SPEAK GERMAN FLUENTLY

MASTER GERMAN GRAMMAR

Despite what you have heard, German grammar is actually quite easy to learn! This Grammar Section is designed to make learning the rules as quick as possible so you can start building your own sentences. Unlike other courses we want you to familiarise with the most important rules to speak German immediately from today.

We use the Zagreb Method for teaching grammar. Instead of presenting grammar as abstract rules, we integrates it directly into real-life communication and scenarios. Our students are introduced to grammar through dialogues and situational context that reflect everyday interactions. The method also incorporates repetition and variation, gradually increasing the complexity of sentences to help learners internalize grammatical patterns naturally.

The sections below cover everything you need to know from basic sentence construction and verb conjugations to more complex topics like noun cases, gender agreements, together with practical examples to help you understand and memorise the German grammar rules. Be sure to learn the core 2000 German vocabulary first so you can follow the examples more easily.

Click on the titles below to reach the section you are interested in or simply start learning from the beginning. 

• Alphabet

• Nouns

• Cases

• Articles

• Adjectives

• Pronouns

• Prepositions

• Adverbs

• Present Tense

• Past Tense

• Future Tense

• Imperative

• Passive

• Negation

• Word Order

• Questions

• Relative Clauses

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German Alphabet and Pronunciation

The German alphabet consists of 26 standard Latin letters, along with four additional characters: ä, ö, ü, and ß. While the alphabet itself is similar to English, there are specific pronunciation rules, spelling conventions, and grammatical implications that learners must consider. Understanding how letters and sounds function within German grammar is crucial for correct pronunciation, spelling, and sentence construction.

Each letter in the German alphabet has a distinct pronunciation. Some letters are pronounced similarly to English, while others differ significantly. One important aspect of learning German is mastering the phonetic rules that govern how letters and letter combinations are pronounced.

For example:

• The letter "z" is pronounced as /ts/ (as in Zug – train).

• The letter "v" is often pronounced like /f/ (as in Vater – father).

• The letter "w" is pronounced like an English "v" (as in Wasser – water).

• The combination "sch" is pronounced like /ʃ/ (as in Schule – school).

• The combination "ei" is pronounced /aɪ/ (as in ein – one).

• The combination "ie" is pronounced /iː/ (as in lieben – to love).

These pronunciation rules influence spelling variations and grammatical structures, particularly when dealing with verb conjugation and noun declension.

The three umlauted vowels ä, ö, ü are crucial in German phonetics and grammar. They not only change the pronunciation of words but also affect word meanings and grammatical forms.

Umlauts can completely change the meaning of a word. For example:

• Mutter (mother) vs. Mütter (mothers)

• schon (already) vs. schön (beautiful)

In many cases, adding an umlaut marks the plural form of a noun, especially in strong noun declensions:

• Gast (guest) → Gäste (guests)

• Buch (book) → Bücher (books)

• Stadt (city) → Städte (cities)

Many irregular (strong) verbs change their stem vowel to an umlaut in the second-person (du) and third-person singular (er, sie, es) forms:

• fahren (to drive) → du fährst, er fährt

• schlafen (to sleep) → du schläfst, er schläft

• laufen (to run) → du läufst, er läuft

These vowel changes must be memorized, as they do not follow a single predictable rule.

The ß (Eszett) is a special character in German, used to represent a sharp "s" sound (similar to ss). It only appears in lowercase and is never found at the beginning of a word.

The usage of ß follows specific spelling rules:

• ß is used after long vowels or diphthongs:

  • groß (big)

  • Straße (street)

• ss is used after short vowels:

  • Fluss (river)

  • Kuss (kiss)

Since 1996, German spelling reforms have clarified that words with a short vowel must always be written with ss, while words with long vowels or diphthongs retain ß.

In uppercase writing, the ß is often replaced with SS, but in modern orthography, there is now an uppercase ẞ (though it is not widely used). For example:

• groß → GROSS or GROẞ

• Straße → STRASSE or STRAẞE

The letters of the alphabet themselves have grammatical gender in German:

• A, B, C, D, etc. are neuter: das A, das B, das C.

• When referring to a letter as a noun (e.g., "the letter A"), it takes the definite article "das": das A ist der erste Buchstabe (The A is the first letter).

Noun Capitalization

One of the most distinctive grammatical features of German is that all nouns are capitalized, regardless of their position in a sentence:

• Das Haus ist groß. (The house is big.)

• Ich mag Schokolade. (I like chocolate.)

This capitalization rule helps distinguish nouns from other words, particularly when reading texts.

Hyphenation and Compound Words

German forms long compound words by joining multiple words together:

• Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän (Danube steamship company captain)

• Lebensversicherungsgesellschaft (life insurance company)

In modern spelling, hyphens may be used to improve readability, but they are not grammatically necessary.

Alphabet in Foreign Words and Loanwords

German includes many loanwords from English, French, Italian, and Latin, which often retain their original spelling but adapt to German pronunciation:

• Computer (from English)

• Büro (from French bureau)

• Pizza (from Italian)

In some cases, foreign words are fully integrated into German spelling conventions:

• Foto instead of Photo

• Telefon instead of Telephone

German Nouns

German nouns are categorized by gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) and have different forms based on number (singular and plural). Unlike English, where gender is mostly limited to pronouns, German assigns a grammatical gender to every noun, which affects the form of articles, adjectives, and pronouns.

Grammatical Gender in German

German has three grammatical genders:

• Masculine (der)

• Feminine (die)

• Neuter (das)

Each noun belongs to one of these categories, and there is no simple rule to determine gender based on meaning. However, some general patterns can help identify whether a noun is masculine, feminine, or neuter.

Masculine Nouns (der)

Most nouns referring to male people and professions are masculine.

Examples:

• der Mann the man

• der Vater the father

• der Lehrer the (male) teacher

Days of the week, months, and seasons are also masculine:

• der Montag Monday

• der Juli July

• der Winter winter

Many nouns ending in -er, -en, -el, and some ending in -ig, -ich, or -ling are masculine:

• der Apfel the apple

• der Honig the honey

• der Frühling the spring (season)

Feminine Nouns (die)

Most nouns referring to female people and professions are feminine.

