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The Dative Case

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The dative case

The dative case has four functions.

1) Indirect object

The indirect object of a sentence is the being (usually a person, but sometimes a pet or an inanimate object) for whose benefit the subject is acting upon the direct object.. It answers the question: To or for whom does the subject <insert meaning of verb here><insert direct object here>?
EXAMPLES:
Wir backen euch einen Kuchen. We’re baking you a cake. We’re baking a cake for you. “You” (pl). answers for whom the subject “we” is baking a cake.
Erik erzählt seinen Brüdern Witze. Erik is telling his brothers jokes. Erik is telling jokes to his brothers. “His brothers” answers to whom the subject “Erik” is telling jokes.
Den Touristen zeigt er die Kirche. He shows the tourists the church. He shows the church to the tourists. “The tourists” answers to whom the subject “he” is showing the church.
Note that the dative case, when it denotes an indirect object in the sentence, can be and often is rendered into English using the preposition to or for. Because the dative case in German includes the meanings of these prepositions, those prepositions are not needed in German to designate the indirect object. Note also that a sentence cannot have an indirect object unless it first has a direct object. The indirect object is by definition to or for whom the subject does something to a direct object.

2) Object of a dative verb or dative construction

A number of verbs, adjectives, and idiomatic expressions require a dative object in German. The following verbs require a dative object and will never have an accusative object.
antworten to answer imponieren to impress
begegnen to encounter Leid tun to be sorry
danken to thank nutzen to be useful to
dienen to serve passen to suit
drohen to threaten passieren to happen to
ein•fallen to occur to reichen to be enough
fehlen to be missing schaden to damage
folgen to follow schmecken to taste
gefallen to be pleasing to schwer•fallen to be difficult for
gehören to belong to vertrauen to trust
gelingen to succeed verzeihen to forgive
glauben to believe weh•tun to hurt
gratulieren to congratulate widersprechen to contradict
helfen to help zu•hören to listen to
EXAMPLES:
Hilfst du mir mit der Hausaufgabe? Will you help me with the homework? “Me” is the object of the dative verb helfen.
Der Hund folgte dem Kind nach Hause. The dog followed the child home. “The child” is the object of the dative verb folgen.
Das Geld reicht uns nicht. The money is not enough for us. “Us” is the object of the dative verb reichen.
Like dative indirect objects, the objects of dative verbs normally refer to persons. In the few instances where the verb objects are impersonal, they take the accusative case.
Ich glaube dir (dat.). I believe you. Ich glaube die Geschichte (acc.). I believe the story.
Er verzeiht mir nie (dat.). He’ll never forgive me. Er verzeiht den Fehler nie (acc.). He’ll never forgive the mistake.
In addition to the dative verbs, a number of adjectives and other idiomatic phrases are commonly used with dative objects. Here are some of them:
ähnlich similar gleich same
angenehm pleasant leicht easy
begreiflich understandable nützlich useful
behilflich helpful peinlich embarrassing
bekannt known schädlich damaging
bequem comfortable teuer expensive
dankbar thankful verwandt related
fremd foreign willkommen welcome
Notice in the examples below that the dative objects that accompany these adjectives are often rendered in English with an accompanying “to” or “for”. There is no need to add an additional preposition to the German sentence, since these meanings are included when the noun or pronoun is declined in the dative case.
EXAMPLES:
Sie ist ihrem Vater sehr ähnlich. She is very similar to her father. “(To) her father” is the dative object of the adjective “similar”.
Dieses Bett ist mir zu teuer. This bed is too expensive for me. “(For) me” is the dative object of the adjective “expensive”.
Der Name war ihm sehr bekannt. The name was well-known to him. “(To) him” is the dative object of the adjective “known”
3) Object of a dative preposition The object of an dative preposition must be in the dative case. These are the prepositions in German whose noun objects are always in the dative case:
aus out of, from nach to, after, according to
außer except for seit since, for (+ time period)
bei at, with von from, by
gegenüber opposite, in relation to zu to
mit with; by means of
EXAMPLES:
Wir fahren mit der Bahn. We’re traveling by train. “The train” is the object of the dative preposition mit.
Außer dir waren alle dabei. Besides you, everyone was there. “You” is the object of the dative preposition außer.
Sie wohnt bei ihren Großeltern. She’s living with her grandparents. “Her grandparents” is the object of the dative preposition bei.
 

4) Object of a two-way preposition

Two-way prepositions are named as such because their objects are sometimes in the dative case and sometimes in the accusative case. Here are the two-way prepositions:
an at, on (a vertical surface) über above, over
auf at, on (a horizontal surface) unter under
hinter behind vor in front of; before
in in zwischen between
neben beside
When two-way prepositions are used with the dative case, they (1) designate a location, or (2) are in idiomatic expressions requiring the use of the dative.
EXAMPLES of 2-WAY PREPOSITIONS + DATIVE to indicate LOCATIONS:
Sie sitzt gerade in der Bank. She’s sitting in the bank. “In the bank” is a location describing where “she” is, hence intakes the dat.
Ich sitze neben ihm. I am sitting next to him. “Next to him” is the location where the subject “I” is sitting, hence neben uses dat.
Grete hat Angst vor ihrem Vater. Grete is afraid of her father. “Her father” is the dat.object of vor because the idiom Angst haben vor requires the use of the acc.case.
In addition to the meanings listed , the two-way prepositions + dative have a range of idiomatic meanings, as the last example above shows: Angst haben vor (+ dat.) = to be afraid of.

Nouns and pronouns in the DATIVE CASE

Finally, here are some examples of nouns and pronouns in the dative case. Words and endings in red indicate a change in form from the accusative.
Nouns Personal Pronouns
masculine feminine neuter plural
dem Onkel diesem Onkel einem Onkel keinem Onkel unserem Onkel der Tante dieser Tante einer Tante keiner Tante unserer Tante dem Buch diesem Buch einem Buch keinem Buch unserem Buch den Kindern diesen Kindern Kindern keinen Kindern unseren Kindern mir dir ihm, ihr,ihm uns euch Ihnen,ihnen
The German dative case is generally used for the indirect object. The indirect object is often the receiver of the direct object. Take this sentence for example:
  • Der Bäcker gibt den Armen kein Brot – The Baker gives no bread to the poor
In that sentence there are two objects, a direct one, ‘bread‘, and the indirect one ‘the poor‘. To identify which of both is the indirect object, you could simply ask yourself ‘To whom or for whom is the action being done?’. In most cases the indirect object is a person, but sometimes it could be an inanimate object as well.

Endings in the Dative case

Unlike the accusativ case discussed in the last lesson, the dative case not only affects the ending of the words linked to the noun, but it affects the noun itself as well.
Article Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural
Definite dem Mann der Frau dem Kind den Tieren
Indefinite einem Mann einer Frau einem Kind – Tieren
Negative keinem Mann keiner Frau keinem Kind keinen Tieren
Possessive meinem Mann meiner Frau meinem Kind meinen Tieren
Note that in the German dative case, an ‘-en‘ or a ‘-n‘ is added to the plural of the noun unless if that plural already ends with a ‘-s‘ or a ‘-n‘.

