Information directly from the source
If a participant tells you directly what happened, you get her account firsthand. If someone retells her account, the next person gets it through an intermediary.
You can ask Weißt du das aus erster Hand? to find out whether someone experienced it or heard directly from those involved.
Ich weiß aus erster Hand, warum die Probe abgebrochen wurde. Ich war dabei.
I know firsthand why the rehearsal was called off. I was there.
The speaker was there.
Used goods from the first owner
A used bike aus erster Hand had just its first owner before being resold. The phrase does not tell you how often it was ridden.
When looking at a listing, you may still need to ask about age, condition and maintenance. Look for separate details such as the purchase date or a repair receipt.
Für die Reportage wollte die Journalistin aus erster Hand erfahren, was die Helfer gesehen hatten.
For the report, the journalist wanted to hear firsthand what the volunteers had seen.
The volunteers are the direct witnesses.
Fixed phrase with the dative
Aus takes the dative. The fixed phrase has no article, so the ending is -er in aus erster Hand.
The phrase can modify the verb, as in Ich habe es aus erster Hand erfahren. It can also follow a noun: ein Bericht aus erster Hand.
Das gebrauchte Rad ist aus erster Hand. Die Verkäuferin hat es damals neu gekauft.
The used bike is being sold by its first owner. The seller bought it new.
Here the phrase refers to ownership, not a source of news.
Everyday conversations
Dialogue about a building meeting
Alex asks Toni where the news came from.
- Alex
Woher weißt du, dass der Fahrradraum länger geöffnet bleiben soll?
How do you know the bike room is supposed to stay open longer?
- Toni
Aus erster Hand. Ich war gestern bei der Versammlung.
Firsthand. I was at the meeting yesterday.
- Alex
Wurde schon entschieden, ab wann das gilt?
Did they decide when that will start?
- Toni
Nein, den Termin wollen sie nächste Woche bekannt geben.
No, they plan to announce the date next week.
Usage note
An eyewitness can still make a mistake or see only part of an event. Aus erster Hand describes how direct the source is.
Three practice tasks
Try each task before opening the explanation.
Who is giving a firsthand account of the meeting?
Answer and explanation
Eine Teilnehmerin beschreibt, was sie selbst gehört hat.
The participant was at the meeting herself.
Which form is correct? Die Information stammt ___.
Answer and explanation
aus erster Hand
In this phrase, aus takes the dative form erster Hand.
What can you infer from aus erster Hand in a used bicycle listing?
Answer and explanation
Es stammt vom ersten Besitzer.
The expression identifies the source. You need separate details about its condition.
What to remember
For information, ask who experienced it directly. For used goods, ask who owned it first.