Examples:

• die Frau the woman

• die Mutter the mother

• die Lehrerin the (female) teacher

Most nouns ending in -e (though not all) and those ending in -heit, -keit, -ung, -schaft, -ion, and -ei are feminine:

• die Blume the flower

• die Freundschaft the friendship

• die Diskussion the discussion

• die Universität the university

Neuter Nouns (das)

Most diminutive forms of words ending in -chen or -lein are neuter:

• das Mädchen the girl

• das Fräulein the young lady

Most nouns starting with Ge- and many ending in -ment, -um, or -o are neuter:

• das Gebäude the building

• das Instrument the instrument

• das Zentrum the center

Infinitives used as nouns are also neuter:

• das Essen the eating, the food

• das Lesen the reading

Despite these patterns, many words do not follow a predictable gender rule and must be memorized. Some words have different meanings depending on their gender:

• der See the lake vs. die See the sea

• der Band the volume (of a book) vs. die Band the music band vs. das Band the ribbon

Plural Forms of German Nouns

Unlike English, where plural nouns usually just add "-s," German has multiple ways to form the plural. There is no single rule, so plurals must often be learned with the noun. However, some patterns can help.

Common Plural Endings

1. Adding -e (common for masculine and neuter nouns)

   • der Tisch → die Tische the tables

   • das Bild → die Bilder the pictures

2. Adding -er (sometimes with umlaut change) (common for neuter nouns)

   • das Kind → die Kinder the children

   • das Buch → die Bücher the books

3. Adding -n or -en (common for feminine nouns)

   • die Blume → die Blumen the flowers

   • die Frau → die Frauen the women

4. Adding -s (common for foreign words)

   • das Hotel → die Hotels the hotels

   • das Auto → die Autos the cars

5. No change (but sometimes with an umlaut)

   • der Lehrer → die Lehrer the teachers

   • das Fenster → die Fenster the windows

Some nouns have irregular plural forms that do not follow any of the common patterns:

• der Mann → die Männer the men

• die Mutter → die Mütter the mothers

• die Stadt → die Städte the cities

In compound nouns, the main noun (usually the last one in the compound) determines the plural:

• das Geburtstagsgeschenk → die Geburtstagsgeschenke the birthday presents

• die Haustür → die Haustüren the front doors

Articles and Gender in the Plural

Unlike in the singular, where nouns have der, die, or das, all plural nouns take die in the nominative and accusative cases:

• der Tisch → die Tische the tables

• das Haus → die Häuser the houses

• die Katze → die Katzen the cats

Possessive and indefinite articles also change in the plural. The equivalent of "a" (ein) does not exist in the plural, so other words (like ein paar a few or manche some) are used instead.

Gender and Number in Declension

Because German is an inflected language, articles and adjectives change according to gender, number, and case. The gender of a noun affects how adjectives and determiners are formed in the nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive cases. For example:

• Der kleine Hund spielt. The small dog is playing. (masculine, nominative)

• Ich sehe den kleinen Hund. I see the small dog. (masculine, accusative)

• Die schöne Blume duftet gut. The beautiful flower smells nice. (feminine, nominative)

• Ich kaufe das große Haus. I am buying the big house. (neuter, accusative)

In the plural, the same definite article die is used, but adjective endings change:

• Die kleinen Hunde spielen. The small dogs are playing.

• Ich sehe die kleinen Hunde. I see the small dogs.

Cases in German

German is an inflected language, meaning that nouns, articles, adjectives, and pronouns change their forms depending on their grammatical function in a sentence. The German language has four cases, each of which determines how a noun interacts with other elements in a sentence. These cases are:

• Nominative (subject of the sentence)

• Accusative (direct object)

• Dative (indirect object)

• Genitive (possession or relationship)

Mastering the German case system is essential for speaking and writing correctly, as it affects the endings of determiners, adjectives, and pronouns.

Nominative Case

The nominative case is used for the subject of a sentence—the person or thing performing the action. The nominative is also the default form of a noun and is used in dictionary entries.

1. For the subject of a sentence

   • Der Hund schläft. The dog is sleeping.

   • Die Frau liest ein Buch. The woman is reading a book.

2. With the verb "sein" (to be)

   • Das ist ein Apfel. That is an apple.

   • Mein Bruder ist Arzt. My brother is a doctor.

In these sentences, der Hund, die Frau, das, and mein Bruder are in the nominative case because they are the subjects or are being described using the verb "sein."

Accusative Case

The accusative case is used for the direct object of a sentence—the noun that receives the action of the verb.

1. For the direct object

   • Ich sehe den Mann. I see the man.

   • Sie kauft einen Apfel. She buys an apple.

2. With certain prepositions
   Some German prepositions always take the accusative case:

   • durch (through) → Wir gehen durch den Park. We walk through the park.

   • für (for) → Das Geschenk ist für meinen Vater. The gift is for my father.

   • gegen (against) → Er spielt gegen den Meister. He plays against the champion.

   • ohne (without) → Ich gehe ohne meinen Freund. I am going without my friend.

   • um (around) → Wir sitzen um den Tisch. We sit around the table.

In the accusative case, only masculine nouns change their article:

• der becomes den → Ich sehe den Mann. I see the man.

• ein becomes einen → Sie kauft einen Hund. She buys a dog.

Feminine, neuter, and plural articles remain the same:

• die Katze → Ich sehe die Katze. I see the cat.

• das Buch → Ich lese das Buch. I read the book.

• die Kinder → Ich höre die Kinder. I hear the children.

Dative Case

The dative case is used for the indirect object of a sentence—the noun that receives something or benefits from the action.

1. For the indirect object

   • Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch. I give the book to the man.

   • Er erzählt der Frau eine Geschichte. He tells the woman a story.

2. With certain prepositions
   Some prepositions always require the dative case:

   • aus (out of) → Er kommt aus dem Haus. He comes out of the house.

   • bei (at, near) → Ich wohne bei meiner Tante. I live at my aunt’s house.

