Grammar Tips

Nouns · Pronouns · Conjugation · Word Order · Akkusativ

All Nouns have Genders

Every noun (person, place, or thing) in German has a gender. A noun can be either masculine, feminine, or neutral.

The gender is shown through the noun's ARTICLE:

  • der (masculine)
  • die (feminine)
  • das (neutral)
  • *Anytime a noun is plural, it takes die

Some patterns do exist however! Nouns with the endings below almost always fall into that gender category.

Subject Pronouns

An important difference between German and English subject pronouns, is that the German language distinguishes a difference in formality.

In German du, ihr, and Sie all mean "you." However, you need to consider formality when trying to decide which "you" to use:

  • du
    • informal, singular
    • Use with: family, close friends, people younger than you
  • ihr
    • informal, plural

Use with: multiple family members/friends, younger people

  • Sie
    • formal, plural & singular
    • Use with: strangers, people older than you, teachers, those you high positions

Conjugation

What is conjugation? We don't usually have to think about conjugating verbs in our native language, because we grew up speaking it. We just know that we say "I am" instead of "I is."

Conjugation means changing a verb so that it matches its subject and makes sense.

Look at the picture below to see how most verbs are conjugated:

Vowel - Stem Changing Verbs

For these special verbs: The vowel of the stem changes in the du & er/sie/es forms.

Everything thing else stays the same, and you follow standard conjugation. (Still add on the verb endings)


Example: lesen = to read

ich lese

du liest

er/sie/es liest

wir lesen

ihr lest

sie/Sie lesen

Separable Prefix Verbs


Word Order

The BIG rule to remember: The VERB is always in the 2nd position!

German sentences require the verb to be in Position 2 in a sentence. See the chart below;

Your sentence does not have to start with your subject (ich). You could start with a time phrase, for example. Just remember, that the verb must be 2nd.

Akkusativ (Direct Object Case)

The Accusative is used with direct objects in a sentence. To find the direct object, ask the question "Who or what is being verb-ed ?"

For example:

The woman drinks the coffee. Ask: Who or what is being drunk? The coffee.

The coffee is the direct object. It is receiving the action of the verb.

To identify who or what is the direct object, Germans use the ACCUSATIVE CASE:

  • The article changes, to show the direct object.

Just remember: DER GOES TO DEN, THE REST REMAIN THE SAME!

1. Find the D.O. by asking: Who or what is being verb-ed?

"Who or what is being fed?" the dog

2. Check your Akkusativ article.


Der Mann fuettert den Hund.