21. Possessive Adjectives 
| |
Masc. |
Fem. |
Neu. |
Pl. |
| Nom. |
mein |
meine |
mein |
meine |
| Acc. |
meinen |
meine |
mein |
meine |
| Dat. |
meinem |
meiner |
meinem |
meinen |
| Gen. |
meines |
meiner |
meines |
meiner |
Other words that are formed like mein(my) are: ein - a/an, dein-your (du form), sein-his/its,ihr-her, unser-our, euer-your (ihr form), ihr-their,Ihr-your (Sie form), and kein-no/not any.
22. Accusative Case
The accusative case corresponds to direct objects. Here are the accusative forms of the definite and indefinite articles. Note that only the masculine changes in this case.
Definite and Indefinite Articles
| |
Masc. |
Fem. |
Neuter |
Plural |
| Definite |
den |
die |
das |
die |
| Indefinite |
einen |
eine |
ein |
keine |
Some masculine nouns add an -(e)n to the accusative form, such as international nouns ending in -t (Dirigent, Komponist, Patient, Polizist, Soldat, Student, Tourist, Journalist); nouns ending in -e denoting male persons or animals (Drache, Junge, Kunde, Löwe, Neffe, Riese, Vorfahre, Zeuge); and the following nouns: Elefant, Herr, Mensch, Nachbar. And wen (whom) is the accusative of wer (who).
Personal Pronouns - Nominative & Accusative
| ich |
I |
mich |
me |
wir |
we |
uns |
us |
| du |
you |
dich |
you |
ihr |
you |
euch |
you |
| er |
he |
ihn |
him |
sie |
they |
sie |
them |
| sie |
she |
sie |
her |
Sie |
you |
Sie |
you |
| es |
it |
es |
it |
|
|
|
|
German uses the case system to show the function of a word in a sentence, whereas English relies mainly on word order. Take, for example, the following sentences: Ich esse den Apfel translates into I eat the apple. In German, you can switch the word order around without affecting the meaning. Den Apfel esse ich is also I eat the apple, but in English, if you were to change word order, you would have to say the apple eats me. English does not accommodate for the direct object to be placed before the subject and verb like German does. Usually, word order reflects (subjective) focus: the noun having the speakers focus is usually put as much as possible towards the beginning of a sentence.
23. Dative Case
The dative case corresponds to indirect objects. Usually in English, we use the words to or for to indicate an indirect object. But German relies on the endings of the dative case. Here are the dative forms of the definite and indefinite articles.
Definite and Indefinite Articles
| |
Masc. |
Fem. |
Neuter |
Plural |
| Definite |
dem |
der |
dem |
den |
| Indefinite |
einem |
einer |
einem |
keinen |
Those same masculine nouns that added an -(e)n in the accusative form also add an -(e)n in the dative form. And all plural nouns add an -(e)n in the dative plural, unless they already end in an -n or -s. And wem (to/for whom) is the dative of wer (who).
Personal Pronouns
| mir |
me |
uns |
us |
| dir |
you |
euch |
you |
| ihm |
him |
ihnen |
they |
| ihr |
her |
Ihnen |
you |
| ihm |
it |
|
|
In sentences with both a direct and indirect object, the noun in the dative case precedes the accusative noun, unless the accusative case is a pronoun.
Ich schenke meinem Bruder eine Krawatte. I give (to) my brother a tie.
Ich schenke sie meinem Bruder. I give it to my brother.
24. Genitive Case
The genitive case is used to show possession, more often in writing than in speech. When speaking, most people use von (of) plus the dative case to show possession. For proper nouns, German only adds an -s to the noun, whereas English would add an apostrophe and an -s. Feminine and Plural nouns do not change in the Genitive case. Masculine and Neuter nouns add an -s if the word is more than one syllable, or an -es if the word is one syllable. Except the weak masculine nouns that added -(e)n in the accusative and dative; they also add -(e)n in the genitive. There are some irregular nouns that add -s after -en in the genitive case as well, for example der Name becomes des Namens and das Herz becomes des Herzens.