   • mit (with) → Sie fährt mit ihrem Vater. She is driving with her father.

   • nach (after, to) → Wir fahren nach Deutschland. We are traveling to Germany.

   • seit (since, for a period of time) → Ich wohne seit einem Jahr hier. I have been living here for a year.

   • von (from, of) → Das Geschenk ist von meiner Mutter. The gift is from my mother.

   • zu (to) → Ich gehe zu meinem Freund. I am going to my friend.

3. With certain verbs
   Some verbs always take the dative case:

   • helfen (to help) → Ich helfe meinem Bruder. I help my brother.

   • danken (to thank) → Ich danke dem Lehrer. I thank the teacher.

   • gefallen (to please) → Das Buch gefällt der Frau. The book pleases the woman.

In the dative case, articles change for all genders:

• der becomes dem → Ich gebe dem Mann ein Buch. I give the man a book.

• die becomes der → Ich helfe der Frau. I help the woman.

• das becomes dem → Ich spiele mit dem Kind. I play with the child.

• die (plural) becomes den → Ich spreche mit den Kindern. I speak with the children.

Note: In the dative plural, nouns often add an -n if they do not already end in -n or -s:

• die Kinder → Ich gebe den Kindern ein Geschenk. I give the children a gift.

Genitive Case

The genitive case is used to show possession or relationships between nouns. While it is less common in everyday speech, it is still frequently used in formal writing and certain expressions.

1. To indicate possession

   • Das ist das Buch des Lehrers. That is the teacher's book.

   • Die Farbe des Autos ist rot. The color of the car is red.

2. With certain prepositions
   Some prepositions always require the genitive case:

   • anstatt / statt (instead of) → Anstatt des Autos nehme ich das Fahrrad. Instead of the car, I take the bicycle.

   • trotz (despite) → Trotz des Regens gehen wir spazieren. Despite the rain, we are going for a walk.

   • während (during) → Während des Urlaubs habe ich gelesen. During the vacation, I read.

   • wegen (because of) → Wegen der Verspätung kamen wir später an. Because of the delay, we arrived later.

In the genitive case, articles change as follows:

• der becomes des → Das Buch des Mannes. The book of the man.

• die becomes der → Das Haus der Frau. The house of the woman.

• das becomes des → Die Farbe des Autos. The color of the car.

• die (plural) becomes der → Die Rechte der Menschen. The rights of the people.

For masculine and neuter nouns, an -s or -es is added:

• der Mann → des Mannes of the man

• das Kind → des Kindes of the child

German Adjectives

Adjectives are an essential part of German grammar, describing qualities, characteristics, and states of nouns. However, unlike in English, where adjectives remain unchanged regardless of their position in a sentence, German adjectives change depending on case, gender, and number. The correct adjective ending depends on whether the noun is in the nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive case and whether it is preceded by a definite article, indefinite article, or no article at all.

Forms of German Adjectives

Attributive Adjectives (Before the Noun)

Attributive adjectives appear directly before a noun and always take an ending based on the gender, case, and number of the noun they modify.

• Der schöne Garten ist groß. The beautiful garden is large.

• Ich sehe einen kleinen Hund. I see a small dog.

• Wir helfen dem alten Mann. We help the old man.

The endings change according to the noun’s case, gender, and article.

Predicative Adjectives (After the Verb "sein")

When adjectives follow linking verbs like sein (to be), werden (to become), or bleiben (to remain), they do not take an ending.

• Der Garten ist schön. The garden is beautiful.

• Das Essen bleibt warm. The food remains warm.

• Die Kinder sind glücklich. The children are happy.

Unlike attributive adjectives, predicative adjectives do not change form based on gender or case.

Adjective Endings in German

The ending of an attributive adjective depends on three factors:

1. The gender of the noun (masculine, feminine, neuter, or plural)

2. The case of the noun (nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive)

3. The type of article used before the adjective (definite, indefinite, or no article)

Adjective Declension Types

Strong Declension (No Article Present)

When there is no article before the adjective, the adjective takes strong endings, which resemble the endings of definite articles.

• Großer Hund spielt im Garten. A big dog is playing in the garden.

• Frische Milch ist gesund. Fresh milk is healthy.

• Gute Freunde sind wichtig. Good friends are important.

The adjective must indicate the gender and case of the noun, since there is no article to provide that information.

Weak Declension (After Definite Articles)

When an adjective follows a definite article (der, die, das, die in plural), it takes weak endings. These are almost always -e or -en.

• Der schöne Hund spielt. The beautiful dog is playing.

• Ich sehe die kleine Katze. I see the small cat.

• Er hilft dem alten Mann. He helps the old man.

Since the definite article already signals the gender, case, and number, the adjective takes weaker endings.

Mixed Declension (After Indefinite Articles)

When an adjective follows an indefinite article (ein, eine, ein) or possessive adjectives (mein, dein, sein), it takes mixed endings, which combine strong and weak declensions.

• Ein großer Hund spielt im Garten. A big dog is playing in the garden.

• Ich sehe eine kleine Katze. I see a small cat.

• Das ist ein schönes Haus. That is a beautiful house.

The strong endings appear when the article does not provide gender information (e.g., ein, which could be masculine or neuter), while weak endings appear when the article already clarifies the noun’s gender.

Adjective Endings in the Four Cases

Nominative Case

• Der kluge Mann spricht Deutsch. The smart man speaks German.

• Eine schöne Frau singt ein Lied. A beautiful woman is singing a song.

• Das große Haus steht am Fluss. The big house stands by the river.

• Meine kleinen Kinder spielen draußen. My small children are playing outside.

Accusative Case

• Ich sehe den klugen Mann. I see the smart man.

• Sie kauft eine schöne Bluse. She buys a beautiful blouse.

• Er liest das große Buch. He is reading the big book.

• Wir lieben unsere kleinen Kinder. We love our small children.

Dative Case

• Ich gebe dem klugen Mann einen Rat. I give the smart man advice.

• Er schenkt einer schönen Frau Blumen. He gives a beautiful woman flowers.

