En 15 secondes
- Used for preserving food in a freezer.
- Describes tech crashes or stopped bank accounts.
- A separable verb where 'ein' goes to the end.
Signification
To preserve something by making it ice cold, or to stop a process or account immediately.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Talking about leftovers after dinner
Ich werde die Suppe für nächste Woche einfrieren.
I will freeze the soup for next week.
Complaining about a slow computer
Mein Laptop ist schon wieder eingefroren!
My laptop has frozen again!
A formal business announcement
Die Firma muss alle Gehaltserhöhungen einfrieren.
The company must freeze all salary increases.
Contexte culturel
Freezing bread is a national habit. Since Germans love their specific types of bread from the bakery, they often buy whole loaves, slice them, and freeze them to ensure they always have 'gutes Brot' available. The term 'einfrieren' is frequently seen in letters from the 'Finanzamt' (tax office) or banks. It is a serious legal action that reflects the strict regulatory environment in Germany. In cities like Berlin, 'Mietendeckel' (rent caps) and 'Mieten einfrieren' are major political slogans used in protests against rising housing costs. Freezing is promoted as a way to combat 'Lebensmittelverschwendung' (food waste). There are many blogs and 'Ratgeber' (guides) on how to 'richtig einfrieren'.
Separable Verb Rule
Remember that 'ein' always goes to the end in a normal sentence: 'Ich friere es ein.'
Don't use for people!
Unless you are talking about science fiction cryogenics, don't say you are 'eingefroren'.
En 15 secondes
- Used for preserving food in a freezer.
- Describes tech crashes or stopped bank accounts.
- A separable verb where 'ein' goes to the end.
What It Means
At its heart, einfrieren is about preservation. You take something fresh, like berries or soup, and put it in the freezer. It becomes solid and stays good for months. But Germans also use it for abstract things. If a bank stops your credit card, they einfrieren your account. If a computer screen stops moving, it has eingefroren. It is the ultimate 'pause' button for both physical objects and digital processes.
How To Use It
This is a separable verb, which is a classic German quirk. The ein part loves to jump to the end of the sentence. You say Ich friere die Reste ein (I am freezing the leftovers). In the past tense, it becomes eingefroren. You will often see it used with food, money, or technology. Just remember to keep that ein at the very end when you are speaking in the present tense. It is like a little surprise waiting for the listener.
When To Use It
Use it every time you are in the kitchen. If you made too much Lasagne, tell your roommate you will einfrieren the rest. It is also perfect for tech support moments. If your Zoom call stops, you can yell, 'Das Bild ist eingefroren!' (The picture is frozen!). In a business context, if a project loses its funding, the boss might say the budget is eingefroren. It sounds professional yet clear. It is a very versatile word for daily life.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use einfrieren if you are just feeling cold. If you are shivering outside in the snow, say Ich friere. If you say Ich friere mich ein, people will think you are trying to become a human popsicle for the future. Also, do not use it for 'freezing' in fear. For that, Germans usually use erstarren. This word is mostly for intentional freezing or technical glitches. Using it for your own body temperature sounds quite funny and a bit robotic.
Cultural Background
Germans are very practical people who hate wasting food. The Gefriertruhe (chest freezer) is a staple in many German basements. There is a whole culture of 'Vorkochen' (pre-cooking) where people spend Sundays making giant pots of stew just to einfrieren them for the week. It represents the German values of efficiency and planning. Even bread is frequently frozen. If you visit a German home, don't be surprised if they pull a loaf of bread out of the freezer and toast it for you immediately.
Common Variations
You might hear tiefkühlen, which specifically means 'deep freeze' and is used for store-bought frozen goods. There is also schockgefrostet, which means 'flash-frozen.' This is what happens to peas in a factory. If you are talking about a person being very cold, you might hear frierende Person, but never eingefrorene Person unless they are an ice sculpture. Stick to einfrieren for the action of putting things away or stopping a process.
Notes d'usage
The verb is neutral and safe for all situations. Just be careful with the separable prefix 'ein' and don't confuse it with the simple verb 'frieren'.
Separable Verb Rule
Remember that 'ein' always goes to the end in a normal sentence: 'Ich friere es ein.'
Don't use for people!
Unless you are talking about science fiction cryogenics, don't say you are 'eingefroren'.
Perfect Tense
The past participle is 'eingefroren'. It's irregular, so memorize it early!
Exemples
6Ich werde die Suppe für nächste Woche einfrieren.
I will freeze the soup for next week.
A very common household use of the verb.
Mein Laptop ist schon wieder eingefroren!
My laptop has frozen again!
Used when the screen or software stops responding.
Die Firma muss alle Gehaltserhöhungen einfrieren.
The company must freeze all salary increases.
Used here to mean 'stopping' a financial process.
Hab zu viel Pizza gemacht, muss den Rest einfrieren. Lol.
Made too much pizza, have to freeze the rest. Lol.
Informal usage showing the separable verb in action.
Wenn du noch mehr kaufst, werde ich dein Konto einfrieren!
If you buy any more, I will freeze your account!
A lighthearted way to tell someone to stop spending.
Ich möchte diesen Moment einfach einfrieren.
I just want to freeze this moment.
A poetic, metaphorical use of the word.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of 'einfrieren' in the present tense.
Ich habe zu viel Brot gekauft, deshalb ______ ich es ______.
In a main clause, the separable prefix 'ein' goes to the end.
Which sentence is correct for a computer crash?
Mein Computer...
We use the state (ist + eingefroren) to describe a crashed screen.
Match the noun with the context of 'einfrieren'.
Match the following:
All these are standard collocations for 'einfrieren'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Warum kannst du nicht bezahlen? B: Die Bank hat mein ______ ______.
Freezing an account is the standard reason for payment failure in this context.
In which situation would you NOT use 'einfrieren'?
Select the wrong situation:
For personal coldness, use 'frieren', not 'einfrieren'.
🎉 Score : /5
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesIch habe zu viel Brot gekauft, deshalb ______ ich es ______.
In a main clause, the separable prefix 'ein' goes to the end.
Mein Computer...
We use the state (ist + eingefroren) to describe a crashed screen.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
All these are standard collocations for 'einfrieren'.
A: Warum kannst du nicht bezahlen? B: Die Bank hat mein ______ ______.
Freezing an account is the standard reason for payment failure in this context.
Select the wrong situation:
For personal coldness, use 'frieren', not 'einfrieren'.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, use 'frieren'. 'Einfrieren' implies turning into a solid block of ice.
Yes, it is. 'Ich friere die Pizza ein.'
'Einfrieren' is the general verb; 'tiefkühlen' is more technical and often used for industrial frozen food.
Yes, 'ein Konto einfrieren' is the standard term for blocking an account.
It uses 'haben'. 'Ich habe das Fleisch eingefroren.'
Use 'Der Bildschirm ist eingefroren.'
It is neutral. You can use it in the kitchen or in a business report.
Yes, figuratively. 'Wir haben den Kontakt eingefroren.'
'Auftauen' (to thaw/defrost).
Yes, 'Preise einfrieren' is very common in economic news.
Expressions liées
auf Eis legen
similarTo put something on hold/postpone.
kaltstellen
similarTo chill (drinks) or to sideline a person.
stoppen
synonymTo stop.
sperren
specialized formTo block/lock.
tiefkühlen
synonymTo deep-freeze.