Personal Pronouns

All of the personal pronouns change from the nominative case to the dative case as shown in the next table:
Singular Pronoun Definition Plural Pronoun Definition
mir me uns us
dir you – informal euch you – informal
ihm/ihr/ihm him/her/it ihnen they
Ihnen you – formal Ihnen you – formal

Dative case after certain verbs

The Dative case comes after certain verbs no matter what role the noun/pronoun plays, and even if there is no direct object in the sentence.
Verb Definition Verb Definition
antworten to answer gratulieren to congratulate
danken to thank helfen to help
drohen to threaten nutzen to be useful
fehlen to be missing passen to suit
folgen to follow schmecken to taste
gehören to belong to verzeihen to forgive
glauben to believe zuhören to listen to

Dative case after certain prepositions

Certain prepositions always take the dative case no matter their position in the sentence, and even if there will be more than one dative noun within the sentence.
Preposition Definition
aus from, out of
außer apart from
bei at, near
gegenüber opposite
mit with
nach after, to
seit since, for
von from
zu to

Interrogatives in the Dative Case

In the dative, the interrogative pronoun ‘wer‘ becomes ‘wem‘, and the interrogative ‘welcher‘ is declined according to the noun it’s attached to.
Case Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural
Dative welchem welcher welchem welchen

Impersonal Expressions

Numerous German expressions often use ‘es‘ as their subject. They are called ‘impersonal expressions‘ becuase they don’t identify a specific person or object as their subject. Often these expressions require a dative object. For example:
  • Es fällt mir ein – It occurs to me
  • Es kommt dir vor – It appears to you
  • Es scheint ihm – It seems to him
  • Es gefällt dem Mann – It appeals to the man

Examples

Here are a few example sentences in which the dative nouns/pronouns are pointed out:
  • Ich gebe meiner Schwester einen Hut – I’m giving a hat to my sister
  • Wir folgen den Kindern – We are following the kids
  • Sie kommt aus dem Museum – She is coming from the museum
  • Wir fahren mit dem Zug – We’re riding the tra
Your team sits in three countries. And yet in the same office.
In English: In standard English, the indirect object is marked either by a prepositional phrase, word order or by certain forms of personal pronoun(me, us, him, her, and them). Thus: “He gave his girlfriend a diamond ring;” “He gave a diamond ring to his girlfriend;” “He gave her it;” or “He gave it to her.” In German: The dative case has several functions in German. It is marked in a variety of ways, with word order being the least important. The dative personal pronouns are:
 mir = me  uns = us
 dir = you  euch = y’all
 Ihnen = you
 ihm = him ihr = her ihm = it  ihnen =they
There are dative forms for other pronouns: man becomes einem, keiner becomes keinem, and wer becomes wem. In colloquial speech, jemand is more common, but jemandem is possible. The reflexive pronoun “sich” can indicate either the accusative or dative form of er, sie (= she), es, Sie, or sie (= they). As with the nominative and accusative cases, articles and adjective endings mark the dative, but here there is no distinction between a “der-word” and an “ein-word”. However, endings are still different when there is no article at all. Note that plural nouns themseves receive an “-n” unless they already end in “-n” or “-s”:1
Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural
dem roten Stuhl der neuen Lampe dem alten Buch den roten Stühlen
rotem Stuhl neuer Lampe altem Buch alten Büchern
As in the accusative case, the so-called weak masculine nouns take an “-n” (or “-en”) in the dative (as well as in the genitive). Among these nouns are those that end in “-e” (except Käse [cheese])
 nom. acc. dat.  der Mensch den Menschen dem Menschen [human]  der Nachbar den Nachbarn dem Nachbarn [neighbor]  der Herr den Herrn dem Herrn [lord; gentleman]  der Held den Helden dem Helden [hero]
 nom. acc. dat.  der Name den Namen dem Namen [name]  der Kunde den Kunden dem Kunden [customer]  der Junge den Jungen dem Jungen [boy]  der Experte den Experten dem Experten [expert]
 nom. acc. dat.  der Glaube den Glauben dem Glauben [belief]  der Wille den Willen dem Willen [will]  der Gedanke den Gedanken dem Gedanken [thought]  der Türke den Türken dem Türken [Turk]
 nom. acc. dat.  der Jude den Juden dem Juden [Jew]  der Russe den Russen dem Russen [Russian]  der Kollege den Kollegen dem Kollegen [colleague]  der Riese den Riesen dem Riesen [giant]
Other endings of weak nouns are “-ant,” “-arch,” “-ege,” “-ent,” “-ist,” “-oge,” “-om,” “-oph,” and “-ot.” Some examples:
 der Buddist [Buddhist]  der Katholik [Catholic]  der Protestant [Protestant]  der Pilot [pilot]
 der Student [student]  der Komödiant [comedian]  der Astronom [astronomer]  der Patriarch [patriarch]
 der Philosoph [philosopher]  der Fotograf [photographer]  der Enthusiast [enthusiast]  der Anthropologe [anthropologist]
Again: note that all of these nouns are masculine. Furthermore, their plural forms are the same as their dative singular forms: e.g.,dem Studenten; [plural:] Studenten. (“Herr” is an exception: den Herrn; [plural:] Herren). Typically, dictionaries identify weak nouns by giving not only the plural but also the weak ending: “der Bauer (-n, -n) farmer, peasant“. This first ending cited is actually that of the genitive case, but with weak nouns the dative and the genitive are usually identical. There are a few exceptions. One neuter noun is also weak in the dative (and takes an “-ens” in the genitive):
 nom. acc. dat. gen.  das Herz das Herz dem Herzen des Herzens [heart]
They need time to grow. We give it to them. The future has long been with us. [ = an ad promoting the use of coal while wind energy gets further developed]
Uses of the dative case:
1) To designate the indirect object of a verb.
Er erzählt seinen Kindern eine Geschichte. He tells his children a story.
Sie schreibt mir eine E-mail. She writes me an e-mail.
Er erklärte seiner Frau, warum er ihr ganzes Geld auf dieses Pferd setzte. He explained to his wife why he put all her money on this horse.
Er schreibt ihr einen langen Brief. He writes her a long letter.
Was schenken Sie ihrem Vater zum Geburtstag? What are you giving your father for his birthday?
Kannst du das der Polizei beweisen? Can you prove that to the police?
2) When there are two objects (direct and indirect): a dative noun precedes an accusation noun; an accusative pronoun precedes a dative pronoun; and a pronoun always a noun:
Ich gebe dem Mann ein Buch.
Ich gebe es dem Mann.
Ich gebe ihm das Buch.
Ich gebe es ihm.
It is possible to change this word order for emphasis, e.g. “Ich habe das Buch dem Mann gegeben (und nicht der Frau).”
His diet tips are radical. His training seems to contradict the laws of nature. Tim Ferriss brings his body into top form with unusual methods.
3) Some verbs take the dative case even though logic might suggest the accusative:
 