• Wir helfen dem kleinen Kind. We help the small child.

• Sie sprechen mit den netten Leuten. They are speaking with the nice people.

Genitive Case

• Das Haus des alten Mannes ist groß. The house of the old man is big.

• Das Buch einer klugen Frau ist interessant. The book of a smart woman is interesting.

• Die Farbe des schönen Autos gefällt mir. I like the color of the beautiful car.

• Die Meinung der jungen Leute ist wichtig. The opinion of the young people is important.

Comparative and Superlative Forms

In German, adjectives form the comparative by adding -er to the base form.

• Mein Haus ist größer als dein Haus. My house is bigger than your house.

• Dieser Hund ist schneller als jener Hund. This dog is faster than that dog.

• Das Wetter ist heute besser als gestern. The weather is better today than yesterday.

The superlative is formed by adding -st or -est, often with the definite article am.

• Mein Haus ist das größte. My house is the biggest.

• Dieser Hund ist der schnellste. This dog is the fastest.

• Das ist das schönste Lied. That is the most beautiful song.

When used with sein, the superlative takes am + -sten:

• Dieses Auto ist am schnellsten. This car is the fastest.

• Er arbeitet am härtesten. He works the hardest.

Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms:

• gut – besser – am besten (good – better – best)

• viel – mehr – am meisten (much – more – most)

• gern – lieber – am liebsten (gladly – prefer – like the most)

These irregular forms must be memorized.

German Pronouns

Pronouns are essential in German grammar, as they replace nouns to avoid repetition and clarify meaning. German pronouns change their form based on case (nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive), gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), and number (singular or plural). Additionally, German distinguishes between formal and informal pronouns when addressing people.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are used to replace specific nouns and refer to people, animals, or things. They change according to case, number, and person.

Nominative Case

Nominative pronouns are used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence.

• Ich bin müde. I am tired.

• Du lernst Deutsch. You are learning German.

• Er liest ein Buch. He is reading a book.

• Sie spielt Klavier. She plays the piano.

• Es ist kalt heute. It is cold today.

• Wir gehen ins Kino. We are going to the cinema.

• Ihr seid freundlich. You (plural) are friendly.

• Sie sind Lehrer. They are teachers.

The pronoun Sie is also used as a formal "you" for both singular and plural, always capitalized:

• Können Sie mir helfen? Can you help me?

Accusative Case (Direct Objects of a Sentence)

Accusative pronouns are used when the pronoun is the direct object of a verb.

• Er sieht mich. He sees me.

• Ich kenne dich. I know you.

• Sie liebt ihn. She loves him.

• Wir besuchen sie. We are visiting her.

• Ich mag es. I like it.

• Er ruft uns an. He is calling us.

• Ich höre euch. I hear you (plural).

• Sie verstehen sie nicht. They do not understand them.

For formal "you," the form Sie remains unchanged:

• Ich sehe Sie. I see you (formal).

Dative Case

Dative pronouns are used when the pronoun is the indirect object, often answering the question "to whom" or "for whom."

• Er gibt mir ein Geschenk. He gives me a gift.

• Ich helfe dir. I help you.

• Sie erzählt ihm eine Geschichte. She tells him a story.

• Ich danke ihr. I thank her.

• Der Hund gehört ihm. The dog belongs to him.

• Wir schreiben euch eine E-Mail. We are writing you (plural) an email.

• Ich sage es ihnen. I say it to them.

• Kann ich Ihnen helfen? Can I help you (formal)?

Genitive Case

The genitive case is rarely used for pronouns in modern German, except in some formal expressions:

• Das ist meiner. That is mine.

• Ist das deiner? Is that yours?

For everyday speech, possessive pronouns (covered below) are used instead of genitive pronouns.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns indicate ownership or relationships. They agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify.

When a possessive pronoun comes before a noun, it behaves like an adjective and takes endings based on gender, case, and number.

• Mein Hund ist groß. My dog is big.

• Deine Katze ist süß. Your cat is cute.

• Sein Auto ist schnell. His car is fast.

• Ihr Haus ist alt. Her house is old.

• Unsere Freunde sind nett. Our friends are nice.

• Euer Lehrer ist klug. Your (plural) teacher is smart.

Possessive pronouns can also stand alone, replacing a noun entirely.

• Das ist meiner. That is mine.

• Ist das deins? Is that yours?

• Dieses Buch ist seins. This book is his.

• Das Fahrrad ist unseres. The bicycle is ours.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object of the verb are the same person. In German, they occur most often in the accusative or dative case.

Accusative Reflexive Pronouns

• Ich wasche mich. I wash myself.

• Du erinnerst dich. You remember.

• Er freut sich. He is happy.

• Wir setzen uns. We sit down.

Dative Reflexive Pronouns

Some verbs require reflexive pronouns in the dative case:

• Ich kaufe mir ein Buch. I buy myself a book.

• Er wäscht sich die Hände. He washes his hands.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns replace a noun for emphasis, often meaning "this" or "that."

• Dieser ist meiner. This one is mine.

• Jene Frau ist meine Lehrerin. That woman is my teacher.

• Das gefällt mir. I like that.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions.

• Wer ruft an? Who is calling?

• Wen siehst du? Whom do you see?

• Wem gehört das Auto? To whom does the car belong?

• Was machst du? What are you doing?

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses that provide more information about a noun. They change based on gender, number, and case.

• Das Buch, das ich lese, ist interessant. The book that I am reading is interesting.

• Der Mann, den ich getroffen habe, ist Arzt. The man whom I met is a doctor.

• Die Frau, mit der ich gesprochen habe, ist Lehrerin. The woman with whom I spoke is a teacher.

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to unspecified people or things.

• Jemand hat angerufen. Someone called.

• Niemand weiß es. No one knows it.

• Etwas ist passiert. Something happened.

• Alles ist in Ordnung. Everything is fine.

German Prepositions

Prepositions are essential in German grammar because they connect words and phrases, indicating relationships between them. Unlike in English, where prepositions typically do not affect word forms, German prepositions determine the case (nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive) of the nouns and pronouns that follow them.