die Farbe des Vogels - the color of the bird
die Grösse des Hauses - the size of the house
die Tasche meiner Mutter - my mother's purse [the purse of my mother]
der Bleistift des Studenten - the student's pencil [the pencil of the student]
Definite and Indefinite Articles
| |
Masc. |
Fem. |
Neu. |
Plural |
| Definite |
des |
der |
des |
der |
| Indefinite |
eines |
einer |
eines |
keiner |
25. To Do or Make
| machen - to do or make |
| mache |
mock-uh |
machen |
mock-en |
| machst |
mockst |
macht |
mockt |
| macht |
mockt |
machen |
mock-en |
26. Work and School
| |
masculine |
feminine |
| actor |
Schauspieler |
Schauspielerin |
| architect |
Architekt (en) |
Architektin |
| artist |
Künstler |
Künstlerin |
| author |
Schriftsteller |
Schriftstellerin |
| bank clerk |
Bankangestellter |
Bankangestellte |
| businessman/woman |
Geschäftsmann |
Geschäftsfrau |
| cashier |
Kassierer |
Kassiererin |
| chancellor |
Kanzler |
Kanzlerin |
| civil servant |
Beamter |
Beamtin |
| conductor |
Dirigent |
Dirigentin |
| cook |
Koch (ö, e) |
Köchin |
| custodian |
Hausmeister |
Hausmeisterin |
| dentist |
Zahnarzt (ä, e) |
Zahnärztin |
| doctor |
Arzt (e) |
Ärztin |
| engineer |
Ingenieur |
Ingenieurin |
| farmer |
Landwirt |
Landwirtin |
| flight attendant |
Flugbegleiter |
Flugbegleiterin |
| hairdresser |
Friseur |
Friseurin |
| journalist |
Journalist |
Journalistin |
| judge |
Richter |
Richterin |
| lawyer |
Anwalt (ä, e) |
Anwältin |
| lecturer |
Dozent |
Dozentin |
| librarian |
Bibliothekar |
Bibliothekarin |
| mechanic |
Automechaniker |
Automechanikerin |
| nurse |
Krankenpfleger |
Krankenpflegerin |
| pensioner (retired) |
Rentner |
Rentnerin |
| pharmacist |
Drogist |
Drogistin |
| photographer |
Fotograf |
Fotografin |
| pilot |
Pilot (en) |
Pilotin |
| police officer |
Polizist (en) |
Polizistin |
| politician |
Politiker |
Politikerin |
| postal worker |
Postangestellter |
Postangestellte |
| president |
Präsident (en) |
Präsidentin |
| priest |
Priester |
Priesterin |
| professor |
Professor |
Professorin |
| salesperson |
Verkäufer |
Verkäuferin |
| secretary |
Sekretär |
Sekretärin |
| student |
Student |
Studentin |
| taxi driver |
Taxifahrer |
Taxifahrerin |
| teacher |
Lehrer |
Lehrerin |
| TV reporter |
Fernsehreporter |
Fernsehreporterin |
| waiter |
Kellner |
Kellnerin |
| worker |
Arbeiter |
Arbeiterin |
| writer |
Schriftsteller |
Schriftstellerin |
Besides the plural forms shown above, the rest of the male professions are the same (they do not add anything) in the plural, while all the feminine add -nen in the plural. Also, German does not use articles before professions. You would only say Ich bin Kellner if you mean I am a waiter.
Was sind Sie von Beruf? What do you do for a living?
Ich bin Arzt. I'm a doctor (male).
| School |
die Schule (n) |
Elementary School |
die Grundschule (n) |
| University |
die Universität (en) |
Secondary School |
das Gymnasium |
| College / University |
die Hochschule (n) |
High School |
die Oberschule (n) |
| Subject |
das Fach (ä, er) |
Foreign languages |
Fremdsprachen |
| Literature |
Literatur |
Linguistics |
Linguistik |
| Social Studies |
Sozialkunde |
History |
Geschichte |
| Biology |
Biologie |
Natural Science |
Naturwissenschaft |
| Philosophy |
Philosophie |
Psychology |
Psychologie |
| Earth science |
Erdkunde |
Sociology |
Soziologie |
| Math |
Mathematik |
Geography |
Geographie |
| Geometry |
Geometrie |
Computer science |
Informatik |
| Mechanical Engineering |
Maschinenbau |
Economics |
Wirtschaft |
| Management |
Betriebswirtschaft |
Chemistry |
Chemie |
| Marketing |
Marketing |
Media Studies |
Medienwissenschaft |
| Physics |
Physik |
Political Science |
Politik |
| Music |
Musik |
Art |
Kunst |
| Drawing |
Zeichnen |
Band |
Musikkapelle |
| Test |
die Prüfung (en) |
Class |
die Klasse (n) |
| Lunchtime |
die Mittagspause |
Lunch |
das Mittagessen |
| Cafeteria |
die Mensa |
School Supplies |
die Schulsachen |
| Dictionary |
das Wörterbuch (ü, er) |
Stapler |
die Heftmaschine (n) |
| Scissors |
die Schere (n) |
Ruler |
das Lineal (e) |
| Eraser |
der Radiergummi (s) |
Chalk |
die Kreide |
| Book |
das Buch (ü, er) |
Notebook |
das Heft (e) |
| Pencil |
der Bleistift (e) |
Sheet of Paper |
das Blatt Papier |
| Schoolbag |
die Schultasche (n) |
Calculator |
der Taschenrechner (-) |
| Pen |
der Kugelschreiber / der Kuli |
Homework |
die Hausaufgaben |
| Girl |
das Mädchen (-) |
Boy |
der Junge (n) |
| Friend (m) |
der Freund (e) |
Friend (f) |
die Freundin (nen) |
| Pupil/Student (m) |
der Schüler (-) |
Pupil/Student (f) |
die Schülerin (nen) |
| Student (m) |
der Student (en) |
Student (f) |
die Studentin (nen) |
| Teacher (m) |
der Lehrer (-) |
Teacher (f) |
die Lehrerin (nen) |
| Professor (m) |
der Professor |
Professor (f) |
die Professorin (nen) |
| Grades |
die Noten |
hard |
schwer |
| Course |
der Kurs (e) |
easy |
leicht |
| Semester |
das Semester (-) |
Vacation |
die Ferien (pl.) |
| Schedule |
der Stundenplan (ä, e) |
Assignment |
die Aufgabe (n) |
In Germany, students must pass das Abitur in order to graduatefrom high school. In Austria, this final exam is called die Matura. Notice that there are two words for student: Schüler is used for students in primary and secondary schools, while Studentis only used for university students.