Sie glaubt mir nicht.2 She doesn’t believe me.
Ich danke dir. I thank you.
Kannst du mir verzeihen? Can you forgive me?
Helfen Sie mir! Help me!
Er hat ihr nicht geantwortet. He didn’t answer her.
Sie folgte ihrem Mann durch die Tür. She followed her husband through the door.
Das Kind gehorcht seinen Eltern gar nicht. The child doesn’t obey its parents at all.
Der Wagen gehört meiner Schwester. The car belongs to my sister.
Was ist dir geschehen? What happened to you?
Ich bin ihr oft in der Stadt begegnet. I often ran into her in town.
Sie ähnelt ihrer Mutter. She resembles her mother.
Du gleichst dem Geist, den du begreifst. You resemble the spirit that you comprehend.
Eine Entschuldigung genügt uns nicht. An apology isn’t enough for us.
Ich gratuliere dir zu deinem Nobelpreis. I congratulate you on your Nobel Prize.
Seine Rede hat mir sehr imponiert. His speech impressed me very much.
Deine Ausreden nützen uns wenig. Your excuses aren’t much use to us.
Sein Name fällt mir nicht ein. His name doesn’t occur to me.
Ich rate dir, mit dem Bus zu fahren. I advise you to go by bus.
Das schadet ihm nicht. That does him no harm.
Immer schmeichelt er seinem Chef. He flatters his boss all the time.
Du kannst mir trauen. You can trust me.
Widersprechen Sie mir nicht. Don’t contradict me.
Das widerspricht den Naturgesetzen. That contradicts the laws of nature.
4) A number of verbs with the inseparable prefix “ent-“ or the separable “nach-“ take dative objects:
Du kannst deinem Schicksal nicht entgehen. You can’t escape/avoid your fate.
Er konnte der Polizei nicht entkommen. He couldn’t escape the police.
Der Hund ist mir entlaufen. The dog ran away from me.
Sie will diesen Problemen nachgehen. She wants to investigate these problems.
Fahr los. Wir kommen dir später nach. Start driving. We’ll follow you later.
Der Hund läuft der Katze nach. The dog chases after the cat.
5) Still other verbs with the separable prefixes “bei-“ and “zu-“ take dative objects:
Sie steht ihrem Mann bei. She helps/stands by her husband.
Wir wollen der Sitzung beiwohnen. We want to attend the meeting.
Hören Sie mir bitte gut zu. Please listen to me closely.
Die Unbekannte lächelt ihm zu. The unknown woman smiles at him.
Während sie spielt, schauen ihr die Männer zu. The men watch her while she plays.
Sie ist dagegen, und ich stimme ihr zu. She’s against it, and I agree with her.
Er wollte einer linken Partei beitreten. He wanted to join a leftist party.
6) With some verbs, the dative object would become the subject in an English translation:
Die richtigen Leute fehlen uns. We lack/are missing the right people
Dein neuer Freund gefällt mir. I like your new friend.
Beim dritten Versuch gelingt es uns. We succeed on the third try.
Deine Frau tut mir Leid. I feel sorry for your wife.
7) The so-called “dative of interest” establishes a point of view. Here too, the dative object can often be rendered as the subject in English:
Es ist mir kalt. I’m cold.
Jetzt reicht’s mir aber! I’ve had enough of that!
Seine Haltung passt ihr nicht. She doesn’t like his attitude.
Ist Ihnen nicht wohl? Don’t you feel well?
Wie geht’s dir? How are you?
Das kommt mir irgendwie bekannt vor. That somehow seems familiar to me.
Ist der Stuhl dir unbequem? Is the chair uncomfortable for you?
Das war meinem Mann zu dumm. My husband found that too stupid.
8) The “dative of interest” often appears with predicate adjectives or predicate nominatives:
Das ist meiner Mutter besonders interessant. That’s especially interesting to my mother.
Meine Kinder sind mir eine einzige Freude. My children are nothing but a joy to me.
Das ist ihm sehr peinlich. That’s very embarrassing to him.
Sie ist ihrem Mann in allem weit überlegen. She vastly superior to her husband in all things.
Diese Mode ist Europäern völlig unbekannt. This fashion is wholly unknown to Europeans.
Wir sind Ihnen sehr dankbar. We’re very grateful to you.
Das ist dir bestimmt leicht. That’s surely easy for you.
Ihr Anruf ist uns sehr wichtig. Your call is very important to us.
Das ist mir unmöglich. That’s impossible for me.
Die Jacke ist ihr zu teuer. The jacket is too expensive for her.
Das scheint mir richtig zu sein. That seems correct to me.
9) The dative can also indicate toward whom an action is directed, especially when parts of the body are involved.
Sie haut ihm eins in die Fresse. She pops him one in the chops.
Sie klopft ihm auf die Schulter. She taps him on the shoulder.
Tut Ihnen der Kopf weh? Do you have a headache?
Ich muss meiner Tochter die Schuhe anziehen. I have to put my daughter’s shoes on (her).
Er hat ihr die Nase gebrochen. He broke her nose.
Ich will ihm den Kopf waschen “I’ll wash his head” (= I’m going to give him a piece of my mind).
Sie putzt ihm die Zähne. She brushes his teeth.
10) Of course the reflexive is used when the the action is directed back toward the subject:
Du sollst dir die Zähne putzen. You ought to brush your teeth.
Ich habe mir den Finger gebrochen. I broke my finger.
Er kämmt sich die Haare. He combs his hair.
Sie färbt sich die Haare. She dyes her hair.
Er rasiert sich die Beine. He shaves his legs.
Ich wasche mir die Hände in Unschuld. I will wash my hands in innocency (Psalms 26: 6)
With prepositions:
Conveyance only with a valid ticket. After 8 p.m. please enter at the front by the driver and show your ticket.
The object of the following prepositions is always in the dative: aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit,nach, seit, von,and zu. Note that “bei dem,” “von dem,” “zu dem,” and “zu der” are normally contracted:  
Die Katze sprang aus dem Fenster. The cat jumped out of the window.
Er war aus dem Häuschen. He was over the moon.
Außer deinem Bruder taugt deine Familie nicht viel. Except for your brother, your family isn’t worth much.
Sollen wir bei mir Essen? Should we eat at my place?
Die Mönche reden nicht beim Essen. The monks don’t talk while eating.
Bei diesem Wetter bleiben wir lieber zu Hause. In this weather it would be better to stay home.
Wer sitzt mir gegenüber? Who’s sitting across from me?
Er tanzt mit seiner Frau. He’s dancing with his wife.
Fährst du mit der Bahn oder mit dem Wagen? Are you going by train or by car?
Nach dem Film gehen wir zu dir. After the movie we’ll go to your place.
Seiner Mutter nach ist er ein Genie. According to his mother he’s a genius.
Sie arbeitet seit zwei Jahren in Berlin. She’s been working in Berlin for two years.
Viele Studenten bekommen Geld vom Staat. A lot of students get money from the state.
Sie ist die Frau von meinem Onkel. She’s my uncle’s wife.
Hast du was zum Schreiben? Do you have something to write with?
Rotkäppchen geht zur Großmutter Little Red Ridinghood is going to her grandmother’s.
Please exit your car, ring (the bell) to the left of the door and announce yourself to the porter over the intercom.
Under certain circumstances the dative is used with the following “two-way” prepositions: an, auf, hinter, in, neben, entlang, über, unter, vor, and zwischen. When these prepositions delineate a spacial area, and the verb’s action or lack of action remains entirely within the area, they take the dative. If the verb indicates movement that crosses the border into that area, the preposition takes the accusative case):
 
Die Gäste sitzen am Tisch. The guests are sitting at the table.
Der Hund liegt auf dem Teppich. The dog’s lying on the rug.
Sie arbeitet hinter dem Haus. She’s working behind the house.
Man kann nicht zwischen zwei Stühlen sitzen. You can’t sit between two chairs.
“an dem” and “in dem” are usually contracted:
Er steht am Fenster. He stands at the window.
Es gibt einen Fremden im Haus. There’s a stranger in the house.
Cell Phone Repair Service for small repairs. Bring it in to the booth in the morning and pick it up on the same day in the afternoon. Or visit us in the Nokia Shop Berlin at Hauptstrasse 80a in Friedenau and have your phone repaired immediately.
When these two-way prepositions define time, rather than space, they usually take the dative. The exceptions are “auf”and “über”:
Am Montag machen wir die Wäsche. We do the laundry on Monday.
In der Nacht sind alle Katzen grau. At night all cats are grey [Any port in a storm].
Er soll unter einer Stunde reden. He’s supposed to talk for under an hour.
Aber er hat über eine Stunde geredet. But he talked for over an hour.
Vor jedem Essen trinken wir ein Glas Portwein. We drink a glass of port before each meal.
Vor einem Jahr hat sie kein Deutsch gekonnt. A year ago she couldn’t speak any German.
Auf eine Woche Ausbildung folgte eine Pause. After a week of training there followed a pause.