There are four types of prepositions in German based on the case they require:

• Accusative prepositions

• Dative prepositions

• Genitive prepositions

• Two-way prepositions (which take either the accusative or dative case depending on context)

Understanding German prepositions is crucial because using the wrong case can change the meaning of a sentence or make it grammatically incorrect.

Accusative Prepositions

Certain prepositions in German always take the accusative case, meaning that the noun or pronoun that follows them must be in the accusative form.

Common Accusative Prepositions

• durch (through) → Wir gehen durch den Park. We walk through the park.

• für (for) → Das Geschenk ist für meinen Bruder. The gift is for my brother.

• gegen (against) → Das Auto fährt gegen die Wand. The car is driving against the wall.

• ohne (without) → Ich gehe ohne meine Jacke raus. I am going out without my jacket.

• um (around, at a specific time) → Wir sitzen um den Tisch. We are sitting around the table.

• bis (until) → Ich bleibe bis nächsten Montag. I am staying until next Monday.

• entlang (along) → Wir laufen den Fluss entlang. We are walking along the river.

Important Note: Unlike the other accusative prepositions, entlang is usually placed after the noun.

Dative Prepositions

Some German prepositions always take the dative case, meaning that the noun or pronoun following them must be in the dative form.

Common Dative Prepositions

• aus (out of, from) → Ich komme aus der Stadt. I come from the city.

• bei (at, near, with) → Ich arbeite bei einer Firma. I work at a company.

• mit (with, by means of) → Ich fahre mit dem Bus. I travel by bus.

• nach (after, to) → Wir fahren nach Deutschland. We are traveling to Germany.

• seit (since, for a period of time) → Ich wohne seit einem Jahr hier. I have been living here for a year.

• von (from, of, by) → Das Geschenk ist von meiner Tante. The gift is from my aunt.

• zu (to, towards) → Ich gehe zu meinem Freund. I am going to my friend.

• gegenüber (opposite, across from) → Das Café ist gegenüber dem Bahnhof. The café is across from the train station.

Important Note: Gegenüber can come before or after the noun:

• Gegenüber dem Haus ist ein Park.

• Dem Haus gegenüber ist ein Park.
  Both mean: Opposite the house, there is a park.

Genitive Prepositions

Some prepositions require the genitive case, though genitive usage is decreasing in modern German, often replaced by dative constructions in casual speech.

Common Genitive Prepositions

• anstatt / statt (instead of) → Anstatt des Autos nehme ich das Fahrrad. Instead of the car, I take the bicycle.

• trotz (despite) → Trotz des schlechten Wetters gehen wir spazieren. Despite the bad weather, we are going for a walk.

• während (during) → Während der Reise haben wir viele Fotos gemacht. During the trip, we took many photos.

• wegen (because of) → Wegen der Verspätung kam er später an. Because of the delay, he arrived later.

Important Note: In spoken German, many speakers use the dative case instead of the genitive:

• Wegen dem Regen instead of wegen des Regens (because of the rain).
  While this is common in everyday conversation, it is not grammatically correct in formal writing.

Two-Way Prepositions

Some prepositions can take either the dative or accusative case, depending on the meaning of the sentence.

• If movement (direction) is involved → Accusative case

• If location (position) is involved → Dative case

Accusative (Movement or Change of Position)

• Ich gehe in das Haus. I am going into the house.

• Er setzt sich auf den Stuhl. He is sitting down on the chair.

• Sie läuft hinter das Gebäude. She is running behind the building.

Dative (Static Location or Position)

• Ich bin in dem Haus. I am inside the house.

• Er sitzt auf dem Stuhl. He is sitting on the chair.

• Sie steht hinter dem Gebäude. She is standing behind the building.

Important Note: The preposition "in" is often contracted in everyday German:

• in dem → im → Ich bin im Kino. I am in the cinema.

• in das → ins → Ich gehe ins Kino. I am going into the cinema.

Prepositional Phrases and Fixed Expressions

Certain phrases use prepositions idiomatically, often requiring specific cases:

• Angst haben vor + dative → Ich habe Angst vor Spinnen. I am afraid of spiders.

• Warten auf + accusative → Ich warte auf den Bus. I am waiting for the bus.

• Denken an + accusative → Ich denke an dich. I am thinking of you.

• Interesse haben an + dative → Er hat Interesse an Musik. He has an interest in music.

• Sich freuen auf + accusative (for future events) → Ich freue mich auf den Urlaub. I am looking forward to the vacation.

• Sich freuen über + accusative (for past or present events) → Ich freue mich über das Geschenk. I am happy about the gift.

German Adverbs

Adverbs (Adverbien) are an essential part of German grammar. They modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or entire sentences by providing additional information about time, manner, place, reason, and frequency. Unlike adjectives, adverbs do not change their form based on gender, number, or case—they remain the same regardless of what they modify.

German adverbs can be categorized based on their function in a sentence. The main types are:

• Adverbs of manner (Art und Weise) – describe how something happens

• Adverbs of place (Ort) – describe where something happens

• Adverbs of time (Zeit) – describe when something happens

• Adverbs of frequency (Häufigkeit) – describe how often something happens

• Adverbs of reason (Grund) – explain why something happens

• Adverbial conjunctions (Konjunktionaladverbien) – connect clauses

Each type has specific characteristics and rules regarding sentence placement.

Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of manner describe how an action is performed.

• schnell quickly → Er läuft schnell. He runs quickly.

• langsam slowly → Er spricht langsam. He speaks slowly.

• leise quietly → Sie singt leise. She sings quietly.

• laut loudly → Er ruft laut. He calls loudly.

• gern gladly, with pleasure → Ich esse gern Schokolade. I like eating chocolate.

• zufällig by chance, accidentally → Ich habe ihn zufällig getroffen. I met him by chance.

Adverbs of manner usually appear after the verb in a sentence:

• Er fährt vorsichtig. He drives carefully.

• Sie lacht fröhlich. She laughs happily.