The verb studieren is used for university study or to state your major. The verb lernen should be used for studying in general, and especially for learning a language.
Er studiert in Freiburg. He studies (goes to university) in Freiburg.
Ich studiere Französisch. I study French (in college). / French is my major.
Ich lerne Spanisch und Italienisch. I'm studying/learning Spanish and Italian.
27. Prepositions
| Prepositions that take the Accusative case |
| durch |
through |
| gegen |
against |
| um |
around / at |
| für |
for |
| ohne |
without |
| bis |
until |
| Preps. that take the Dative case |
| aus |
out (of), from (country, town or place) |
| mit |
with, by means of (transportation) |
| von |
from (person, open space, or direction), by |
| seit |
since, for |
| bei |
near, at, at home of or place of business |
| nach |
after, to (cities and countries) |
| zu |
to (mostly people and specifically named buildings) |
| gegenüber |
across from |
| außer |
except for, besides |
| Preps. that take the Genitive case |
| während |
during |
| trotz |
in spite of |
| (an)statt |
instead of |
| wegen |
because of |
| außerhalb |
outside of |
| innerhalb |
inside of |
| Preps. that may take Acc. or Dat. (two-way) |
| an |
at, to, on (vertical surfaces, denotes border or limiting area) |
| auf |
onto, on (horizontal surfaces), to (some public buildings) |
| hinter |
behind |
| in |
in, into, to (building, enclosed space, feminine or plural countries) |
| neben |
beside, next to |
| über |
over, above, across, about |
| unter |
under, below, among, beneath |
| vor |
in front of, before |
| zwischen |
between |
For the two-way prepositions: The accusative form indicates direction and movement and answers the question where to? The dative form indicates position and location and answers the question where? For example: In die Schule means to school and uses the accusative form because it is a direction. In der Schule meansin school and uses the dative form because it is a location. But one exception is zu Hause - at home (dat.) and nach Hause - (to) home (acc.) Ich bin zu Hause is I am at home, and Ich gehe nach Hauseis I am going home.
|
Accusative: movement & direction
|
Dative: location & position
|
Er hängt das Bild über das Sofa.
He hangs the picture over the sofa. |
Das Bild hängt über dem Sofa.
The picture hangs over the sofa. |
Stell es unter den Tisch.
Put it under the table. |
Es ist unter dem Tisch.
It is under the table. |
Fahren Sie den Wagen hinter das Haus.
Drive the car behind the house. |
Der Wagen steht hinter dem Haus.
The car is behind the house. |
Stellen Sie die Flaschen vor die Tür.
Put the bottles in front of the door. |
Die Flaschen stehen vor der Tür.
The bottles are in front of the door. |
Stell es auf den Tisch.
Put it on the table. |
Es liegt auf dem Tisch.
It's lying on the table. |
Schreib es an die Tafel.
Write it on the board. |
Es steht an der Tafel.
It is on the board. |
Er geht in die Küche.
He goes into the kitchen. |
Er ist in der Küche.
He is in the kitchen. |
Stellen Sie es neben das Haus.
Put it beside the house. |
Es ist neben dem Haus.
It is beside the house. |
Stell die Lampe zwischen das Sofa und den Tisch.
Put the lamp between the sofa and the table. |
Die Lampe steht zwischen dem Sofa und dem Tisch.
The lamp is between the sofa and the table. |
Stellen, legen and setzen use the accusative case, while stehen, liegen and sitzen use the dative case.