These two-way prepositions take the dative case in certain idioms, as well. A few examples:

Sie arbeitet jetzt an einem Buch. She’s working on a book.
Das Kind hängt an mir. The child is attached to me.
Das Wasser ist am Kochen. The water’s boiling.
Ich zweifele an seinem guten Willen. I have doubts about his good will.
Sie hat lange an Krebs gelitten und ist dann an dieser Krankheit gestorben. She suffered from cancer for a long time and then died of this disease.
In Deutschland gibt es einen Mangel an Kindern. In Germany there’s a shortage of children.
Du bist schuld an meiner Erkältung. It’s your fault I have a cold.
Nimmst du am Programm teil? Are you taking part in the program?
Kuwait ist reich an �l. Kuwait has abundant oil.
Wir messen ihn an seinen Taten. We measure him by his deeds.
As a man, you’re measured by your deeds. You’re loved for your weaknesses.
Sie besteht auf ihrem Recht. She insists on her rights.
Unter diesen Bedingungen bin ich bereit, es zu tun. Under these conditions I’m ready to do it.
Sie führen ein Gespräch unter vier Augen. They’re having a tête-à-tête.
Weil wir jetzt unter uns sind, können wir darüber reden. Now that we’re among ourselves we can talk about it.
Endlich habe ich diese Prüfung hinter mir. I’ve finally got this test out of the way.
Ich warne Sie vor dem Hund. I warn you about the dog.
Er war außer sich vor Wut. He was beside himself with fury.
Hast du wirklich Angst vor mir? Are you really afraid of me?
Kondome schützen vor AIDS. Condoms protect (you) from AIDS.
Diese Information soll zwischen meiner Mutter und mir bleiben. That information should stay between me and my mother.
1 The so-called “der-words” are the articles der, die, das; dies-, jed-, jen-, manch-, solch-, and welch-. The “ein-words” are ein, kein, and the possessive pronouns: mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, Ihr, and ihr.  ]]>

German Classes-Accusative Case

Classroom - German / By

German Classes in Coimbatore

The accusative case

The accusative case has four functions.

1) Direct object

The direct object of a sentence is the person, thing, entity, or idea that is acted upon by the subject. It answers the question: What orwhom does the subject <insert meaning of verb here>?
EXAMPLES:
Wir sehen einen Film. We’re watching a film. “A film” is the direct object. It is what the subject “we” is watching.
Martha trinkt viel Kaffee. Martha drinks a lot of coffee. “Coffee” is the direct object. It is what the subject “Martha” drinks.
Mein Chef hat eine Schwester. My boss has a sister. A sister” is the direct object. It is what the subject “my boss” has.

2) Object of an accusative preposition

The object of an accusative preposition must be in the accusative case. These are the prepositions in German whose noun objects are always in the accusative case:
bis until pro per
durch through ohne without
für for um around; at (with time)
gegen against wider against
EXAMPLES:
Er fuhr gegen einen Baum. He drove into a tree. “A tree” is the object of the accusative preposition gegen.
Ohne dich kann ich nicht leben. I can’t live without you. “You” is the object of the accusative preposition ohne.
Sie arbeitet schwer für das Geld. She works hard for the money. “The money” is the object of the accusative preposition für.

3) Object of a two-way preposition

Two-way prepositions are named as such because their objects are sometimes in the dative case and sometimes in the accusative case. Here are the two-way prepositions:
an to, toward, onto (a vertical surface) über across; about
auf to, toward, onto (a horizontal surface) unter (to a place) under
hinter (to a place) behind vor (to a place) in front of
in in, into zwischen (to a place) between
neben (to a place) beside
When two-way prepositions are used with the accusative case, they (1) designate a change of location or destination of movement, or (2) are in idiomatic expressions requiring the use of the accusative.
EXAMPLES of 2-WAY PREPOSITIONS + ACCUSATIVE to indicate DESTINATIONS:
Sie geht gerade in die Bank. She is going into the bank. “Into the bank” is a destination of movement, hence in takes the acc.
Ich setzte mich neben ihn. I sat down next to him. “Next to him” is a destination of movement, hence neben uses acc.
Grete wartet auf ihren Vater. Grete is waiting for her father. “Her father” is the acc.object of auf because the idiom warten auf requires the use of the acc.case.
In addition to the meanings listed , the two-way prepositions + accusative have a wide range of idiomatic meanings, as the last example above shows: warten auf (+ acc.) = to wait for.

Nouns and pronouns in the ACCUSATIVE CASE

Finally, here are some examples of nouns and pronouns in the accusative case. Words and endings in red indicate a form that differs from the corresponding nominative case form.
Nouns Personal Pronouns
masculine feminine neuter plural
den Onkel diesen Onkel einen Onkel keinen Onkel unserenOnkel die Tante diese Tante eine Tante keine Tante unsere Tante das Buch dieses Buch ein Buch kein Buch unser Buch die Kinder diese Kinder Kinder keine Kinder unsere Kinder mich dich ihn, sie, es uns euch Sie, sie
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German Classes-Conjugation of German Verbs

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German Conjugation German Classes in Coimbatore Conjugation of German Irregular Verbs:

Regular Verbs:

1. ARBEITEN : to work
Ich: arbeite Wir: arbeiten
Du: arbeitest Ihr: arbeitet
Er: arbeitet Sie: arbeiten
2. DISKUTIEREN : to discuss
Ich: diskutiere Wir: diskutieren
Du: diskutierst Ihr: diskutiert
Er: diskutiert Sie: diskutieren
3. FLIEGEN : to fly
Ich: fliege Wir: fliegen
Du: fliegst Ihr: fliegt
Er: fliegt Sie: fliegen
4. GEHEN : to go
Ich: gehe Wir: gehen
Du: gehst Ihr: geht
Er: geht Sie: gehen
5. HEISSEN : to be called
Ich: heisse Wir: heissen
Du: heisst Ihr: heisst
Er: heisst Sie: heissen
6. HÖREN : to listen
Ich: höre Wir: hören
Du: hörst Ihr: hört
Er: hört Sie: hören
7. KOCHEN : to cook
Ich: koche Wir: kochen
Du: kochst Ihr: kocht
Er: kocht Sie: kochen
8. KOMMEN : to come
Ich: komme Wir: kommen
Du: kommst Ihr: kommt
Er: kommt Sie: kommen
9. LERNEN : to learn
Ich: lerne Wir: lernen
Du: lernst Ihr: lernt
Er: lernt Sie: lernen
10. LIEBEN : to love
Ich: liebe Wir: lieben
Du: liebst Ihr: liebt
Er: liebt Sie: lieben
11. MACHEN : to do/to make
Ich: mache Wir: machen
Du: machst Ihr: macht
Er: macht Sie: machen
12. PROBIEREN : to try
Ich: probiere Wir: probieren
Du: probierst Ihr: probiert
Er: probiert Sie: probieren
13. REISEN : to travel
Ich: reise Wir: reisen
Du: reist Ihr: reist
Er: reist Sie: reisen
14. REITEN : to ride
Ich: reite Wir: reiten
Du: reitest Ihr: reitet
Er: reitet Sie: reiten
15. SCHWIMMEN : to swim
Ich: schwimme Wir: schwimmen
Du: schwimmst Ihr: schwimmt
Er: schwimmt Sie: schwimmen
16. SPIELEN : to play
Ich: spiele Wir: spielen
Du: spielst Ihr: spielt
Er: spielt Sie: spielen
17. STUDIEREN : to study
Ich: studiere Wir: studieren
Du: studierst Ihr: studiert
Er: studiert Sie: studieren
18. SUCHEN : to search for
Ich: suche Wir: suchen
Du: suchst Ihr: sucht
Er: sucht Sie: suchen
19. TANZEN : to dance
Ich: tanze Wir: tanzen
Du: tanzt Ihr: tanzt
Er: tanzt Sie: tanzen
20. TREIBEN : to do sports
Ich: treibe Wir: treiben
Du: treibst Ihr: treibt
Er: treibt Sie: treiben
21. TRINKEN : to drink
Ich: trinke Wir: trinken
Du: trinkst Ihr: trinkt
Er: trinkt Sie: trinken
22. WOHNEN : to live
Ich: wohne Wir: wohnen
Du: wohnst Ihr: wohnt
Er: wohnt Sie: wohnen
23. ÖFFNEN : to open
Ich: öffne Wir: öffnen
Du: öffnest Ihr: öffnet
Er: öffnet Sie: öffnen
DAS IMPERFEKT: strong verbs
1. ESSEN : to eat
Ich: aß Wir: aßen
Du: aßest Ihr: aßt
Er: aß Sie: aßen
2. FALLEN : to fall
Ich: fiel Wir: fielen
Du: fielst Ihr: fielt
Er: fiel Sie: fielen
3. FANGEN : to catch
Ich: fing Wir: fingen
Du: fingst Ihr: fingt
Er: fing Sie: fingen
4. FINDEN : to find
Ich: fand Wir: fanden
Du: fandst Ihr: fandet
Er: fand Sie: fanden
5. WACHSEN : to grow
Ich: wuchs Wir: wuchsen
Du: wuchsest Ihr: wuchst
Er: wuchs Sie: wuchsen
6. GEBEN : to give
Ich: gab Wir: gaben
Du: gabst Ihr: gabt
Er: gab Sie: gaben
7. HALTEN : to stop
Ich: hielt Wir: hielten
Du: hieltst Ihr: hieltet
Er: hielt Sie: hielten
8. LASSEN : to allow
Ich: ließ Wir: ließen
Du: ließest Ihr: ließt
Er: ließ Sie: ließen
9. LAUFEN : to run
Ich: lief Wir: liefen
Du: liefst Ihr: lieft
Er: lief Sie: liefen
10. LESEN : to read
Ich: las Wir: lasen
Du: lasest Ihr: last
Er: las Sie: lasen
11. WISSEN : to know
Ich: wusste Wir: wussten
Du: wusstest Ihr: wusstet
Er: wusste Sie: wussten
 
