Grammar A2 - Nico Weg Flashcards
Compound conjunctions
Compound conjunctions: zwar … aber
Ich komme zwar aus Spanien, aber Deutschland ist mein Zuhause.
Zwar … aber is used to express a qualification: first a statement is made which leads to a particular assumption. Then this statement is qualified. When Yara says that she comes from Spain, one can assume that she considers Spain as her home. Then she says something that does not necessarily fit with this assumption: Germany is her home, not Spain. The word zwar can also be omitted but the qualification is then given less emphasis.
Zwar … aber is an example of a so-called double conjunction or compound conjunction, consisting of at least two parts. These separated conjunctions link sentences or clauses with equal ordination.
Sentences:
Where compound conjunctions link two sentences, each sentence generally has its own subject and its own verb.
Tarek kommt aus der Türkei. – Er spricht meistens Deutsch.
Tarek kommt zwar aus der Türkei, aber er spricht meistens Deutsch.
Clauses:
Where compound conjunctions link two clauses, they often have a common subject and/or a common verb.
Deutschland war für Yara fremd. – Deutschland war für Yara interessant.
Deutschland war für Yara zwar fremd, aber interessant.
Grammatical terms in German:
die Konjunktion: Conjunctions (e.g. und, oder, aber) link sentences or clauses to each other.
Location names without an article
City and country names without an article
Woher kommst du? – Ich komme aus …
The question where you come from can be answered with different information. You would usually say your homeland or hometown.
The preposition aus precedes the name of the country or city.
Ich komme aus Spanien.
Ich komme aus Sevilla.
Wo lebst du? – Ich lebe in …
You answer the question which city or country you live in with the preposition in.
Ich lebe in Spanien.
Ich lebe in Sevilla.
Wohin reist du? – Ich reise nach …
You answer the question which city or country you are traveling to with the preposition nach.
Ich reise nach Spanien.
Ich reise nach Sevilla.
Location names with an article
The names of some countries have an article.
Masculine:
der Irak, der Iran, der Jemen, der Kongo, der Libanon, der Niger, der Oman, der Senegal, der Sudan, der Tschad
Feminine:
die Demokratische Republik Kongo, die Dominikanische Republik, die Elfenbeinküste, die Mongolei, die Schweiz, die Slowakei, die Türkei, die Ukraine, die Zentralafrikanische Republik
Neuter:
das Kosovo
Plural:
die Bahamas, die Kapverdischen Inseln, die Komoren, die Malediven, die Niederlande, die Philippinen, die Salomonen, die Seychellen, die USA / die Vereinigten Staaten, die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate
*Masculine country names are sometimes also used without the article, especially Irak and Iran.
There are a few things to remember when you are talking about these countries.
Woher kommst du?
After the preposition aus, the article is in the dative:
Ich komme aus dem Irak / aus der Schweiz / aus dem Kosovo / aus den USA.
If you are talking about an island group, you can also use the preposition von + dative:
Ich komme von den Philippinen.
Wo lebst du?
After the preposition in, the article is in the dative. In dem becomes im.
Ich lebe im Irak / in der Schweiz / im Kosovo/ in den USA.
If you live in an island group, you can also use the preposition auf + dative:
Ich lebe auf den Philippinen.
Wohin reist du?
Here the preposition nach is not used; instead the preposition in + accusative is used:
Ich reise in den Irak / in die Schweiz / ins Kosovo (ins = in + das) / in die USA.
If you are traveling to an island, you can also use the preposition auf + accusative:
Ich reise auf die Philippinen.
Overview: country names
Without an article With an article
Woher …? aus aus + dative article
Wo …? in in + dative article
Wohin …? nach in + accusative article
Subordinate clauses: weil
A main clause generally consists of at least a subject and a conjugated verb. It is complete both grammatically and in terms of content and is thus self-contained.
A subordinate clause cannot normally stand alone. It is dependent on a superordinate main clause or subordinate clause. There is a comma between the superordinate main clause and the subordinate clause. The conjugated verb is usually right at the end of a subordinate clause. Many subordinate clauses are connected to the superordinate clause by certain introductory words. One of these introductory words is the conjunction weil. A subordinate clause beginning with weil answers the question “why?”. The interrogatives warum, wieso or weshalb are used to inquire as to a reason.
Grammatical terms in German:
der Hauptsatz: A main clause generally consists of a subject and a conjugated verb. It is a self-contained sentence which may stand alone. In a simple statement sentence the verb is the second idea.
der Nebensatz: A subordinate clause cannot normally stand alone. It is dependent on a superordinate main clause or another subordinate clause. The conjugated verb is normally right at the end of a subordinate clause. Many subordinate clauses are linked to the superordinate clause by certain introductory words.