28. Prepositional Contractions
| Contractions in Writing |
Contractions in Informal Speech |
| an dem |
am |
an den |
an'n |
| auf das |
aufs |
auf den |
auf'n |
| für das |
fürs |
auf dem |
auf'm |
| in das |
ins |
aus den |
aus'n |
| zu dem |
zum |
für den |
für'n |
| an das |
ans |
gegen das |
gegen's |
| bei dem |
beim |
in den |
in'n |
| in dem |
im |
nach dem |
nach'm |
| von dem |
vom |
|
|
| zu der |
zur |
|
|
| durch das |
durchs |
|
|
| um das |
ums |
|
|
29. Countries and Nationalities
| Africa |
Afrika |
Ireland |
Irland |
| African |
Afrikaner/in |
Irishman |
Ire/Irin |
| Albania |
Albanien |
Israel |
Israel |
| Albanian |
Albaner/in |
Israeli |
Israeli |
| America |
Amerika |
Hebrew |
Hebräisch |
| American |
Amerikaner/in |
Italy |
Italien |
| Argentina |
Argentinien |
Italian |
Italiener/in |
| Argentine |
Argentinier/in |
Japan |
Japan |
| Asia |
Asien |
Japanese |
Japaner/in |
| Asian |
Asiat/in |
Latvia |
Lettland |
| Australia |
Australien |
Latvian |
Lette/Lettin |
| Australian |
Australier/in |
Lithuania |
Litauen |
| Austria |
Österreich |
Lithuanian |
Litauer/in |
| Austrian |
Österreicher/in |
Luxembourg |
Luxemburg |
| Belgium |
Belgien |
Luxembourger |
Luxemburger/in |
| Belgian |
Belgier/in |
Macedonia |
Mazedonien |
| Bosnia |
Bosnien |
Macedonian |
Mazedonier/in |
| Bosnian |
Bosnier/in |
Malta |
Malta |
| Brazil |
Brasilien |
Maltese |
Malteser/in |
| Brazilian |
Brasilianer/in |
Mexico |
Mexiko |
| Bulgaria |
Bulgarien |
Mexican |
Mexikaner/in |
| Bulgarian |
Bulgare/Bulgarin |
Netherlands |
die Niederlande |
| Canada |
Kanada |
Dutch |
Holländer/in |
| Canadian |
Kanadier/in |
New Zealand |
Neuseeland |
| China |
China |
New Zealander |
Neuseeländer/in |
| Chinese |
Chinese/Chinesin |
Norway |
Norwegen |
| Croatia |
Kroatien |
Norwegian |
Norweger/in |
| Croatian |
Kroate/Kroatin |
Poland |
Polen |
| Cyprus |
Zypern |
Polish |
Pole/Polin |
| Cypriot |
Zypriot/in |
Portugal |
Portugal |
| Czech Republic |
die Tschechische Republik |
Portuguese |
Portugiese/Portugiesin |
| Czech |
Tscheche/Tschechin |
Romania |
Rumänien |
| Denmark |
Dänemark |
Romanian |
Rumäne/Rumänin |
| Danish |
Däne/Dänin |
Russia |
Russland |
| Egypt |
Ägypten |
Russian |
Russe/Russin |
| Egyptian |
Ägypter/in |
Scotland |
Schottland |
| England |
England |
Scottish |
Schotte/Schottin |
| English |
Engländer/in |
Serbia |
Serbien |
| Estonia |
Estland |
Serbian |
Serbe/Serbin |
| Estonian |
Este/Estin |
Slovakia |
die Slowakei |
| Europe |
Europa |
Slovak |
Slowake/Slowakin |
| European |
Europäer/in |
Slovenia |
Slowenien |
| Finland |
Finnland |
Slovene |
Slowene/Slowenin |
| Finnish |
Finne/Finnin |
South Africa |
Südafrika |
| France |
Frankreich |
South African |
Südafrikaner/in |
| French |
Franzose/Französin |
Spain |
Spanien |
| Germany |
Deutschland |
Spanish |
Spanier/in |
| German |
Deutscher/Deutsche |
Sweden |
Schweden |
| Great Britain |
Großbritannien |
Swedish |
Schwede/in |
| British |
Brite/Britin |
Switzerland |
die Schweiz |
| Greece |
Griechenland |
Swiss |
Schweizer/in |
| Greek |
Grieche/Griechin |
Turkey |
die Türkei |
| Hungary |
Ungarn |
Turk |
Türke/Türkin |
| Hungarian |
Ungar/in |
Ukraine |
die Ukraine |
| Iceland |
Island |
Ukrainian |
Ukrainer/in |
| Icelandic |
Isländer/in |
United Kingdom |
Vereinigtes Königreich |
| India |
Indien |
United States |
die Vereinigten Staaten |
| Indian |
Inder/in |
Wales |
Wales |
| Indonesia |
Indonesien |
Welsh |
Waliser/in |
| Indonesian |
Indonesier/in |
|
|
Female nationalities add -in to the masculine nationality but some need to delete the final -e before adding -in. A few nationalities are slightly irregular or have spelling changes: Deutscher (German man), Deutsche (German woman), Franzose (Frenchman), Französin (Frenchwoman)
To form the adjective, use the masculine nationality stem and add -isch: amerikanisch, belgisch, griechisch, polnisch, schwedisch, etc. Some are slightly irregular: deutsch, englisch, französisch
The adjectives can also refer to the language, but then the word must be capitalized, i.e. deutsch is the adjective that is usually followed by a noun, whereas Deutsch is the German language.