12. MESSEN : to measure
Ich: maß Wir: maßen
Du: maßest Ihr: maßt
Er: maß Sie: maßen
13. RIECHEN : to smell
Ich: roch Wir: rochen
Du: rochst Ihr: rocht
Er: roch Sie: rochen
14. RINNEN : to trickle
Ich: rann Wir: rannen
Du: rannst Ihr: rannt
Er: rann Sie: rannen
15. RUFEN : to call
Ich: rief Wir: riefen
Du: riefst Ihr: rieft
Er: rief Sie: riefen
16. SCHEIDEN : to separate
Ich: schied Wir: schieden
Du: schiedst Ihr: schiedet
Er: schied Sie: schieden
17. SCHLAFEN : to sleep
Ich: schlief Wir: schliefen
Du: schliefst Ihr: schlieft
Er: schlief Sie: schliefen
18. SCHLAGEN : to hit
Ich: schlug Wir: schlugen
Du: schlugst Ihr: schlugt
Er: schlug Sie: schlugen
19. SCHLIESSEN to close
Ich: schloss Wir: schlossen
Du: schlossest Ihr: schlosst
Er: schloss Sie: schlossen
20. SCHREIBEN : to write
Ich: schrieb Wir: schrieben
Du: schriebst Ihr: schriebt
Er: schrieb Sie: schrieben
   ]]>

German A2 Level Goethe Exam Preparation

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Best Coaching for A2 Level German Goethe Exams Preparation coupled with Special Spoken German Training in Coimbatore

Learn to Speak (Sprechen) In Lingua world we offer regular interactive training for  A1 Level German Course and A2 Level training. Our main goal is to enable the participants to speak in German through our interactive course sessions.In the process, the participants are able to  perform very well in the Goethe Exams (Sprechen). Moreover, they outshine others at the time of the Goethe exams. In the A2 Level German Exam training, the Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening skills of  communication in German are taught to the participants in an interactive way from the beginning of the sessions. A sound vocabulary in German is needed for the students  to read , write , understand and speak in the language. Regular sessions for improving the vocabulary are conducted. Our multimedia classes, in essence, help the participants to learn German as fast as possible. Level A2: On completion of this level you will be able to …
  • Understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="330"]German Classes in Coimbatore Best Coaching in German[/caption]  
  • Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
  • Describe in simple terms aspects of their background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
Thee A2 level is , as a matter of fact, nothing but the extension of the A1 Level learning. The participants are able to build upon the already acquired skills in Reading , Writing , Speaking and Hearing in the A1 level with the use of structured learning materials.]]>

German A1 Training

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German Language Courses with special focus on Goethe Start Deutsch Exams  in Lingua World.

Preparation for A1 Level German Goethe Examination

In the A1 Level German Exam training, the Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening skills of  communication in German are taught to the participants in an interactive way from the beginning of the sessions. A sound vocabulary in German is needed for the students  to read , write , understand and speak in the language. Regular sessions for improving the vocabulary are conducted. Our multimedia classes help the participants to learn German as fast as possible. DSC_0041  

Learn to Speak (Sprechen)

Regular interactive sessions are held to improve the speaking skills of the participants enabling them to perform very well in the Goethe Exams (Sprechen). We follow the Goethe Exam modules. As a result the participants outshine others at the time of the Goethe exams. Writing ( Schreiben) Skills are inculcated in a structured way by providing activities and regular tasks which enhance the writing skills of the candidates. This contributes to an excellent performance in the Writing (Schreiben) Test. Reading (Lesen) For developing reading skills structured learning materials are used. The German short-story format is used to encourage reading habits among the  participants. This practice promotes the reading habits among the participants. As a result the candidates are able to perform well in the Reading (Lesen) Test. Listening (Hoeren)DSC_0045 Special sessions on German Pronunciation  develop the listening skill among the students. Such sessions are conducted on a regular basis. Hence, the students are able to familiarise themselves with the German sound system. This practice makes for  very good performance in the Listening (Hoeren)Test of the Goethe Exams.  ]]>

German Classes: Articles

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German Articles

  • Introduction

    German has three words — der, die and das — for the definite article the. To make matters more confusing for someone learning German, these three definite articles change spelling according to the case of the noun that they appear with in a sentence. The same is true for the indefinite articles. Just as English has two indefinite articles — a and an — that you use with singular nouns, German also has two indefinite articles (in the nominative case): ein for masculine- and neuter-gender words and eine for feminine-gender words. Another similarity with English is that the German indefinite article ein/einedoesn’t have a plural form. Depending on how you’re describing something plural, you may or may not need to use the plural definite article. Consider the following generalized statement, which requires no article: In Zermatt sind Autos verboten. (Cars are forbidden in Zermatt [Switzerland].) The following table shows you the definite articles and the corresponding indefinite articles (nominative case):
    Gender/Number Definite (the) Indefinite (a/an)
    Masculine der ein
    Feminine die eine
    Neuter das ein
    Plural die (no plural form)
    In German language, there are three definite articles for nouns in singular: der for masculine nouns, die for feminine nouns and das neutral nouns. German native speakers know mostly intuitively what the article of each noun is. However, non-native speakers need to memorize the articles. There are several rules and guidelines determining the articles of some categories of nouns. But beware exceptions.
  • Rules for Article ‘Der’
    The following nouns have the article der:
    • Nouns for masculine persons and functions/professions: Vater, Pilot, Arzt;
    • Names of seasons: Frühling, Sommer, Herbst, Winter;
    • Names of months: Januar, Juli, Dezember;
    • Names of days of the week: Montag, Dienstag, Sonntag;
    • Names of compass directions: Nordwest(en), Süd(en);
    • Names of precipitations: Regen, Schnee, Hagel;
    • Names of car brands: Audi, BMW, Mercedes;
    • Names of trains: IC;
    • Nouns derived from verbs without suffix: Gang, Fang;
    The following categories of nouns have mainly the article der:
    • Names of alcoholic beverages: Cognac, Wein, Whiskey; exceptions: das Bier;
    • Names of rivers outside Europe: Amazonas, Mississippi;
    • Names of mountains: Mont Blanc, Kilimanjaro; exception: die Zugspitze;
    Furthermore, nouns with the suffixes below have the article der:
    • –er (nouns derived from verbs): Fahrer, Lehrer;
    • –ismus: Kapitalismus, Journalismus;
    Most of nouns with the following suffixes have the article der:
    • –ant: Demonstrant, Elefant; exceptions: das Croissant, das Restaurant;
    • –ling: Lehrling, Schützling; exceptions: das Dribbling, das Bowling;
    • –ner: Rentner, Schaffner, Zöllner; exceptions: das Banner, die Wiener (Wurst);
    • –or: Motor, Traktor; exceptions: das Gegentor, das Chlor;