Subordinate clauses: dass
Tarek versteht, dass Nico mit den Händen arbeiten will.
A subordinate clause cannot normally stand alone. It is dependent on a superordinate main clause or subordinate clause. There is a comma between the superordinate main clause and the subordinate clause. The conjugated verb is nearly always right at the end of a subordinate clause. Many subordinate clauses are connected to the superordinate clause by certain introductory words. One of these introductory words is the subordinating conjunction dass.
Subordinate clauses with dass cannot be linked to any main or subordinate clause. Certain expressions allow construction with dass.
Amongst these expressions are …
… Indirect statement sentences in which what someone has said, heard or read is reported:
Nico sagt, dass er das Studium hasst.
… Verbs of perception, thought, expression of feeling, knowledge and will:
Nico glaubt, dass seine Eltern ihn nicht verstehen.
… Expressions with an adjective + sein:
Nico ist sicher, dass er in Deutschland bleiben will.
… Impersonal expressions:
Es ist wichtig, dass Nico eine Arbeit findet.
Grammatical terms in German:
die Konjunktion: Conjunctions link sentences or clauses to each other. There are two types of conjunction:
- Conjunctions that link sentences or clauses of equal ordination, e.g. und, oder, aber. These are also known as co-ordinating conjunctions.
- Conjunctions that link subordinate clauses to superordinate clauses, e.g. weil, dass. These are also known as subordinating conjunctions.
Indirect interrogatives (1)
Questions can be asked directly or indirectly. In an indirect question, a subordinate clause is formed from a direct question:
Direct question: Wie lerne ich schnell Deutsch?
Indirect question: Ich möchte wissen, wie ich schnell Deutsch lerne.
The subordinate clause, which is introduced by an interrogative, is often the object of the main clause. The subordinate clause in this case is also known as the object clause. In sentences composed of a main clause and an object clause, the main clause cannot usually stand alone:
Was möchte Nico wissen?
Er möchte wissen, wie er schnell Deutsch lernt.
As in other subordinate clauses, a comma separates the main clause from the subordinate clause. The conjugated verb is usually at the end of the sentence.
The main clause can be a declarative clause or an interrogative. Look at the examples. Note the punctuation at the end of the sentence: if the main clause is declarative, it has a full stop at the end. If it is an interrogative, there is a question mark at the end.
Declarative clause + indirect interrogative clause:
Bitte sag mir, wo eine gute Sprachschule ist.
Interrogative + indirect interrogative clause:
Weißt du, was dieses Wort bedeutet?
Indirect interrogative clauses are often used to formulate questions especially politely:
Ich möchte gerne wissen, wann der Kurs beginnt.
Können Sie mir sagen, welcher Bus zur Sprachschule fährt?
Sentence construction: subordinate clauses (1)
Subordinate clauses have the following features:
They cannot normally stand alone but are linked to a superordinate clause.
There is a comma between the main and subordinate clauses.
Subordinate clauses usually begin with an introductory word, e.g. a conjunction or an interrogative.
The conjugated verb in a subordinate clause is usually right at the end. There are only a few exceptions.
The conjugated verb thus “migrates” to the end of the subordinate clause:
You have already encountered three types of subordinate clause in this unit:
Causal clauses with weil:
Nico hat Yara gesucht, weil er ihre Hilfe braucht.
Subordinate clauses with dass:
Nico sagt, dass er jeden Tag Deutsch lernt.
Indirect interrogative clauses:
Yara will wissen, wo Nico jetzt wohnt.
Sentence construction: subordinate clauses (2)
Subordinate clauses with two verbs or two verb parts
In a main clause (declarative clause), the conjugated verb is the second idea. But when we form a subordinate
clause, the conjugated verb “migrates” to the end of the subordinate clause:
… with modal verbs:
The conjugated modal verb is at the end, after the infinitive.
Nicos Eltern sind wütend, weil er nicht mehr studieren will.
… in the present perfect tense:
The conjugated form of haben or sein is at the end, after the past participle.
Nico freut sich, weil Yara ihm ein Fahrrad geschenkt hat.
… for separable verbs:
The prefix of the separable verb is not separated. The complete verb is at the end of the sentence and is conjugated:
Nicos Eltern sind sauer, weil er nicht zurückkommt.
Sentence construction: subordinate clauses (3)
Subordinated clause before the main clause
Subordinate clauses introduced by a conjunction can also usually be placed before the main clause. This does not change the word order in the subordinate clause. In the main clause however, the conjugated verb moves forward and is directly after the comma. The subordinate clause thus assumes the position of the first idea in the whole sentence, and the conjugated verb in the main clause is the second idea of the whole sentence.