30. Negative Sentences
Nicht and kein are forms of negation, but nicht means not and kein means no, not a, or not any. Kein is used to negate nouns that either have no articles or are preceded by the indefinite article. Kein precedes the nouns in sentences. It is declined as an ein-word.
| Ist das eine Katze? |
Is that a cat? |
| Nein, das ist keine Katze. |
No, that's not a cat. |
Nicht negates nouns preceded by a definite article or a possessive adjective; or it could negate any part (verb, noun, adjective) or all of a sentence. Nicht always follows the verb, but usually precedes the part of the sentence to be negated. It you want to negate an entire sentence, nicht comes last. Nicht also follows expressions of time.
| Das ist meine Frau. |
That's my wife. |
| Das ist nicht meine Frau. |
That's not my wife. |
| Heute ist es kalt. |
It is cold today. |
| Heute ist es nicht kalt. |
It is not cold today. |
31. To and From Countries and Cities
In also means to when it is used before a country that has a definite article (feminine and plural countries.)
Ich fliege in die Schweiz. I'm flying to Switzerland.
Ich fliegenach Deutschland. I'm flying to Germany.
And when aus is used with feminine or plural countries, the definite article must also be used.
Ich bin aus den USA . I am from the US.
Ich bin aus Frankreich . I am from France.
32. To Come and to Go
| kommen - to come |
| komme |
koh-muh |
kommen |
koh-men |
| kommst |
kohmst |
kommt |
kohmt |
| kommt |
kohmt |
kommen |
koh-men |
| gehen - to go |
| gehe |
geh-uh |
gehen |
geh-in |
| gehst |
gehst |
geht |
gate |
| geht |
gate |
gehen |
geh-in |
33. Modal Verbs
German has six modal verbs that you should memorize. They express an attitude about an action or condition described by the main verb. The modal auxiliary is conjugated and placed in the second position of the sentence. The main verb is in the infinitive form and placed at the end of the clause or sentence.
Ich kann eine Fahrkarte kaufen. (I can buy a ticket.) Kann is the conjugated auxiliary verb and kaufen is the main verb in infinitive form.
| können - to be able to, can |
| ich kann |
wir können |
| du kannst |
ihr könnt |
| er/sie/es kann |
sie/Sie können |
| müssen - to have to, must |
| ich muß |
wir müssen |
| du mußt |
ihr müsst |
| er/sie/es muß |
sie/Sie müssen |
| dürfen - to be allowed/permitted to |
| ich darf |
wir dürfen |
| du darfst |
ihr dürft |
| er/sie/es darf |
sie/Sie dürfen |
Nicht müssen translates to do not have to or do not need to. Nicht dürfen translates to must not. Du mußt es nicht machen is you don't have to do it. Du darfst es nicht machen is you must not (or are not allowed) to do it.
| sollen - to be supposed to |
| ich soll |
wir sollen |
| du sollst |
ihr sollt |
| er/sie/es soll |
sie/Sie sollen |
| wollen - to want (to) |
| ich will |
wir wollen |
| du willst |
ihr wollt |
| er/sie/es will |
sie/Sie wollen |
| mögen - to like |
| ich mag |
wir mögen |
| du magst |
ihr mögt |
| er/sie/es mag |
sie/Sie mögen |
Subjunctive of mögen - would like
| ich möchte |
wir möchten |
| du möchtest |
ihr möchtet |
| er/sie/es möchte |
sie/Sie möchten |
This subjunctive of mögen expresses would like to and is used more often than the indicative of mögen. Ich möchte eine Fahrkarte kaufen means I would like to buy a ticket.
Sometimes the infinitive is not required with modal verbs, if the meaning is clear enough without them. For example, you can often omit sprechen and tun after können and you can omit verbs of motion if there is an adverb of place.
Ich kann Spanisch. I can/know how to speak Spanish.
Er will nach Hause. He wants to go home.