    Beware: this is applicable only to nouns in singular. All nouns in plural have the article die.

    Beware: diminutives have always the article das: der Kopf → das Köpfchen.

    Rules for Article ‘Die’

    The following nouns have the article die:
    • Nouns for feminine persons and functions/professions: Mutter, Friseuse, Ärztin;
    • Names of motorcycle brands: Harley Davidson, BMW (only motorcycle), Yamaha;
    • Names of planes and ships: Boeing 747, Titanic;
    • Cardinal numbers: Eins, Drei;
    The following categories of nouns have mainly the article die:
    • Names of plants and trees: Birke, Chrysantheme, Rose; exceptions: der Ahorn, das Veilchen;
    Furthermore, nouns with the suffixes below have the article die:
    • –falt: Vielfalt;
    • –heit: Freiheit, Sicherheit;
    • –keit: Möglichkeit, Schnelligkeit;
    • –schaft: Freundschaft, Mannschaft;
    • –t (nouns derived from verbs): Fahrt, Tat;
    • –ung: Leitung, Zeitung;
    Foreign nouns with the suffixes below have the article die:
    • –ade: Hitparade, Marmelade;
    • –age: Garage, Passage;
    • –anz: Eleganz, Dominanz;
    • –enz: Existenz, Tendenz;
    • –ik: Kritik, Musik;
    • –ion: Diskussion, Koalition;
    • –tät: Identität, Qualität;
    • –ur: Agentur, Reparatur;
    Most of nouns with the following suffixes have the article die:
    • –e: Grenze, Lampe; exceptions: der Junge, der Friede;
    • –ei: Abtei, Metzgerei; exceptions: das Ei, der Papagei;
    • –ie: Diplomatie, Psychologie; exceptions: der Junkie, der Hippie;
    • –in: Ärztin, Studentin; exceptions: das Benzin, der Harlekin;

    Beware: diminutives have always the article das: die Hand → das Händchen.

  • Rules for Article ‘Das’
    The following nouns have the article das:
    • Diminutives (–chen, –lein): Kaninchen, Fräulein;
    • Nouns derived from infinitives: Essen, Schreiben;
    • Nouns derived from adjectives: Gute, Böse;
    • Names of colors: Rot, Gelb, Blau;
    The following categories of nouns have mainly the article das:
    • Almost all of the 112 known chemical elements: Aluminium, Kupfer, Uran; 6 exceptions: der Kohlenstoff, der Sauerstoff, der Stickstoff, der Wasserstoff, der Phosphor, der Schwefel;
    • Names of metals: Blei, Messing, Zinn; exceptions: die Bronze, der Stahl;
    • Fractions: Drittel (⅓), Viertel (¼); exception: die Hälfte (½);
    Furthermore, nouns with the suffixes below have the article das:
    • –ial: Material, Potenzial;
    Most of nouns with the following suffixes have the article das:
    • –ment: Instrument, Parlament; exceptions: der Konsument, der Zement;
    • –nis: Ergebnis, Tennis; exceptions: die Fahrerlaubnis, die Wildnis;
    • –o: Auto, Konto; exceptions: die Avocado, der Euro;
    • –tum: Quantum, Ultimatum; exceptions: der Reichtum, der Irrtum;
    • –um (nouns of Latin origin): Publikum, Museum, Stadium;

    Beware: this is applicable only to nouns in singular. All nouns in plural have the article die.

German Definite Articles by Gender (Nominative Case)
German Definite Article (English meaning) Gender (Abbreviation Seen in Dictionaries) German Example (English meaning)
der (the) masculine (m) der Löffel (the spoon)
die (the) feminine (f) die Gabel (the fork)
das (the) neuter (n or nt) das Messer (the knife)
die (the) plural (pl) die Menschen (the people)
Some categories of nouns are consistently masculine, feminine, or neuter. For instance, noun gender usually follows the gender of people: der Onkel (the uncle) and die Schwester (the sister). In many other cases, the noun categories have to do with the ending of the noun. The following two tables provide some fairly reliable categories of nouns and their genders.
Common Genders by Noun Ending (Or Beginning)
Usually Masculine (der) Usually Feminine (die) Usually Neuter (das)
-er (especially when referring to male people/jobs) -ade, -age, -anz, -enz, -ette, -ine, -ion, -tur (if foreign/borrowed from another language) -chen
-ich -e -ium
-ismus -ei -lein
-ist -heit -ment (if foreign/borrowed from another language)
-ner -ie -o
-ik -tum or -um
-in (when referring to female people/occupations) Ge-
-keit
-schaft
-tät
-ung
Common Genders by Noun Subject
Usually Masculine (der) Usually Feminine (die) Usually Neuter (das)
Days, months, and seasons: der Freitag(Friday) Many flowers: die Rose (the rose) Colors (adjectives) used as nouns: grün (green) das Grün (the green)
Map locations: der Süd(en) (the south) Many trees: die Buche (the beech) Geographic place names: das Europa(Europe)
Names of cars and trains: der Audi (the Audi) and der ICE(the Intercity Express) Names of aircraft and ships: die Boeing 767 (the Boeing 767), die Titanic (the Titanic) Infinitives used as nouns (gerunds): schwimmen(to swim) das Schwimmen(swimming)
Nationalities and words showing citizenship: der Amerikaner (the American) Cardinal numbers:eine Drei (a three) Young people and animals: das Baby (the baby)
Occupations: der Arzt(the doctor) Almost all the chemical elements and most metals: das Aluminium(aluminum) and das Blei(lead)
Names of most mountains and lakes:der Großglockner(the highest mountain in Austria)
Most rivers outside of Europe: der Amazonas (the Amazon)
Bestimmter Artikel I (Nominativ & Akkusativ) Singular
Nominativ Akkusativ
MASKULIN der (Tisch) den (Tisch)
FEMININ die (Schule) die (Schule)
NEUTRUM das (Kleid) das (Kleid)
  Plural
Nominativ Akkusativ
MASKULIN die (Tische) die (Tische)
FEMININ die (Schulen) die (Schulen)
NEUTRUM die (Kleider) die (Kleider)
Unbestimmter Artikel I (Nominativ & Akkusativ Singular
Nominativ Akkusativ
MASKULIN ein (Tisch) einen (Tisch)
FEMININ eine (Schule) eine (Schule)
NEUTRUM ein (Kleid) ein (Kleid)
Plural
Nominativ Akkusativ
MASKULIN – (Tische) – (Tische)
FEMININ – (Schulen) – (Schulen)
NEUTRUM – (Kleider) – (Kleider)

