I keep confusing between those three words!
is there any “hint” or “trick” I can use to keep them stick in my mind?
thanks 
Maybe…
The words “einige” and “einzige” start both with “ein”. That means “one” (or a). So we are talking about numbers here. Or to be more precise „variations of one“.
The remaining difference is the ending: -ige vs. -zige.
The “sharp” -zige ending reminds me of the superlative. The best. The only one, who was able to win.
Example:
He is the only one that can save us.
Er ist der einzige, der uns retten kann.
„einige“ is a (rather small) number of people or things. Depending on context the word can be translated as “some, several, (a) few or a couple of” etc.
For example:
Ein Haus. → Einige Häuser.
One house. → Several houses. (Several units of „one“ house.)
The word “wenige” is more specific and can only mean “(a) few”. They have both the same -ige ending.
It’s also common to say “einige wenige“.
For example:
Einige wenige (Leute) helfen uns.
The meaning is: We have a number of people helping us, but it‘s a very small number.
Some/several people are helping us. But it‘s only a few.
~ > A few people are helping us.
You could also say:
Einige Leute helfen uns.
„Some“ people are helping us.
But by adding “wenige” the number of people is less free to interpretation.
However it’s strange to say:
Wenige Leute helfen uns.
A few people are helping us.
In this case it sounds more natural to say:
Nur wenige Leute helfen uns.
Only a few people are helping us.
The first three letters of the word “eigene“ are “eig”, which is, unlike „ein“, not a word on it‘s own. XD
For example:
Mein eigener Bruder.
My own brother.
Meine eigene Schwester.
My own sister.
Mein eigenes Auto.
My own car.
——
Edit:
I added a few more examples, but in the end you need to focus on the differences, whenever you see a „similar“ word.
You should only have a look at the parts they have in common, if it’s helpful, like „ein“ here.
3 Likes
danke sehr für die ausführliche Antwort
1 Like