34. Conjugating Regular Verbs in the Present Tense
To conjugate means to give the different forms of a verb depending on the subject. English only has two regular conjugations in the present tense, no ending and -s ending (I, you, we, they run vs. he/she/it runs). To conjugate regular verbs in German, remove the -en ending and add the following endings (* though some of these verbs require spelling changes in addition to adding these endings, as you will see in #36):
Regular Verbs in the Present Tense
| antworten * |
to answer |
machen |
to make |
| arbeiten |
to work |
passieren |
to happen |
| beginnen |
to begin |
rauchen |
to smoke |
| bekommen |
to get |
reisen |
to travel |
| benutzen |
to use |
rennen |
to run |
| besuchen |
to visit |
rufen |
to call |
| bezahlen |
to pay for |
sagen |
to say |
| bleiben |
to remain/stay |
schlafen |
to sleep |
| brauchen |
to need |
schreiben |
to write |
| dauern |
to last |
schwimmen |
to swim |
| denken |
to think |
sehen * |
to see |
| entdecken |
to discover |
singen |
to sing |
| erfinden |
to invent |
sitzen * |
to sit |
| ergänzen |
to complete |
sparen |
to save (money) |
| erlauben |
to permit |
stecken |
to put |
| erzählen |
to tell |
stehen |
to stand |
| essen * |
to eat |
studieren |
to study |
| finden |
to find |
suchen |
to look for |
| fischen |
to fish |
tanzen |
to dance |
| fliegen |
to fly |
treffen * |
to meet |
| fragen |
to ask |
trennen |
to separate |
| gehen |
to go |
trinken |
to drink |
| gewinnen |
to win |
verdienen |
to earn (money) |
| glauben |
to believe/think |
vergessen |
to forget |
| helfen * |
to help |
verlieren |
to lose |
| kaufen |
to buy |
versprechen |
to promise |
| kennen |
to know (people) |
verstehen |
to understand |
| kommen |
to come |
warten |
to wait |
| laufen * |
to run |
waschen * |
to wash |
| lehren |
to teach |
winken |
to wave |
| lernen |
to learn |
wischen |
to wipe |
| lieben |
to love |
wünschen |
to wish/desire |
| liegen |
to lay |
ziehen |
to move |
English has three ways of expressing the present tense, such as I run, I am running, I do run. All three of these tenses are translated as one tense in German (ich laufe.) However, you can add gerade after the verb to indicate the progressive form. Ich mache meine Hausaufgaben can be translated as I do my homework or I'm doing my homework. Ich mache gerade meine Hausaufgaben is translated as I'm doing my homework.
35. Reflexive Verbs
Reflexive verbs express an action that reciprocates back to the subject. In other words, whoever is speaking is doing an action to himself. Examples in English would be: I wash myself, he hurts himself, we hate ourselves. Usually the -self words are a clue in English; however, there are more reflexive verbs in German than in English.
Reflexive Pronouns
| Accusative |
Dative |
| mich |
uns |
mir |
uns |
| dich |
euch |
dir |
euch |
| sich |
sich |
sich |
sich |
The reflexive pronoun follows the verb and agrees with the subject. When a clause contains another object besides the reflexive pronoun, then the reflexive pronoun is in the dative case since the other object is in the accusative case. This is when you use the dative reflexive pronouns instead of the accusative ones.
Accusative: Ich fühle mich nicht wohl - I don't feel well.
Dative: Ich ziehe mir den Mantel aus - I'm taking off my coat.
Also note that parts of the body and articles of clothing use the definite article, not a possessive.
Reflexive Verbs
| sich ärgern |
to get angry |
sich aufregen |
to get agitated |
| sich ausruhen |
to rest |
sich erkälten |
to catch a cold |
| sich freuen |
to be happy |
sich (wohl) fühlen |
to feel (well) |
| sich hinlegen |
to lie down |
sich anziehen |
to get dressed |
| sich verletzen |
to get hurt |
sich ausziehen |
to get undressed |
| sich beeilen |
to hurry |
sich setzen |
to sit down |
| sich erholen |
to relax |
sich vorstellen |
to imagine |
| Reflexive Verbs + Accusative: |
| sich ärgern über |
to get annoyed about |
| sich erinnern an |
to remember |
| sich freuen über |
to be happy about |
| sich freuen auf |
to look forward to |
| sich gewöhnen an |
to get used to |
| sich kümmern um |
to take care of |
| sich bewerben um |
to apply for |
| sich interessieren für |
to be interested in |
| sich konzentrieren auf |
to concentrate on |
| sich vorbereiten auf |
to prepare for |
| sich entscheiden für |
to decide on |
| sich verlieben in |
to fall in love with |
| Reflexive Verbs + Dative: |
| sich trennen von |
to break up with |
| sich erkundigen nach |
to ask about |
| sich fürchten vor |
to be afraid of |
36. Exceptions: Irregularities in Regular verbs
1) Some verbs require an umlaut over the a in the 2nd and 3rd person singular.