If the subordinate clause comes before the main clause, the general rule is as follows: the conjugated verb of the subordinate clause comes directly before the comma, and the conjugated verb of the main clause comes directly after the comma.
Here are some examples of different types of subordinate clause:
Weil Nico mit dem Fahrrad schneller ist, schenkt Yara ihm ein Fahrrad.
Dass Nico das Studium hasst, verstehen seine Eltern nicht.
Wo die Bank ist, weiß Nico schon.
Grammatical terms in German:
der Hauptsatz: In general, a main clause consists of at least a subject and a conjugated verb. It is a self-contained clause which may stand alone. In simple declarative sentences, the verb is the second idea.
der Nebensatz: A subordinate clause cannot normally stand alone. It is dependent on a superordinate main clause or another subordinate clause. The conjugated verb is normally right at the end of a subordinate clause. Many subordinate clauses are linked to the superordinate clause by certain introductory words.
Nouns ending in -ung
Yara muss Geld überweisen. Sie macht eine Online-Überweisung.
Nouns ending in -ung are mostly formed from a verb. Therefore, there is a noun ending in -ung corresponding to many verbs. These nouns are always feminine.
überweisen -> die Überweisung
zahlen -> die Zahlung
rechnen -> die Rechnung
Possessive determiners (3)
Possessive determiners in the accusative and dative case
Der Mann rechts ist mein Vater.
Der Brief ist für meinen Vater.
Possessive determiners in the accusative and dative singular have the same endings as indefinite articles. In the plural, the possessive determiner ends in -e (nominative, accusative) or in -en (dative). Here are all the forms that you have learned up to now:
Singular
Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative: -
Nominative: -e
Nominative: -
mein Vater meine Mutter mein Kind
Accusative: -en
Accusative: -e
Accusative: -
meinen Vater meine Mutter mein Kind
Dative: -em
Dative: -er
Dative: -em
meinem Vater meiner Mutter meinem Kind
Plural
Nominative: -
meine Eltern
Accusative: -e
meine Eltern
Dative: -en
meinen Eltern
For euer the second e is omitted if an ending is added.
euer -> eure/euren/eurem/eurer
Dative
Revision: articles and personal pronouns in the dative
Take another look at the various articles and personal pronouns in the dative.
Articles
Dative
Masculine dem
einem
keinem
meinem
Feminine der
einer
keiner
meiner
Neuter dem
einem
keinem
meinem
Plural den
-
keinen
meinen
Personal pronouns
Nominative Dative
ich mir
du dir
er/es ihm
sie ihr
wir uns
ihr euch
sie ihnen
Sie Ihnen
Grammatical terms in German:
der Dativ: In German there are four different forms or categories of nouns (cases) called Fälle or Kasus. As well as nominative and accusative, there is also dative. Nouns take this case, for example, when they follow certain prepositions or they are the object of a verb that takes the dative. The articles have the forms: dem/einem, der/einer, dem/einem, den/-. In the plural, an -n is often added to the noun.
das Personalpronomen: Personal pronouns refer to people or things. The words ich, du and Sie are examples of personal pronouns.
Prepositions: bei, mit
Prepositions with the dative: bei, mit
The prepositions bei and mit always take the dative. The dative can be in the form of a noun with an article or in the form of a personal pronoun after the preposition.
bei:
Nico ist beim Arzt. (beim = bei + dem)
Nico möchte nicht mehr bei seinen Eltern wohnen.
Yara sagt, dass Nico bei ihr wohnen kann.
mit:
Selma fährt mit dem Bus.
Selma geht mit ihrer Mutter einkaufen.
Selma ruft Nico an, weil sie mit ihm sprechen möchte.
Adjective declension (3)
If an adjective directly precedes the noun that it describes, the ending of the adjective changes according to the noun. This change to the adjective is called adjective declension. There are three different declensions. What declension to use depends on the article before the noun: indefinite article, definite article or no article.
Adjective declension after the definite article
If the noun comes after a definite article, the adjective has the ending -e or -en.
You already know the endings of the adjectives in the nominative and the accusative:
Adjectives before nouns in the plural (nominative, accusative) have the ending -en.
In the accusative, adjectives before masculine nouns also have the ending -en.
Other adjectives have the ending -e.
Nominative
der Mantel: der schwarze Mantel
die Hose: die braune Hose
das Hemd: das weiße Hemd
die Schuhe: die neuen Schuhe
Accusative
den Mantel: den schwarzen Mantel
die Hose: die braune Hose
das Hemd: das weiße Hemd
die Schuhe: die neuen Schuhe
Adjective endings in the dative are simple: All adjectives have the ending -en.
