Glossary of Terms Flashcards
Define and translate the term: “accusative”
When is it used?
Akkusativ; Typically the CASE which shows the Direct Object of Transitive verbs: Ich sehe DEN Hund; Ich sehe IHN. It is also used after some prepositions: Ich gene durch DEN Wald, in DIE Stadt, and in some Adverbial constructions: Sie kommt jeden Tag
Define and translate the term: “adjective”
Adjectiv; a word which qualifies, or describes a Noun: die Schöne Stadt, die Stadt ist schön.
Define and translate the term: “adverb”
Adverb; a word which qualifies a Verb, an Adjective or a whole Clause, often giving extra information on now when where or why: Sie singt gut; Sie war sehr freundlich; Sie gong trotzdem nicht.
Define and translate the term: “adverbial”
Adverbialbestimmung; any part of a Sentence which has the function of an Adverb. It can be a single word (an adverb), or a phrase, or a whole Clause; Sie sang gut; Sie sang kit diner bellen Stimme; Sie sang, ale sie ins Zimmer kam.
Define and translate the term: “agreement”
Kongruenz; copying a grammatical feature from one word to another, so that some words have Endings according to the words they are use with or refer to. In German, Determiners, Adjectives and many Pronounns ‘agree’ with ther Noun for Gender, Number and Case: dieses Buch, mit meinem neuen Auto; Welchen Rock kaufst du? Den da. verbs also ‘agree with their Subject for Person and Number: icy singe, du singst, er/sie/es singt.
Define and translate the term: “article”
Artikel; the most important of the Determiners. In German, like English, there is a definite article, der, die das etc. (= in English ‘the’), and an indefinite article ein, wine, etc. (=English ‘the’)
Define and translate the term: “attributive adjective”
attribuatives Adjectiv; used before a Noun: die klassische CD, mien großer Zeh
Define and translate the term: “auxillary verb”
a verb used in combination with the Infinitive or Past Participle of another verb, especially to form Compound Tenses and the Passive, e.g. Katrin hat einen Hund gekauft. The main auxiliary verbs in german are haben, seine, werden, and the Modal Auxiliaries, like können and mûssen
Define and translate the term: “bracket”
Verbalklammer; the ‘bracket’ construction is typical of German Clauses, with most words and phrases in a clause bracketed between two parts of the Verb: Wir [KOMMEN um 17 Uhr in Innsbruck an]; Sie [Hat inn in der Stadt GESEHEN].
Define and translate the term: “cardinal number”
Kardinalzahl; numerals used in counting: eins, zwei, hundert etc.
Define and translate the term: “case”
Kasus/Fall; indicates the function of a Noun Phrase in the Clause (e.g. whether it is the Subject or Direct Object, or dependent on a particular Preposition) by using Endings. German has four cases: Nominative der Igel; Accusative den Igel; Genitive des Igels and Dative den Igel
Define and translate the term: “central section”
Mittelfeld; the main part of a Main Clause, between the Brackets formed by the Finite Verb in second position and any other parts of the verb at the end of the clause; e.g. Bald wird Disney’s [Kult-Klassiker in den Kinos ein tolles Comeback\ feiern
Define and translate the term: “clause”
Satz; a part of a Sentence with a Verb and its Complement. A Main Clause can stand on its own. A subordinate Clause is dependent on another clause in the sentence.
Define and translate the term: “commands”
Befehle; use the Imperative mood of the Verb. The Finite Verb is in first position: Komm hirer! Steigen Sie bitte ein!
Define and translate the term: “comparative”
Name some examples.
the form of an Adjective or Adverb used to express a comparison: schneller, höher, weiter
Define and translate the term: “complement”
What types are there?
Ergänzung: an element in a Clause which is closely linked to the Verb and completes its meaning. The most important complements of the verb are its Subject and Objects, but german also has Direction Complements, Place Complements, and Predicative complements.
Define and translate the term: “compound tense”
Kompositum; a Tense formed by using an Auxiliary Verb with the Infinitive or Past Participle of another verb. The main compound tenses in german are the Perfect: Sie hat geschlafen, the Pluperfect: SIe hatte geschlafen; Sie ist gekommen, the Pluperfect: Sie hate geschlafen; Sie war gekommen and the Future: Sie wird schlafen; Sie word kommen
Define and translate the term: “compound word”
würde-Form; a compound form of Subjunctive II formed from the subjunctive II form of the Auxiliary Verb werden, i.e. würde, and the Infinitive of another Verb: Ich würde gehen, Die Kinder würden schlafe
Define and translate the term: “conjugation”
Konjugation; the forms of a Verb, in particular the pattern of endings and/or vowel changes which indicate Agreement with the Subject, and show the various Tenses, the Mood, etc., e.g. icy kaufe, du kaufst; ich sehe, du siehst (first and second person singular, present, indicative)
Define and translate the term: “copula”
Kopulaverb; a linking verb, which typically links the Subject with a Predicate Complement: an Adjective or a Noun in the Nominative case. The most frequent copulas in German are seine, warden and scheinen: Er its win gutter Lehrer, Die late Frau wurde glass; Das schist mir plausible.
Dative
Dativ; A Case used to mark some Objects of the verb, especially the Indirect Object of a verb which also has a Direvt Object: Sie hat meaner Schwester die CD gegeben.
Some german verbs just have an object in the dative case (you have to learn these): Ich helfe meinem Bruder.
The dative case can also indicate possession: Sie zoo den Kind die Jacke aux. It is used after some Adjectives: Er sight meinem Vater ähnlich, and after many prepositions: Er will kit diesel Kindern spielen.
Declension
Deklination; the pattern of Endings on a Noun, an Adjective or a Determiner which show Gender, Number and Case, e.g. der guts Hund (masculine singular nominative) den guten Hunden (masculine plural dative)
demonstrative
Demonstrativpronomen; a Determiner or Pronoun, like English ‘this’ and ‘that’, which points to something specific, e.g. diesel, jener.
determiner
Determinativ; a function word used with Nouns, including the Articles der and ein, the Demonstratives, like diese, the Possessives, like mien, and Indefinites like einige and viele. They typically come before Adjectives in the Noun Phrase.