Fahren-to travel
| fahre |
fahren |
| fährst |
fahrt |
| fährt |
fahren |
Examples: fallen-to fall, schlafen-to sleep, tragen-to carry, waschen-to wash, laufen-to run
2) Some verbs change the e to ie in the 2nd and 3rd person singular.
Sehen-to see
| sehe |
sehen |
| siehst |
seht |
| sieht |
sehen |
Examples: lesen- to read, befehlen-to command, empfehlen-to recommend, geschehen-to happen, stehlen-to steal
3) Some verbs change the e to an i in the 2nd and 3rd person singular.
Geben-to give
| gebe |
geben |
| gibst |
gebt |
| gibt |
geben |
Examples: brechen-to break, essen-to eat, helfen-to help, sprechen-to speak, sterben-to die, treffen-to meet, werfen-to throw
*nehmen has another irregularity: it doubles the m and drops the h*
| nehme |
nehmen |
| nimmst |
nehmt |
| nimmt |
nehmen |
4) Verb stems ending -d or -t, add an e before three endings.
Reden-to speak
| rede |
reden |
| redest |
redet |
| redet |
reden |
5) Verb stems ending in an s or z sound, have -t for du form ending instead of -st.
Sitzen-to sit
| sitze |
sitzen |
| sitzt |
sitzt |
| sitzt |
sitzen |
6) Infinitives ending in -n (not -en) only have -n ending for wir and sie forms. Infinitive stems ending in -el or -er can drop the e in the ich form.
Tun-to do / Segeln-to sail
| tue |
tun |
segle |
segeln |
| tust |
tut |
segelst |
segelt |
| tut |
tun |
segelt |
segeln |
37. Verbs with Prepositions
| Accusative |
Dative |
| denken an |
to think about |
arbeiten an |
to work on |
| glauben an |
to believe in |
erkennen an |
to recognize something by |
| kommen an |
to come to |
sterben an |
to die of |
| schreiben an |
to write to |
teilnehmen an |
to participate in |
| achten auf |
to pay attention to |
helfen bei |
to help with |
| ankommen auf |
to come down to/be a question of |
anfangen mit |
to begin with |
| antworten auf |
to answer |
fahren mit |
to go/travel (by means of) |
| böse sein auf |
to be angry at |
rechnen mit |
to count on, expect |
| gespannt sein auf |
to be excited about |
sprechen mit |
to talk to |
| hoffen auf |
to hope for |
fragen nach |
to ask about |
| warten auf |
to wait for |
riechen nach |
to smell of/like |
| danken für |
to thank for |
abhängen von |
to depend on |
| sorgen für |
to care for |
erzählen von |
to tell about |
| lachen über |
to laugh about |
halten von |
to think/feel about |
| lesen über |
to read about |
handeln von |
to deal with/be about |
| nachdenken über |
to think about |
sprechen von |
to talk about |
| reden über |
to talk about |
träumen von |
to dream about |
| schreiben über |
to write about |
verstehen von |
to know about/understand |
| sprechen über |
to talk about |
wissen von |
to know of |
| bitten um |
to ask for/request |
Angst haben vor |
to be afraid of |
| kämpfen um |
to fight for |
retten vor |
to save from |
Fahren mit cannot be used with all forms of transportation, such as on foot or by plane.
38. Separable Prefixes
| ab- |
auf- |
bei- |
los- |
mit- |
vor- |
weg- |
zurück- |
| an- |
aus- |
ein- |
fern- |
nach- |
vorbei- |
zu- |
zusammen- |
These prefixes are added to the infinitive and change the meaning of the verb. Kommen is to come, but ankommen is to arrive. When conjugated, the prefix goes to the end of the sentence. Er kommt um fünf Uhr an means "he is arriving at 5." But Er kommt um drei Uhr means "he is coming at 3." With modals, the infinitive goes to the end of the sentence as usual, but the prefix remains attached. Ich will jetzt ausgehen means "I want to go out now."
Verbs with Separable Prefixes
| abholen |
to pick up |
ausmachen |
to turn off |
| abräumen |
to clear (the table) |
aussehen |
to look like, appear |
| abtrocknen |
to dry (dishes) |
austragen |
to deliver |
| abwischen |
to wipe clean |
auswandern |
to emigrate |
| anfangen |
to begin |
ausziehen |
to take off clothes |
| ankommen |
to arrive |
einkaufen |
to shop |
| anmachen |
to turn on |
einladen |
to invite |
| anrufen |
to call up |
einpacken |
to pack up |
| anschauen |
to look at |
einschlafen |
to fall asleep |
| ansehen |
to look at, watch |
einsteigen |
to board |
| anziehen |
to put on clothes |
fernsehen |
to watch TV |
| anzünden |
to light (candles) |
mitkommen |
to come with |
| aufhören |
to stop |
mitnehmen |
to take with |
| aufmachen |
to open |
vorbeikommen |
to come by |
| aufräumen |
to tidy up (clothes) |
vorschlagen |
to suggest |
| aufstehen |
to get up |
vorstellen |
to introduce |
| aufwachen |
to wake up |
weggehen |
to go away |
| aufwischen |
to mop up |
wegstellen |
to put away |
| ausfüllen |
to fill in (the blanks) |
zuhören |
to listen to |
| ausgeben |
to spend |
zumachen |
to close |
| ausgehen |
to go out |
zurückkommen |
to come back |
| ausleeren |
to empty |
zusehen |
to observe |
Ausgehen can also mean to be on good/bad terms with someone.
