation by email.
Nuance and usage tips
Einladung comes from the verb einladen (to invite), and it’s used in all types of invitations:
- Social – parties, dinners, weddings
- Hochzeitseinladung – wedding invitation
- Einladung zum Kaffee – invitation for coffee
- Official – meetings, appointments, ceremonies
- Einladung zum Vorstellungsgespräch – interview invitation
- offizielle Einladung – formal invitation
- Written or verbal
- mündliche Einladung – spoken invitation
- schriftliche Einladung – written invitation
The opposite of Einladung might be Absage (decline/refusal), or more generally Ausschluss (exclusion), though these aren’t perfect reversals.
Grammatical case examples:
- Nominative:
Die Einladung kam gestern per Post.
The invitation arrived yesterday by mail. - Accusative:
Ich habe die Einladung sofort angenommen.
I accepted the invitation immediately. - Dative:
Mit der Einladung kam auch ein kleines Geschenk.
With the invitation came a small gift. - Genitive:
Wegen der Einladung mussten wir das Datum ändern.
Because of the invitation, we had to change the date.
Feminine case pattern: die, die, der, der
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- einladen – to invite
- Einladungskarte – invitation card
- Einladungsbrief – invitation letter
- Gastgeber – host (the one sending the Einladung)
- Eingeladene(r) – invited person / guest
Fun usage note:
If someone invites you and pays for everything, they might say:
- “Ich lade dich ein.” – “It’s on me” or “My treat.”
That’s a very common and friendly phrase in restaurants, cafés, or even casual generosity.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Einladung
🎥 Learn Einladung and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Alternate translations note:
If you're talking about a summons or subpoena, especially in legal or bureaucratic contexts, Vorladung is the more specific term. But for anything friendly, social, or official in a non-threatening way, Einladung is your go-to word.
Ready for two more German words of the day? Do you know how to say Germany or episode in German?