German Definite Articles

The definite articles in German refer to specific persons, objects, ideas…etc. and they are : der, die, das, die (plural) they all mean the expression “the” in English, der is used for masculine nouns, die is used for feminine nouns, das is used for neuter nouns, and finally die used also for plural nouns.
German Definite Article
Masculine der Mann (the man)
Feminine die Frau (the woman)
Neuter das Brot (the bread)
Plural die Männer (the men), die Frauen (the women), die Brote (the breads)
Well, that’s not all; the form we went through above is only for the nominative case. Now let’s have a look at all the rest:
German Definite Articles
masculine feminine neuter plural
Nominative case der die das die the
Accusative case den die das die the
Dative case dem der dem den to the
Genitive cases des der des der of the
Here are some examples: Nominative: der Mann ist hier (the man is here) Accusative: Ich grüße den Mann (I greet the man) Dative: Ich gebe dem Mann ein Buch (I give the book to the man) Genitive: Ich habe das Buch des Mannes (I have the book of the man) You may have noticed how the definite article changes each time the case changes. So try to memorize the table above by heart, I’m sure it’s not that hard.]]>

German Grammar: Conjugation

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Learn German in Coimbatore

The Customized Super Intensive German Language Courses have all the features of the professional language courses.

Personalpronomen I (Nominativ)
Singular Plural
1. PERSON ich wir
2. PERSON du Sie (Höflichkeitsform) ihr Sie (Höflichkeitsform)
3. PERSON er (maskulin) sie (feminin) es (neutrum) sie
Konjugation Präsens I
Singular Plural
1. PERSON ich geh-e wir geh-en
2. PERSON du geh-st Sie geh-en ihr geh-t Sie geh-en
3. PERSON er geh-t sie geh-t es geh-t sie geh-en
Konjugation Präsens II (sein)
Singular Plural
1. PERSON ich bin wir sind
2. PERSON du bist Sie sind ihr seid Sie sind
3. PERSON er ist sie ist es ist sie sind Konjugation Präsens III (haben)
Singular Plural
1. PERSON ich habe wir haben
2. PERSON du hast Sie haben ihr habt Sie haben
3. PERSON er hat sie hat es hat sie haben

 Conjugation:To be verb, to have, to become

sein – to be (zine)
I am ich bin ikh bin I was ich war ikh var
you are (familiar) du bist doo bihst you were (familiar) du warst doo varst
he/she/it is er/sie/es ist air/zee/ess isst he/she/it was er/sie/es war air/zee/es var
we are wir sind veer zint we were wir waren veer vah-ren
you (plural) are ihr seid eer zide you (plural) were ihr wart eer vart
they/you (formal) are sie/Sie sind zee zint they/you (formal) were sie/Sie waren zee vah-ren
haben – to have (hah-ben
I have ich habe hah-buh I had ich hatte hah-tuh
you have du hast hahst you had du hattest hah-test
he/she/it has er/sie/es hat haht he/she/it had er/sie/es hatte hah-tuh
we have wir haben hah-ben we had wir hatten hah-ten
you have ihr habt hahbt you had ihr hattet hah-tet
they/you have sie/Sie haben hah-ben they/you had sie/Sie hatten hah-ten
werden – to become (vair-den)
I become ich werde vair-duh I became ich wurde voor-duh
you become du wirst veerst you became du wurdest voor-dest
he/she/it becomes er/sie/es wird veert he/she/it became er/sie/es wurde voor-duh
we become wir werden vair-den we became wir wurden voor-den
you become ihr werdet vair-det you became ihr wurdet voor-det
they/you become sie/Sie werden vair-den they/you became sie/Sie wurden voor-den
Haben is frequently used in expressions that would normally take to be in English. Ich habe Hunger. = I am hungry. Ich hatte Durst. = I was thirsty. Ich habe Langeweile. = I am bored. Ich hatte Heimweh. = I was homesick. Ich habe Angst. = I am afraid. In everyday speech, the final -e on the ich conjugations can be dropped: ich hab’ or hab’ ich The verb werden is also used in the future tense to mean will.]]>

Sprechen Sie Deutsch ?

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In an effort to reach out to those desirous to learn and improve their language skills in German on behalf of Lingua World one of the best institutes in Coimbatore for learning foreign languages we are planning to introduce German to the people visiting the forum in a small way.

Basic German Phrases  
Guten Morgen goot-en mor-gen Good Morning Guten Tag goot-en tahk Hello/Good Day Guten Abend goot-en ah-bent Good Evening
Gute Nacht goot-eh nakht Good Night Tag / Hallo / Servus tahk / hah-loh / sair-voohs Hi / Hello / Hi & Bye (Southern Germany & Austria) Auf Wiedersehen owf vee-dair-zayn Goodbye
Grüß dich / Grüß Gott! Hello! / Greetings! (Southern Germany & Austria) Tschüs / Tschau tchews / chow Bye! Gehen wir! geh-en veer Let’s go!
Bis später biss shpay-ter See you later Bis bald biss bahlt See you soon Bis morgen biss mohr-gen See you tomorrow
Bitte bih-tuh Please Danke (schön / sehr) dahn-kuh shurn/zair Thank you Bitte schön bih-tuh shurn You’re welcome
Es tut mir leid. ehs toot meer lite I’m sorry Entschuldigen Sie ehnt-shool-dih-gun zee Excuse me Verzeihung Pardon me
Wie geht es Ihnen? vee gayt es ee-nen How are you? (formal) Wie geht’s? vee gayts How are you? (informal) (Sehr) Gut / So lala zair goot / zo lahlah (Very) Good / OK
Schlecht / Nicht Gut shlekht / nisht goot Bad / Not good Es geht. ess gate I’m ok. (informal) Ja / Nein yah / nine Yes / No
Wie heißen Sie? vee hie-ssen zee What’s your name? (formal) Wie heißt du? vee hiesst doo What’s your name? (informal) Ich heiße… ikh hie-ssuh My name is… [I am called…]
Es freut mich. froyt mikh Pleased to meet you. Gleichfalls. glykh-fals Likewise. Herr / Frau / Fräulein hair / frow / froi-line Mister / Misses / Miss
Woher kommen Sie? vo-hair koh-men zee Where are you from? (formal) Woher kommst du? vo-hair kohmst doo Where are you from? (informal) Ich komme aus… ikh koh-muh ows… I’m from…
Wo wohnen Sie? vo voh-nen zee Where do you live? (formal) Wo wohnst du? vo vohnst doo Where do you live? (informal) Ich wohne in… ikh voh-nuh in I live in…
Wie alt sind Sie? vee alt zint zee How old are you? (formal) Wie alt bist du? vee alt bisst doo How old are you? (informal) Ich bin ____ Jahre alt. ikh bin ____ yaa-reh alt I am ____ years old.
Sprechen Sie deutsch? shpreck-en zee doytch Do you speak German? (formal) Sprichst du englisch? shprikhst doo eng-lish Do you speak English? (informal) Ich spreche (kein)… ikh shpreck-uh kine I (don’t) speak…
Verstehen Sie? / Verstehst du? fehr-shtay-en zee / fehr-shtayst doo Do you understand? (formal / informal) Ich verstehe (nicht). ikh fehr-shtay-eh nikht I (don’t) understand. Ich weiß (nicht). ikh vise nikht I (don’t) know.
Können Sie mir helfen? ker-nen zee meer hell-fen Can you help me? (formal) Kannst du mir helfen? kahnst doo meer hell-fen Can you help me? (informal) Natürlich / Gerne nah-tewr-likh / gair-nuh Of course / Gladly
Kann ich Ihnen helfen? kahn ikh ee-nen hell-fen May I help you? (formal) Kann ich dir helfen? kahn ikh deer hell-fen May I help you? (informal) Wie bitte? vee bih-tuh What? Pardon me?
Wie heißt ___ auf Deutsch? vee heist ___ owf doytch How do you say ___ in German? Wo ist / Wo sind… ? voh ist / voh zint Where is / Where are… ? Es gibt… ess geept There is / are…
Was ist los? vahs ist lohs What’s the matter? Das macht nichts. dass makht nikhts It doesn’t matter. Das ist mir egal. dass ist meer eh-gahl I don’t care.
Keine Angst! ky-nuh ahngst Don’t worry! Ich habe es vergessen. ikh hah-buh ess fehr-geh-sen I forgot. Jetzt muss ich gehen. yetz mooss ikh geh-en I must go now.
Ich habe Hunger / Durst. ikh hah-buh hoong-er / dirst I’m hungry / thirsty. Ich bin krank / müde. ikh bin krahnk moo-duh I’m sick / tired. Ich habe Langeweile. ikh hah-buh lahn-guh-vy-luh I’m bored.
Ich möchte / Ich hätte gern… ikh merkh-tuh / ikh heh-tuh gairn I’d like… Das gefällt mir. dahs geh-fehlt meer I like it. Prima / Toll / Super! pree-mah / tohl / zoo-pair Great / Fantastic!
Gesundheit! geh-soont-hyt Bless you! Herzlichen Glückwunsch! herts-likh-en glewk-voonsh Congratulations! Sei ruhig! zy roo-hikh Be quiet! (informal)
Willkommen! vil-koh-men Welcome! Viel Glück! feel glewk Good luck! Schauen Sie mal! / Schau mal! show-en zee mal / show mal Look! (formal / informal)
Bitte schön? Yes? / What would you like to order? Was darf’s sein? What can I get you? / How can I help you? Sonst noch etwas? Anything else?
Bitte schön. Here you go. (handing something to someone) Zahlen bitte! The check, please! Stimmt so. Keep the change.
Ich bin satt. I’m full. Mir ist schlecht. I feel sick. Es tut mir weh. It hurts.
Ich liebe dich. ikh leeb-uh dikh I love you. (informal) Du fehlst mir. I miss you. (informal) Alles ist in Ordnung. Everything is fine.
Wie wäre es mit … ? How about…? Was für ein…? What kind of (a)…? Nicht wahr? [general tag question]
Ich is not actually pronounced ikh, unless you are speaking a northern dialect of German. If you are speaking a southern dialect, then it is more like ish. There is no equivalent sound in English.  In standard German, it is somewhere between ish and ikh. Technically, it is a voiceless palatal fricative and its voiced counterpart is the y sound in yes.