39. Inseparable Prefixes
| be- |
ent- |
ge- |
ver- |
| emp- |
er- |
miss- |
zer- |
These prefixes always remain attached to their infinitives. The inseparable prefixes are unstressed syllables, as compared to the separable prefixes which can stand alone as different words. Some examples of verbs with inseparable prefixes are besuchen - to visit,erzählen - to tell, gewinnen - to win, andversprechen - to promise.
Unter and über can function as separable prefixes, but they are much more commonly used as inseparable prefixes. When prefixes are stressed, they are separable; when they are not stressed, they are inseparable. The stress on the following verbs in not on the prefix, so they are all inseparable: unterhalten - to entertain,unternehmen - to undertake, überholen - to overtake, andübersetzen - to translate.
The German National Anthem:Deutschland-Lied
by Heinrich Hoffman von Fallersleben
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit für das deutsche Vaterland!
Danach lasst uns alle streben brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit sind des Glückes Unterpfand
Blüh im Glanze dieses Glückes blühe deutsches Vaterland!
Unity and right and freedom for the German fatherland;
Let us all pursue this purpose brotherly, with heart and hands.
Unity and right and freedom are the pawns of happiness.
Flourish in this blessing's glory, flourish, German fatherland.
The Austrian National Anthem: Österreichische Bundeshymne
by Paula von Preradovic
Land der Berge, Land am Strome,
Land der Äcker, Land der Dome,
Land der Hämmer, zukunftsreich!
Heimat bist du großer Söhne,
Volk, begnadet für das Schöne,
Vielgerühmtes Österreich.
Heiß umfehdet, wild umstritten
leigst dem Erdteil du inmitten
einem starken Herzen gleich.
Hast seit frühen Ahnentagen
Hoher Sendung Last getragen
Vielgeprüftes Österreich.
Mutig in die neuen Zeiten,
Frei und gläubig sich uns schreiten,
Arbeitsfroh und hoffnungsreich.
Einig laß in Brüderchören,
Vaterland, dir Treue schwören,
Vielgeliebtes Österreich.
Land of mountains, land of streams,
Land of fields, land of spires,
Land of hammers, with a rich future.
You are the home of great sons,
A nation blessed by its sense of beauty,
Highly praised Austria.
Strongly fought for, fiercely contested,
You are in the centre of the Continent
Like a strong heart.
You have borne since the earliest days.
The burden of a high mission,
Much tried Austria.
Watch us striding free and believing,
With courage, into new eras,
Working cheerfully and full of hope.
In fraternal chorus let us take in unity
The oath of allegiance to you, our country,
Our much beloved Austria.
The Swiss National Anthem: Schweizerpsalm
by Leonhard Widmer
Trittst im Morgenrot daher,
Seh' ich dich im Strahlenmeer,
Dich, du Hocherhabener, Herrlicher!
Wenn der Alpenfirn sich rötet,
Betet, freie Schweizer, betet!
Eure fromme Seele ahnt
Gott im hehren Vaterland,
Gott, den Herrn, im hehren Vaterland.
Kommst im Abendglühn daher,
Find' ich dich im Sternenheer,
Dich, du Menschenfreundlicher, Liebender!
In des Himmels lichten Räumen
Kann ich froh und selig träumen!
Denn die fromme Seele ahnt
Gott im hehren Vaterland,
Gott, den Herrn, im hehren Vaterland.
Ziehst im Nebelflor daher,
Such' ich dich im Wolkenmeer,
Dich, du Unergründlicher, Ewiger!
Aus dem grauen Luftgebilde
Tritt die Sonne klar und milde,
Und die fromme Seele ahnt
Gott im hehren Vaterland,
Gott, den Herrn, im hehren Vaterland.
Fährst im wilden Sturm daher,
Bist Du selbst uns Hort und Wehr,
Du, allmächtig Waltender, Rettender!
In Gewitternacht und Grauen
Lasst uns kindlich ihm vertrauen!
Ja, die fromme Seele ahnt,
Ja, die fromme Seele ahnt
Gott im hehren Vaterland,
Gott, den Herrn, im hehren Vaterland !