Dative
dem Mantel: dem schwarzen Mantel
der Hose: der braunen Hose
dem Hemd: dem weißen Hemd
den Schuhen: den neuen Schuhen
Adjective declension (4)
Declining adjectives when there is no article
Heißer Tee, schöne Musik, leckeres Essen und gute Freunde machen Nico glücklich.
If a noun has no article, the adjective takes the ending of a definite article.
Nominative
der Tee: heißer Tee
die Musik: schöne Musik
das Essen: leckeres Essen
die Freunde: gute Freunde
Accusative
den Tee: heißen Tee
die Musik: schöne Musik
das Essen: leckeres Essen
die Freunde: gute Freunde
Dative
dem Tee: heißem Tee
der Musik: schöner Musik
dem Essen: leckerem Essen
den Freunden: guten Freunden
Genitive with proper names
German has four cases. You already know three of them: nominative, accusative and dative. The fourth is called genitive. The genitive is used to express possession or belonging.
A noun can be complemented by another noun in the genitive, called “das Genitivattribut”, which tells us who something belongs to. If the “Genitivattribut” is a name, it generally comes before the other noun and gets the ending -s.
Das ist Selmas Handy.
Das ist Sebastians Gitarre.
An apostrophe is used instead of the ending -s if the name or proper noun already ends in an s-sound (-s, -ß, -z or -x):
Das ist Max’ Fahrrad.
Grammatical terms in German:
der Genitiv: In German there are four different forms or categories of nouns (cases) called Fälle or Kasus. Along with the nominative, the accusative and the dative, there is also the genitive. Nouns take this case, for example, when they follow certain prepositions or define something more closely as an attribute of another noun. Possession or association can be expressed with the genitive attribute. The articles have the forms: des/eines, der/einer, der/-. An -s is often added to masculine and neuter nouns and to proper names.
Modal verbs: sollen (2)
A request or requirement given by one person to another is usually passed onto a third person with sollen.
Selma’s mother gives her a message: Selma, bitte ruf mich an!
Selma says: Ich soll meine Mutter anrufen.
Questions with the modal verb sollen
The modal verb sollen is also used to make an offer or suggestion to someone, or to ask someone’s advice. Lisa offers to drive Selma to the doctor: Soll ich dich mit dem Auto zum Arzt fahren? Lisa could also formulate the question like this: Möchtest du, dass ich dich mit dem Auto zum Arzt fahre?
If someone is ill, for example, help can be offered in this way:
Soll ich dir einen Tee machen? = Möchtest du, dass ich dir einen Tee mache?
Soll ich einen Arzt holen? = Möchtest du, dass ich einen Arzt hole?
With the question Soll ich …?, one can also ask for advice:
Soll ich mit dem Bus fahren oder ein Taxi nehmen?
Suggestions are often formulated in the first person plural (wir):
Sollen wir am Wochenende zusammen Deutsch lernen?
Sollen wir ein bisschen spazieren gehen?
Conjugation: bügeln
Verbs ending in -eln
Verbs ending in -eln in the infinitive have a peculiarity: in the first-person singular, the -e- preceding the personal ending is omitted. You could also say that the -e- of the verb stem “migrates” to the end as the personal ending.
Singular
1st person ich bügle
2nd person du bügelst
3rd person er/sie/es bügelt
Plural
1st person wir bügeln
2nd person ihr bügelt
3rd person sie bügeln
Formal Sie bügeln
Verbs + preposition (1)
Verbs with fixed prepositions
Prepositions link words and groups of words to each other. They describe relationships between people or things. There are many prepositions in German. You already know prepositions of place, which indicate a location or direction, and prepositions of time. Some prepositions have several meanings. For this reason, the meaning of a preposition can often be deduced only from the context.
Sometimes prepositions serve only to connect the verb with an object. That is, they do not indicate any relationship of time or location. The prepositions are then attached to certain verbs.
Verbs with the preposition mit:
sprechen + mit + dative
Ich muss mit Ihnen sprechen, Frau González.
streiten + mit + dative
Herr Murz sucht Streit, aber ich will nicht mit ihm streiten.
aufhören + mit + dative
Ich möchte, dass er mit dem Streit aufhört.
anfangen + mit + dative
Am Montag fange ich mit der Arbeit an.
