In operation of an internal combustion engine, an air filling (rl) in a combustion chamber is ascertained, taking into account a pressure (ps) in an intake conduit. It is proposed that the air filling (rl) be ascertained on the basis of a model (A), which as its input variables receives an rpm (nmot) of a crankshaft and a ratio of the pressure (ps) in the intake conduit (22) to an ambient pressure (pu).