If the sentence has multiple adverbs, the adverb of manner usually comes first before adverbs of place or time:

• Er fährt vorsichtig nach Hause. He drives carefully home.

• Ich gehe langsam ins Bett. I am going slowly to bed.

Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place indicate where something happens or the direction of movement.

• hier here → Ich bin hier. I am here.

• dort there → Das Auto steht dort. The car is standing there.

• überall everywhere → Es gibt überall Cafés. There are cafés everywhere.

• nirgendwo nowhere → Ich finde meine Schlüssel nirgendwo. I can't find my keys anywhere.

• oben above, upstairs → Das Zimmer ist oben. The room is upstairs.

• unten below, downstairs → Das Büro ist unten. The office is downstairs.

Adverbs of place usually appear after the verb and can also appear before the verb for emphasis:

• Ich gehe dorthin. I am going there.

• Dort wohnt meine Tante. My aunt lives there.

When combined with adverbs of time, the place adverb comes first:

• Wir treffen uns draußen morgen. We are meeting outside tomorrow.

Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time specify when something happens.

• jetzt now → Ich komme jetzt. I am coming now.

• bald soon → Wir gehen bald ins Kino. We are going to the cinema soon.

• gestern yesterday → Er kam gestern an. He arrived yesterday.

• heute today → Heute ist es kalt. Today it is cold.

• morgen tomorrow → Wir fahren morgen nach Berlin. We are traveling to Berlin tomorrow.

• früher earlier, in the past → Früher war alles anders. In the past, everything was different.

Adverbs of time usually come after the verb, but for emphasis, they can be placed at the beginning of a sentence:

• Ich esse jetzt. I am eating now.

• Morgen fahren wir nach Hause. Tomorrow we are driving home.

If there are multiple adverbs, time comes last:

• Er fährt langsam nach Berlin morgen. He is driving slowly to Berlin tomorrow.

Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of frequency describe how often something happens.

• immer always → Ich trinke immer Kaffee. I always drink coffee.

• oft often → Er geht oft schwimmen. He often goes swimming.

• manchmal sometimes → Manchmal regnet es. Sometimes it rains.

• selten rarely → Sie fährt selten mit dem Bus. She rarely takes the bus.

• nie never → Er raucht nie. He never smokes.

Frequency adverbs usually come after the verb but before other adverbs:

• Ich gehe oft ins Kino. I often go to the cinema.

• Sie spielt manchmal Klavier. She sometimes plays the piano.

Adverbs of Reason

Adverbs of reason explain why something happens.

• deshalb therefore → Ich bin müde, deshalb gehe ich ins Bett. I am tired, therefore I am going to bed.

• darum that’s why → Es regnet, darum nehme ich einen Schirm. It is raining, that’s why I am taking an umbrella.

• aus diesem Grund for this reason → Er war krank, aus diesem Grund kam er nicht. He was sick, for this reason he didn’t come.

These adverbs are often used at the beginning of a sentence:

• Deshalb bin ich gegangen. That’s why I left.

Adverbial Conjunctions

Adverbial conjunctions function like adverbs but also connect sentences.

• jedoch however → Er wollte kommen, jedoch hatte er keine Zeit. He wanted to come, however, he had no time.

• trotzdem nevertheless → Es regnet, trotzdem gehen wir spazieren. It is raining, nevertheless, we are going for a walk.

• außerdem besides, moreover → Sie ist klug, außerdem ist sie freundlich. She is smart, besides, she is friendly.

These adverbs always occupy position 1 or 3 in a sentence and affect word order:

• Er ist müde, trotzdem geht er ins Büro. He is tired, nevertheless, he goes to the office.

Present Tense in German

The present tense (Präsens) is the most commonly used verb tense in German. It is used to describe actions happening right now, habitual actions, and general truths. Unlike in English, where multiple present tenses exist (simple present, present continuous), German uses the Präsens for all these situations.

Uses of the Present Tense in German

Actions Happening Right Now

• Ich lese ein Buch. I am reading a book.

• Sie schreibt einen Brief. She is writing a letter.

General Facts and Truths

• Die Sonne scheint. The sun shines.

• Wasser kocht bei 100 Grad. Water boils at 100 degrees.

Habitual Actions and Routines

• Ich gehe jeden Morgen joggen. I go jogging every morning.

• Er trinkt immer Kaffee zum Frühstück. He always drinks coffee for breakfast.

Future Events (with a Future Meaning)

German often uses the present tense instead of the future tense when the context clearly indicates the future.

• Morgen fahren wir nach Berlin. Tomorrow we are going to Berlin.

• Nächste Woche beginnt die Schule. School starts next week.

Instructions and Commands (Informal Style)

• Du gehst jetzt ins Bett! You are going to bed now!

• Du nimmst die nächste Straße links. You take the next street on the left.

Conjugation of Regular Verbs

In German, verbs change their form depending on the subject. The infinitive (basic form) of regular verbs ends in -en or -n, and the present tense endings are added to the verb stem.

Regular Verb Conjugation: "spielen"

• ich spiele I play

• du spielst you (informal singular) play

• er/sie/es spielt he/she/it plays

• wir spielen we play

• ihr spielt you (plural) play

• sie/Sie spielen they/you (formal) play

Regular Verb Conjugation: "machen"

• ich mache I do/make

• du machst you (informal singular) do/make

• er/sie/es macht he/she/it does/makes

• wir machen we do/make

• ihr macht you (plural) do/make

• sie/Sie machen they/you (formal) do/make

Note: The endings for regular verbs are:

• -e (ich)

• -st (du)

• -t (er/sie/es)

• -en (wir, sie, Sie)

• -t (ihr)

Conjugation of Irregular Verbs

Some verbs undergo vowel changes in the du and er/sie/es forms.