Verbs with the preposition bei:
helfen + bei + dative
Nico, kannst du mir bei der Arbeit im Laden helfen?
sich beschweren + bei + dative
Das ist Herr Friese, mein Vermieter. Ich habe mich bei ihm über meinen Nachbarn beschwert.
sich bedanken + bei + dative
Ich möchte mich bei Ihnen für Ihre Hilfe bedanken.
Comparison
Revision: comparative and superlative adjectives
Adjectives and some adverbs can take different forms that express a higher degree or the highest degree of a characteristic. People and things can be compared in this way. There are three levels of comparison:
The positive is the basic form of the adjective and describes a characteristic.
Eine kleine Wohnung ist billig.
The comparative compares people or things in terms of this characteristic. It expresses that someone or something possesses a quality to a higher degree.
Ein Zimmer in einer WG ist billiger.
The superlative expresses that someone or something possesses the highest degree of a quality.
Ein Zimmer bei den Eltern ist am billigsten.
Regular comparative forms
We create regular comparative forms like this:
Positive: basic form (e.g. billig)
Comparative: adjective + -er (e.g. billiger)
Superlative: am + adjective +-sten (e.g. am billigsten)
Comparative forms with umlaut
Single-syllable adjectives with the vowel a, o or u usually have an umlaut in the comparative and superlative. The adjective gesund also belongs to this group even though it has two syllables.
Form Example
Positive:
warm
Comparative:
wärmer
Superlative: am wärmsten
Superlatives ending in -esten
If the adjective ends in -t, -d, -s, -z, -ß, -sch or -x, the ending in the superlative is -esten. It is easier to pronounce the word because of the added e.
Form Example
Positive:
alt
Comparative: älter
Superlative: am ältesten
Grammatical terms in German:
Positiv: The positive is the basic form of the adjective. It describes characteristics of people or things, e.g. schnell, warm, gut.
Komparativ: The comparative is the form of the adjective used to express a difference, e.g. schneller, wärmer, besser.
Superlativ: The superlative is the highest form of the adjective. This form expresses that a person or thing possesses the highest level of a quality, e.g. am schnellsten, am wärmsten, am besten.
Comparison
Revision: irregular comparison
Here you’ll find an overview of the most important irrgeular comparative forms.
Adjectives ending in -el and -er
All adjectives ending in -el and many adjectives ending in -er lose the -e- in the comparative before the comparative ending. The superlative is formed regularly.
dunkel < dunkler < am dunkelsten
teuer < teurer < am teuersten
Die Wohnung am Stadtrand ist teuer.
Die Wohnung im Zentrum ist teurer.
Das Haus am Meer ist am teuersten.
nah/nahe* and hoch
The adjectives nah(e) and hoch have irregular forms:
nah(e) < näher < am nächsten
hoch < höher < am höchsten
Die Miete für das Zimmer ist hoch.
Die Miete für die Wohnung ist höher.
Die Miete für das Haus ist am höchsten.
*The adjectives nah and nahe have the same meaning. They are two variants of the same word.
gern, gut, viel
The comparative forms of gern, gut and viel are completely irregular.
Form Example
Positive:
gern
Comparative:
lieber
Superlative:
am liebsten
Form Example
Positive:
gut
Comparative:
besser
Superlative:
am besten
Form Example
Positive:
viel
Comparative:
mehr
Superlative:
am meisten
Conjunctions: aber
Main clauses linked with aber
The conjunction aber can link two main clauses to each other:
Zuerst wollte ich fliegen. Der Flug ist ausgefallen.
Zuerst wollte ich fliegen, aber der Flug ist ausgefallen.
If two clauses are linked with aber, the second clause limits the first or describes the contrary. The word order is unchanged.
If the subject and conjugated verb are the same in both clauses, they can be omitted from the second clause.
Ich habe ein Auto. Ich habe kein Fahrrad.
Ich habe ein Auto, aber (ich habe) kein Fahrrad.
Grammatical terms in German:
die Konjunktion: Conjunctions link sentences or clauses together. There are two types of conjunction:
- Conjunctions linking two sentences or clauses of equal ordination, e.g., und, oder, aber. These are also called coordinating conjunctions.
- Conjunctions linking subordinate clauses to superordinate clauses, e.g., weil, dass. These are also called subordinating conjunctions.
Adverbs of frequency
Revision: adverbs of frequency
Pepe reist oft mit dem Flugzeug. Er fährt selten mit dem Bus.
The following adverbs of time indicate how often someone does something:
These adverbs usually come after the conjugated verb. If you want to give them extra emphasis, you can also use them at the start of a sentence.
Du machst immer Probleme, Nico!
Immer machst du Probleme, Nico!
