Grammar Flashcards
List the definite articles for the different genders and cases.
der Artikel pl.: die Artikel [Grammar]
What are the four German cases?
der Kasus or: Casus pl.: die Kasus [Grammar]
- Nominative
- Accusative
- Genitive
- Dative
What is the nominative case?
der Nominativ
The nominative case is the basic form of the noun and is the one you find in the dictionary.
The nominative case is used for the subject of the sentence.
i.e. the person, animal, or thing ‘doing’ the action.
What is the accusative case?
der Akkusativ
The accusative case is used to show the direct object of a verb.
i.e. the person, animal, or thing affected by the action of the verb.
What is the dative case?
der Dativ
The dative case is used to show the indirect object of a verb.
An indirect object answers the question who to/for or to/for what?
What is the genitive case?
der Genitiv
What case is used after the verbs sein and werden?
sein - to be aux.
werden - to become
DOGWUF(E)
List the prepositions that always take the accusative case.
die Präposition pl.: die Präpositionen
- durch - through
- ohne - without
- gegen - against; around
- wider - contrary to, against
- um - (a)round, round about; at (what time); by (with quantity)
- für - for; to
- entlang - along
DOGWUF(E)
Note that um is used after certain verbs
List 9 prepositions that always take the dative case.
die Präposition pl.: die Präpositionen
- aus - out of, from
- außer - out of; except
- bei - at the home/shop/work etc. of; near
- gegenüber - opposite; towards
- mit - with
- nach - after; to
- seit - since; for (of time)
- von - from; about; by
- zu - to; for
v amaz’ng bs
Note: von can be used as a common alternative to the geniti
List the prepositions that can take either the accusative or dative case.
Wechselpräpositionen
When do two-way prepositions take the accusative and dative cases?
Wechselpräpositionen
You use:
* the accusative case when there is some movement towards a different place
* the dative case when a location is described rather than a movement, or when there is movement within the same place
List the indefinite articles for the different genders and cases.
der Artikel pl.: die Artikel [Grammar]
What are declensions?
Declensions are endings that get put onto words (including, but not limited to, articles) so that they reflect the gender & case of the noun that follows.
What are the three types of declensions?
The three types are as follows:
- Weak declension is used if the adjective follows a definite article (der/die/das).
- Strong declension is used if the adjective does not follow an article.
- Mixed declension is used after the indefinite article (ein/eine/ein).
To know which adjective endings to use, you need to look at the article that precedes it (if there is one).
Adjective: a word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet or red
When are weak declensions used?
Weak declension is typically used after the definite article. It’s also the simplest one – there are only two endings: -e and –en.
The German adjective ending -e is used in the nominative singular (all genders) and accusative singular (feminine and neuter).
The -en ending is used everywhere else. (Notice that all plural forms take -en.)
What type of declension is used in this sentence?
Gestern habe ich den freundlichen Mann gesehen.
I saw the friendly man yesterday.
Weak
Gestern habe ich den freundlichen Mann gesehen.
der Mann - the man
Weak declension is typically used after the definite article.
What type of declension is used in this sentence?
Tieren fressen rohes Fleisch.
Animals eat raw meat.
Strong
Tieren fressen rohes Fleisch.
roh - raw
When are mixed declensions used?
Mixed declensions are used after the indefinite article and after the possessives (mein, dein, sein, etc.)
We call this declension mixed because it falls somewhere in between strong and weak. Adjectives that follow the indefinite articles take weak endings – except in the singular nominative masculine and neuter, and the singular accusative neuter. Because the articles in those cases don’t have their own endings (i.e. ein doesn’t have an ending), we use strong declension in those cases.
Weak declension endings orange / strong declension endings green.
What declension type is used in these cases?
alle, beide, diese, jene, manche, sämtliche, solche, welche
Some adjectives are preceded by a word that isn’t an article.
Weak
What declension type is used in these cases?
andere, einige, etliche, folgende, mehrere, verschiedene, viele, wenige, zahlreiche
Some adjectives are preceded by a word that isn’t an article.
Strong
Finish the declensions:
Sie sind [gut] Männer. (They are good men.)
I sehe eine [schwarz] Katze. (I see a black cat.)
Wir haben das [schnell] Auto gekauft. (We bought the fast car.)
Sie sind gute Männer. (They are good men.)
I sehe eine schwarze Katze. (I see a black cat.)
Wir haben das schnelle Auto gekauft. (We bought the fast car.)