Irregular Verb Conjugation: "sehen"

• ich sehe I see

• du siehst you (informal singular) see

• er/sie/es sieht he/she/it sees

• wir sehen we see

• ihr seht you (plural) see

• sie/Sie sehen they/you (formal) see

Irregular Verb Conjugation: "sprechen"

• ich spreche I speak

• du sprichst you (informal singular) speak

• er/sie/es spricht he/she/it speaks

• wir sprechen we speak

• ihr sprecht you (plural) speak

• sie/Sie sprechen they/you (formal) speak

Common vowel changes include:

• e → ie (sehen → du siehst)

• e → i (sprechen → du sprichst)

• a → ä (fahren → du fährst)

Conjugation of Common Irregular Verbs

"sein" (to be) – Highly Irregular

• ich bin I am

• du bist you (informal singular) are

• er/sie/es ist he/she/it is

• wir sind we are

• ihr seid you (plural) are

• sie/Sie sind they/you (formal) are

"haben" (to have) – Slightly Irregular

• ich habe I have

• du hast you (informal singular) have

• er/sie/es hat he/she/it has

• wir haben we have

• ihr habt you (plural) have

• sie/Sie haben they/you (formal) have

"werden" (to become) – Used for the Future Tense

• ich werde I become

• du wirst you (informal singular) become

• er/sie/es wird he/she/it becomes

• wir werden we become

• ihr werdet you (plural) become

• sie/Sie werden they/you (formal) become

Past Tense in German

The past tense in German is used to describe actions that happened in the past. Unlike English, which has simple past, present perfect, and past perfect, German primarily uses two past tenses in everyday speech and writing:

1. Perfekt (Present Perfect) – Used mostly in spoken German.

2. Präteritum (Simple Past) – Used mostly in written German and formal storytelling.

A third past tense, Plusquamperfekt (Past Perfect), is used to describe actions that occurred before another past event.

Each of these tenses has specific rules for regular verbs, irregular verbs, and modal verbs.

The Perfekt (Present Perfect)

The Perfekt is used in spoken German to describe past actions and events. It consists of two parts:

1. An auxiliary verb (haben or sein) conjugated in the present tense.

2. The past participle (Partizip II) of the main verb, which usually ends in -t (for regular verbs) or -en (for irregular verbs).

3. Most verbs use "haben".

4. "Sein" is used for verbs indicating motion or change of state.

Conjugation of Regular Verbs in Perfekt

Using "machen" (to do, to make) as an example:

• ich habe gemacht I did/made

• du hast gemacht you did/made

• er/sie/es hat gemacht he/she/it did/made

• wir haben gemacht we did/made

• ihr habt gemacht you (plural) did/made

• sie/Sie haben gemacht they/you (formal) did/made

Conjugation of Irregular Verbs in Perfekt

Using "sehen" (to see) as an example:

• ich habe gesehen I saw

• du hast gesehen you saw

• er/sie/es hat gesehen he/she/it saw

• wir haben gesehen we saw

• ihr habt gesehen you (plural) saw

• sie/Sie haben gesehen they/you (formal) saw

Conjugation of "sein" Verbs in Perfekt

Using "gehen" (to go) as an example:

• ich bin gegangen I went

• du bist gegangen you went

• er/sie/es ist gegangen he/she/it went

• wir sind gegangen we went

• ihr seid gegangen you (plural) went

• sie/Sie sind gegangen they/you (formal) went

The Präteritum (Simple Past)

The Präteritum (simple past) is mainly used in formal writing, books, news reports, and historical accounts. However, certain verbs like sein, haben, and modal verbs are used in Präteritum even in spoken German.

Conjugation of Regular Verbs in Präteritum

Using "machen" (to do, to make) as an example:

• ich machte I did/made

• du machtest you did/made

• er/sie/es machte he/she/it did/made

• wir machten we did/made

• ihr machtet you (plural) did/made

• sie/Sie machten they/you (formal) did/made

Conjugation of Irregular Verbs in Präteritum

Using "sehen" (to see) as an example:

• ich sah I saw

• du sahst you saw

• er/sie/es sah he/she/it saw

• wir sahen we saw

• ihr saht you (plural) saw

• sie/Sie sahen they/you (formal) saw

Conjugation of "sein" in Präteritum

The verb sein (to be) is frequently used in the simple past.

• ich war I was

• du warst you were

• er/sie/es war he/she/it was

• wir waren we were

• ihr wart you (plural) were

• sie/Sie waren they/you (formal) were

Conjugation of "haben" in Präteritum

The verb haben (to have) is also common in Präteritum.

• ich hatte I had

• du hattest you had

• er/sie/es hatte he/she/it had

• wir hatten we had

• ihr hattet you (plural) had

• sie/Sie hatten they/you (formal) had

The Plusquamperfekt (Past Perfect)

The Plusquamperfekt (past perfect) is used when describing an action that happened before another past event. It is formed with the auxiliary verb (haben or sein) in Präteritum + the past participle.

Conjugation of Regular Verbs in Plusquamperfekt

Using "machen" (to do, to make) as an example:

• ich hatte gemacht I had done/made

• du hattest gemacht you had done/made

• er/sie/es hatte gemacht he/she/it had done/made

• wir hatten gemacht we had done/made

• ihr hattet gemacht you (plural) had done/made

• sie/Sie hatten gemacht they/you (formal) had done/made

Conjugation of "sein" Verbs in Plusquamperfekt

Using "gehen" (to go) as an example:

• ich war gegangen I had gone

• du warst gegangen you had gone

• er/sie/es war gegangen he/she/it had gone

• wir waren gegangen we had gone

• ihr wart gegangen you (plural) had gone

• sie/Sie waren gegangen they/you (formal) had gone

When to Use Perfekt, Präteritum, and Plusquamperfekt

1. Use Perfekt (Present Perfect) for:

   • Spoken language

   • Everyday conversations

   • Informal writing

2. Use Präteritum (Simple Past) for:

   • Written narratives (books, news, reports)

   • Historical accounts

   • The verbs sein, haben, and modal verbs in spoken German

3. Use Plusquamperfekt (Past Perfect) for:

   • Actions that happened before another past event

Examples

• Gestern habe ich einen Film gesehen. Yesterday I watched a movie. (Perfekt)

• Früher sah ich oft Filme. In the past, I often watched movies. (Präteritum)

• Ich hatte schon den Film gesehen, bevor du gekommen bist. I had already watched the movie before you arrived. (Plusquamperfekt)

Future Tense in German

The future tense (Futur I) in German is used to describe actions or events that will happen in the future. While German often uses the present tense to talk about the future when the context is clear, the Futur I is used for emphasis or to clarify that the action is in the future.