Grammatical terms in German:
das Adverb: An adverb describes when, where, or how something happens. It relates to another word in the sentence (e.g. a verb or an adjective) or to the whole sentence.
die adverbiale Bestimmung: Adverbial phrases are parts of the sentence that give more detail about the circumstances of an action or a situation, for example about the place, time, manner or cause. Adverbial phrases can consist of one word or a group of words.
Conjunctions: oder
Connecting main clauses with oder
Conjunctions: oder
Connecting main clauses with oder
The conjunction oder can link two main clauses together:
Nehmen Sie das Zimmer für eine Nacht? Bleiben Sie länger?
Nehmen Sie das Zimmer für eine Nacht oder bleiben Sie länger?
When we use oder to link two clauses, we are describing two different possibilities. These are usually (but not always) mutually exclusive. The word order is unchanged.
If the subject and the conjugated verb in both main clauses are the same, they can be omitted from the second clause.
Möchten Sie ein Einzelzimmer? Möchten Sie ein Doppelzimmer?
Möchten Sie ein Einzelzimmer oder ein Doppelzimmer?
Prepositions of place (2)
Prepositions that indicate location or direction
Prepositions connect words and word groups together. They describe a relationship between people or things.
Prepositions of place describe spatial relationships like location or direction.
These prepositions can be categorized according to different criteria:
Meaning: does the preposition give a location (wo?) or a direction (woher?/wohin?)?
Case: does the preposition take the dative or the accusative?
With prepositions that take the dative or accusative, the case depends on the meaning:
Position (Wo?):
Dative
Direction (Wohin?):
Accusative
in in
an an
unter unter
über über
auf auf
vor vor
hinter hinter
neben neben
zwischen zwischen
There are also prepositions whose case is not dependent on meaning. The following prepositions can all indicate movement from one direction or in one direction. Some of them are always used with the dative, others always with the accusative.
Dative Accusative
aus durch
nach entlang*
zu
an … vorbei
*entlang is used only with the accusative if the preposition comes after the noun: die Straße entlang.
Prepositions of place (3)
Route descriptions
Here are the most important prepositions of place that you will need to describe a route, with examples.
- Prepositions that describe location:
vor + dative
Das Zimmer ist vor dem Aufzug/vor der Bar/vor dem Restaurant.
hinter + dative
Der Aufzug ist hinter dem Frühstücksraum/hinter der Rezeption/hinter dem Treppenhaus.
neben + dative
Die Bar ist neben dem Aufzug/der Treppe/dem Restaurant.
zwischen + dative
Der Frühstücksraum ist zwischen dem Aufzug und der Treppe.
in + dative
Das Zimmer ist im Erdgeschoss/in der ersten Etage.
auf + dative
Das Restaurant ist auf der rechten Seite/auf der linken Seite.
- Prepositions that describe movement in a direction:
aus + dative
Gehen Sie aus dem Aufzug / aus der Eingangshalle / aus dem Zimmer.
an + dative + vorbei*
Gehen Sie am Aufzug/an der Rezeption/am Treppenhaus vorbei.
nach (+ dative):
Gehen Sie nach rechts/nach links.
If you use nach as a preposition of place, there is usually no article after it. The dative cannot therefore be recognised.
zu + dative:
Gehen Sie zum Aufzug/zur Treppe/zum Frühstücksraum.
You can stress the end point of a stretch by using bis zu:
Gehen Sie bis zum Aufzug und dann nach links.
durch + accusative
Gehen Sie durch den Frühstücksraum/durch die rechte Tür/durch das Restaurant.
accusative + entlang*
Gehen Sie den Flur entlang/die Straße entlang.
The word entlang can be used in different ways. In describing routes, it comes after the noun. Then the article and the noun are in the accusative.
*entlang (positioned after the noun) and vorbei (in the location sense) are often prefixes of separable verbs: entlanglaufen, vorbeigehen
Separable verbs
Summary: separable verbs
In German you can add a prefix to a simple verb, forming a verb with a new meaning.
Prefix + verb = new verb
ab + fahren = abfahren
zurück + fahren = zurückfahren
Many of these new verbs are separable. This means that for a simple declarative sentence in the present, the original simple verb is conjugated and is the second idea in the sentence. The prefix is at the end of the sentence.
ab|fahren:
Der Zug fährt um 9:45 Uhr ab.
In combination with a modal verb, the separable verb is at the end of the sentence in the infinitive. In this case, the prefix is not separated.
um|steigen:
Du musst nicht umsteigen.
In the present perfect, a past participle is formed from the separable verb by placing -ge- between the prefix and the verb stem.
weg|fahren:
Ich bin schon seit einigen Jahren nicht mehr weggefahren.
