Basic German Grammar Topics
-
German-Gender of Nouns4 Topics
-
German-Nominative4 Topics
-
German-Numbers4 Topics
-
German-Adjectives4 Topics
-
German-Personal Pronouns & the Verb sein4 Topics
-
German-Regular Verbs in the Present Tense4 Topics
-
German-Plural Formation4 Topics
-
German-Haben and the Accusative Case4 Topics
-
German-Word Order4 Topics
-
German-Definite Articles4 Topics
-
German-Indefinite Articles4 Topics
-
German-Negation5 Topics
-
German-Modal Verbs4 Topics
-
German-Separable Prefix Verbs4 Topics
-
German-Coordinating Conjunctions4 Topics
-
German-Konjunktiv I4 Topics
-
German-Possessive Pronouns4 Topics
-
German Question Words4 Topics
-
German-Present Perfect of Regular Verbs4 Topics
-
German-Present Perfect of Irregular Verbs4 Topics
-
German-Present Perfect of Mixed Verbs4 Topics
-
German-Dative Case5 Topics
-
German-Two Way Prepositions4 Topics
-
German-Dative Prepositions4 Topics
-
German-Conditionals4 Topics
-
German-Future Tense4 Topics
-
German-Dative Verbs4 Topics
-
German-Simple Past Tense4 Topics
-
German-Imperative4 Topics
-
German-Comparative4 Topics
-
German-Temporal Prepositions4 Topics
-
German-Present Perfect Separable Prefix Verbs4 Topics
-
German-Irregular Verbs4 Topics
-
German-Present Perfect Inseparable Prefix Verbs4 Topics
Participants 257
The four German Cases are: nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive. Each case can be thought of as container for a basic part of speech, although it is not limited to the following:
•Nominative = subject
•Accusative = direct object
•Dative = indirect object
•Genitive = possessives
The nominative case in German has multiple components but only one function: it contains the subject noun or pronoun. There are different ways a sentence can include a nominative subject. A predicate noun renames the subject (it can be substituted for the subject and refer to the same person, thing, etc.). A predicate adjective is simply an adjective that describes the subject.
Examples:
Jochen ist mein Freund. (Jochen is my friend.)
This is an example of a predicate noun. Jochen is in the nominative, as is “mein Freund” (my friend).
Jochen ist freundlich. (Jochen is friendly).
This is an example of an adjective “freundlich” (friendly) that describes the subject, Jochen.
German Gender of Nouns
All German nouns have a grammatical gender. A noun can be masculine, feminine or neutral. Nouns typically come with an article (definite, indefinite, possessive, negative.) Below is the start of your German cases chart, which includes the articles for masculine, feminine and neutral nouns in the Nominative case.
To form a “This/That/These/Those is/are”, we always use “Das”, regardless of the gender of the noun that follows, or whether it is singular or plural.
Example:
Das ist eine Blume. (This is a flower.) “die Blume” is a feminine noun.
Das sind die Kinder. (These are the children) “die Kinder” is a plural noun, hence “die”.
Das ist kein Kaffee. (This is no coffee.) “der Kaffee” is a masculine noun.