German Nouns and Cases

All nouns have a gender in German, either masculine, feminine or neuter.  You must memorize the gender of each noun: 1. Male persons or animals, the seasons, months, and days are all masculine, as are nouns ending in -ant, -ast, -ich, -ig, -ismus, -ling, -or and -us. 2. Female persons or animals, and numerals are all feminine, as are nouns ending in -a, -anz, -ei, -enz, -heit, -ie, -ik, -in, -keit, -schaft, -sion, -sis, -tät, -tion, -ung and -ur. 3. Young persons or animals, metals, chemical elements, letters of the alphabet, hotels, restaurants, cinemas, continents, countries and provinces are all neuter, as are nouns that end in -chen, -icht, -il, -it, -lein, -ma, -ment, -tel, -tum, and -um.  Nouns referring to things that end in -al, -an, -ar, -ät, -ent, -ett, -ier, -iv, -o and -on, as well as most words with the prefix ge- and most nouns ending in -nis and -sal are also neuter. All nouns in German are capitalized in writing. All nouns (as well as pronouns and adjectives) have a case depending on what function they serve in the sentence.  These may seem strange, but remember that English uses cases also; however, we would say direct object instead of accusative, or indirect object instead of dative.  Although these cases may make learning new words difficult, they actually help with word order because the position of words in a sentence is not as fixed in German as it is in English.  And the reason for that is because words can occur in these four cases:  
Nominative subject of the sentence The girl is reading.
Accusative direct objects We see the mountain. I bought a gift.
Dative indirect objects We talk to the guide. I gave my mom a gift.
Genitive indicates possession or relationship The book of the girl. The dog’s tail.
The nouns you look up in a dictionary will be in the nominative case. The first Step in German (ERSTE SCHRITTE DEUTSCH) Die Familie vorstellen (Introducing the family) Wen aus eurer Familie möchtet ihr vorstellen? Euren Bruder, eure Schwester … – hier lernt ihr die deutschen Bezeichnungen. Die Familie Vorstellung
  • die Familie – family
  • die Mutter – mother
  • der Vater – father
  • die Eltern – parents
  • die Großmutter – grandmother
  • die Oma – grandma, granny
  • der Großvater – grandfather
  • der Opa – grandpa
  • die Tante – aunt
  • der Onkel – uncle
  • die Schwester – sister
  • der Bruder – brother
  • die Ehefrau – wife
  • der Ehemann – husband
  • das Kind – child
  • die Tochter – daughter
  • der Sohn – son
  • There are three genders in German unlike English.
  • Der—Masculin
  • Die—Feminine
  • Das—Neutral
One has to learn the Genders along with the noun. ERSTE SCHRITTE DEUTSCH Sich begrüßen – sich verabschieden (Greetings and Parting) Hier lernt ihr verschiedene Formen der Begrüßung und Verabschiedung kennen.
  • Sich begrüßen – sich verabschieden
  • sich begrüßen – to greet (each other)
  • Guten Morgen! – Good morning!
  • Guten Tag, Frau Steller! (formell) – Hello, Ms. Steller! (formal)
  • Guten Abend, Herr Richter! (formell) – Good evening, Mr. Richter! (formal)
  • Hallo! (informell) – Hi!/ Hello! (informal)
  • sich verabschieden – to say goodbye
  • Auf Wiedersehen! (formell) – Goodbye!(formal)
  • Tschüss! (informell) – Bye! (informal)
  • Schönen Tag noch. – Have a good day!
  • Gute Nacht. – Good night.
  • Schlaf gut! – Sleep well!
ERSTE SCHRITTE DEUTSCH Um Hilfe bitten (Asking for help) Hier lernt ihr, wie man auf Deutsch um Hilfe bitten kann.
  • Entschuldigung. – Sorry.
  • Können Sie mir helfen? – Can you help me?
  • Ich habe eine Frage. – I have a question.
  • Ich spreche nicht gut Deutsch. – I do not speak German well.
  • Ich verstehe das nicht. – I don’t understand that.
  • Was heißt das? – What does that mean?
  • Wie bitte? – I beg your pardon?
  • Sprechen Sie bitte langsam. – Please speak slowly.
  • Wie heißt das auf Deutsch? – What does that mean in German?
  • Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? – Could you please repeat that?
  • Vielen Dank! – Thank you very much!
ERSTE SCHRITTE DEUTSCH Wie geht es Ihnen?  (How are you?)
  • Wie geht es Ihnen? (formell) – How are you? (formal)
  • Sehr gut. – Very well.
  • Wie geht es dir? (informell) – How are you? (informal)
  • Mir geht es super. – I’m doing very well.
  • Mir geht es gut. – I’m fine.
  • Mir geht es nicht so gut. – Not so well. / I’m not so well.
  • Mir geht es schlecht. – I’m not doing well. / I feel bad.
  • Mir geht es beschissen. (umgangssprachlich) – I feel crappy. (colloquial)
  • Ich bin müde. – I’m tired.
  • Ich bin krank. – I’m sick.
  • Ich bin erkältet. – I have a cold.
  • Ich bin gestresst. – I’m stressed out.

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