You can often tell whether a verb is separable from its prefix.
Verbs with the prefixes e.g. ab-, an-, auf-, aus-, ein-, mit-, nach-, weg-, zu- are always separable.
By contrast, verbs with the prefixes be-, ent-, er-, ver-, zer- are not separable.
Verbs with the prefixes durch-, über-, um-, unter- can be separable or inseparable.
You can also recognize separable verbs by their pronunciation. With separable verbs, the prefix is always stressed.
aufstehen: separable
verstehen: not separable
Grammatical terms in German:
Das trennbare Verb: Separable verbs have a prefix that can be separated and then comes at the end of the sentence.
Reflexive verbs
Reflexive verbs are verbs with additional pronouns that are relative to the subject. These pronouns are called reflexive pronouns.
With many verbs that are used in a reflexive way, the reflexive pronoun is an accusative object. In this case, the pronoun can be replaced by another accusative object. These verbs are also known as false reflexive verbs.
Die Frau schminkt ihre Mutter.
A person (subject in the nominative) is making up another person (object in the accusative).
Die Frau schminkt sich.
A person (subject in the nominative) is making herself up (reflexive pronoun in the accusative).
True reflexive verbs
There are also verbs that can only be reflexive. These are known as true reflexive verbs. True reflexive verbs can be recognized in that the reflexive pronoun may not be omitted or replaced by another pronoun or noun.
Example: sich ausruhen
Nach der Arbeit ruhe ich mich aus.
Grammatical terms in German:
das reflexive Verb: Reflexive verbs are verbs with a pronoun that relates to the subject of the sentence. Reflexive verbs appear in the dictionary with the reflexive pronoun sich in front of them.
das Reflexivpronomen: Reflexive verbs are used with a reflexive pronoun. This reflexive pronoun relates to the subject. The basic form of the reflexive pronoun is sich.
Reflexive pronouns (1)
Reflexive verbs have a pronoun that relates to the subject. This pronoun is called the reflexive pronoun. In true reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun is a fixed component of the verb, in non-true reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun is an object.
For the main part, the forms of the reflexive pronoun correspond to those of the personal pronoun. It is only in the third person that the reflexive pronoun has a different form, which is sich in both the singular and the plural.
The reflexive pronoun is usually in the accusative, where it has the following forms:
Reflexive pronoun
(accusative)
Ich dusche mich.
Du duschst dich.
Er/Sie/Es duscht sich.
Wir duschen uns.
Ihr duscht euch.
Sie duschen sich.
Verbs + preposition (2)
Reflexive verbs with prepositions
You have already learned some verbs with fixed prepositions. With these verbs, the preposition serves only to link the verb with the object. Some reflexive verbs are also used with a fixed preposition.
You already know that certain prepositions are sometimes used with the dative and sometimes with the accusative. If these prepositions have a fixed attachment to a verb, then the case is also defined. You will have to learn these verbs, e.g.:
sich ärgern + über + accusative
Inge ärgert sich über die Werbung.
sich informieren + über + accusative
Inge informiert sich über den Ausflug.
sich freuen + über + accusative (event in the present)
Nico freut sich über das WG-Zimmer.
sich freuen + auf + accusative (event in the future)
Inge freut sich nicht auf den Ausflug.
sich verlieben + in + accusative
Nico hat sich in eine junge Syrerin verliebt.
sich unterscheiden + in + dative
Nico und sein Bruder unterscheiden sich in vielen Dingen.
sich interessieren + für + accusative
Inge interessiert sich nicht für das Surfen.
Adjective + preposition (1)
Adjectives with fixed prepositions
As well as verbs, there are also adjectives and nouns to which a specific preposition is assigned. Just as with the verbs, you have to learn the combination of adjective + preposition. If the preposition is an accusative/dative preposition, pay attention to the case as well.
glücklich + über + accusative
Nico ist glücklich über die Hilfe von Yara.
traurig + über + accusative
Nico ist traurig über den Streit mit seinen Eltern.
überrascht + über + accusative
Nico ist überrascht über den Besuch von Pepe.
wütend + auf + accusative
Nicos Eltern sind wütend auf ihn.
enttäuscht + von + dative
Nicos Eltern sind enttäuscht von ihrem Sohn.
genervt + von + dative
Nico ist genervt von seinem Bruder.
Expressions with the dative
Fixed expressions that take the dative
The dative is used with certain verbs but also with some expressions made up of several words. Here are a few examples:
Spaß machen:
Fahrradfahren macht meiner Schwester Spaß. (= Meine Schwester fährt gern Fahrrad.)
Fahrradfahren macht mir Spaß. (= Ich fahre gern Fahrrad.)
Angst machen:
Spinnen machen meinem Vater Angst. (= Mein Vater hat Angst vor Spinnen.)
Spinnen machen mir Angst. (= Ich habe Angst vor Spinnen.)
egal sein:
Die Hausarbeit ist meinem Bruder egal. (= Mein Bruder interessiert sich nicht für die Hausarbeit.)
Die Hausarbeit ist mir egal. (= Ich interessiere mich nicht für die Hausarbeit.)
Adverbs: gerne
Express preferences with the adverb gerne
Adverbs give more detail about the nature of an action, a process, or a condition. Adverbs relate either to a word in the sentence (e.g. a verb) or to the complete sentence. Adverbs are not conjugated or declined.
You can use gerne to describe what you like or what you enjoy. You can develop the statement further with the comparative lieber and the superlative am liebsten.
Ich spiele gerne Basketball.
Aber Fußball spiele ich lieber als Basketball.
Golf spiele ich am liebsten.
Indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns: man, jemand, niemand, etwas, nichts, alles, manche, wenige, viele, alle
Indefinite pronouns are a sub-group of pronouns. They are used when it is not known who or what is doing something (man, jemand, niemand, etwas, nichts, alles), or if one cannot say or does not want to say how many are doing something (manche, wenige, viele, alle).
Some indefinite pronouns can only represent people, e.g., man, jemand and niemand. They occur only in the singular:
Volleyball spielt man in einer Mannschaft.
Mag jemand Volleyball?
Nein, niemand mag Volleyball.
Other indefinite pronouns e.g., etwas, nichts and alles, are used only in the singular and represent people or things:
Möchtest du etwas essen, Nico?
Nein danke, ich möchte nichts.
The indefinite pronouns manche, wenige, viele and alle can represent either people or things, including inanimate objects and facts:
Yara: Ich liebe Volleyball!
Max: Okay, nicht alle hassen Volleyball, aber nur wenige lieben Volleyball.
Nico: Hast du schon mal einen großen Fisch gefangen?
Tarek: Im See gibt es fast keine großen Fische. Viele sind klein, aber manche sind trotzdem sehr lecker.
Reflexive pronouns (2)
Reflexive pronouns in the dative
You have already learned that reflexive pronouns mostly occur in the accusative. However, they can also be in the dative if there is another accusative object in the sentence.
Ich ziehe mich an.
Ich ziehe mir den Mantel an.
Some reflexive verbs require an accusative object and some expressions with reflexive verbs always have an accusative supplement. In these cases, the reflexive pronoun is automatically in the dative.
Ich kann mir kein Auto leisten. (sich etwas leisten)
Ich mache mir Sorgen. (sich Sorgen machen)
The accusative object can also be a subordinate clause beginning with the conjunction dass.
Ich habe mir überlegt, dass ich in Deutschland bleibe.
Ich kann mir nicht vorstellen, dass du es ohne Hilfe schaffen kannst.
Here is another overview of the personal pronouns and corresponding reflexive pronouns:
Personal pronoun Reflexive pronoun Reflexive pronoun
Accusative Dative
ich mich mir
du dich dir
er/sie/es sich sich
wir uns uns
ihr euch euch
sie/Sie sich sich
Adverbs: gradable (1)
Adverbs that express intensity
Certain adverbs or adverbial phrases consisting of several words can be used to intensify or modify the meaning of an adjective or a verb.
Intensity of the adverbs of degree:
There is hardly any difference between nicht sehr, nicht besonders and nicht so. Intonation and gesture here will often say more than the words themselves.
These adverbs of degree are frequently combined with adjectives.
besonders:
Die Schiffsfahrt zum Binger Mäuseturm war besonders schön.
sehr:
Die Stadtführung war sehr interessant.
ziemlich:
Das Wetter war ziemlich schlecht.
etwas/ein bisschen:
Am Anfang war der Ausflug etwas langweilig.
Etwas or ein bisschen are combined only with adjectives with a negative meaning. Sometimes zu is also used as a supplement:
Die Leute in der Gruppe waren mir ein bisschen zu alt.
These adverbial phrases are often used to negate adjectives:
nicht sehr/nicht besonders:
Die anderen Leute in der Gruppe waren nicht sehr interessant.
nicht so:
Das Essen war nicht so gut.
gar nicht:
Gespräche über Krankheiten finde ich gar nicht angenehm.
Grammatical terms in German:
das Adverb: An adverb describes when, where or how something happens. It can also express the intensity of a characteristic or an action. An adverb relates to a specific word in the sentence (e.g. a verb or an adjective) or to the whole sentence.