There is also a future perfect tense (Futur II) used to express actions that will be completed in the future before another future event.

Forming the Future Tense (Futur I)

The Futur I is formed with:

1. The conjugated auxiliary verb "werden" (to become) in the present tense

2. The infinitive of the main verb at the end of the sentence

Conjugation of "werden" (to become) in the Present Tense

• ich werde I will

• du wirst you (informal singular) will

• er/sie/es wird he/she/it will

• wir werden we will

• ihr werdet you (plural) will

• sie/Sie werden they/you (formal) will

Examples of Future Tense Sentences

• Ich werde morgen nach Berlin fahren. I will travel to Berlin tomorrow.

• Du wirst nächstes Jahr Deutsch lernen. You will learn German next year.

• Er wird bald heiraten. He will get married soon.

• Wir werden das Spiel gewinnen. We will win the game.

• Ihr werdet ein neues Auto kaufen. You (plural) will buy a new car.

• Sie werden das Buch lesen. They will read the book.

When to Use the Future Tense (Futur I)

To Talk About Future Actions or Plans

• Ich werde dich später anrufen. I will call you later.

• Wir werden in zwei Wochen Urlaub machen. We will go on vacation in two weeks.

To Express Assumptions or Predictions About the Present or Future

In German, Futur I is often used to express assumptions rather than actual future actions. This is similar to using "probably" or "I suppose" in English.

• Er wird jetzt zu Hause sein. He is probably at home now.

• Das Wetter wird morgen schön sein. The weather will probably be nice tomorrow.

To Make Promises or Assurances

• Ich werde dir helfen. I will help you.

• Wir werden pünktlich sein. We will be on time.

Using the Present Tense for the Future

In German, it is common to use the present tense for future actions when the context makes it clear that the event is in the future.

• Morgen fahre ich nach Berlin. Tomorrow I am going to Berlin.

• Wir treffen uns nächste Woche. We are meeting next week.

Using the Futur I in these cases emphasizes the certainty or importance of the event:

• Ich werde morgen nach Berlin fahren. I will travel to Berlin tomorrow. (More formal or emphatic)

Negation in the Future Tense

To form a negative sentence in the future tense, "nicht" (not) is placed before the infinitive verb.

• Ich werde nicht kommen. I will not come.

• Sie wird das Buch nicht lesen. She will not read the book.

• Wir werden das Problem nicht lösen. We will not solve the problem.

If using "kein" (no, not any) to negate a noun, it is placed before the noun:

• Ich werde kein Auto kaufen. I will not buy a car.

• Er wird keine Zeit haben. He will not have time.

Questions in the Future Tense

To form a yes/no question, werden comes at the beginning of the sentence.

• Wirst du morgen zur Party gehen? Will you go to the party tomorrow?

• Wird es regnen? Will it rain?

• Werden wir den Zug erreichen? Will we catch the train?

For questions with question words (wie, wann, wo, warum, etc.), the question word comes first, followed by werden, then the subject and the infinitive verb at the end.

• Wann wirst du kommen? When will you come?

• Was werden wir tun? What will we do?

• Wie wird das Wetter morgen sein? How will the weather be tomorrow?

Future Perfect Tense (Futur II)

The Futur II (future perfect) is used to express that an action will have been completed by a certain point in the future.

Formation of Futur II

1. The conjugated form of "werden" in the present tense

2. The past participle of the main verb

3. The auxiliary verb ("haben" or "sein") in the infinitive

Conjugation Example: "machen" (to do, to make)

• ich werde gemacht haben I will have done/made

• du wirst gemacht haben you will have done/made

• er/sie/es wird gemacht haben he/she/it will have done/made

• wir werden gemacht haben we will have done/made

• ihr werdet gemacht haben you (plural) will have done/made

• sie/Sie werden gemacht haben they/you (formal) will have done/made

Examples:

• Bis morgen werde ich das Buch gelesen haben. By tomorrow, I will have read the book.

• Er wird die Arbeit bis nächste Woche beendet haben. He will have finished the work by next week.

• Wir werden bis 18 Uhr angekommen sein. We will have arrived by 6 PM.

When to Use Futur II

• To indicate a completed action in the future

• To make logical assumptions about the past (like "must have" in English)

Example:

• Er wird nach Hause gegangen sein. He must have gone home.

Imperatives in German

The imperative mood in German is used to give commands, instructions, advice, or requests. It is commonly used in both formal and informal speech, depending on the level of politeness needed. Unlike in English, where "please" is often added to soften a command, German uses different imperative forms based on the subject pronoun (du, ihr, or Sie).

German has three main imperative forms for addressing:

• du (informal singular) – used when speaking to one person in an informal setting.

• ihr (informal plural) – used when speaking to more than one person informally.

• Sie (formal singular and plural) – used in polite or formal situations.

Additionally, German has the "wir" imperative, which is equivalent to "let’s" in English.

Imperative for "du" (Informal Singular)

When giving a command to one person you address informally (du), use the verb stem without the -st ending from the present tense.

For regular verbs:

• machen (to do) → Mach das Fenster auf! Open the window!

• kommen (to come) → Komm hierher! Come here!

For irregular verbs with vowel changes, verbs that change e → ie or e → i in the present tense keep their change, but verbs that change a → ä return to a in the imperative.

• lesen (to read) → Lies das Buch! Read the book!

• nehmen (to take) → Nimm das Geld! Take the money!

• fahren (to drive) → Fahr vorsichtig! Drive carefully!

• laufen (to run) → Lauf schneller! Run faster!

For verbs ending in -eln or -ern, the -e ending is optional:

• sammeln (to collect) → Sammle/Sammel die Karten! Collect the cards!

• wandern (to hike) → Wandere/Wander schneller! Hike faster!

For separable verbs, the prefix goes to the end:

• aufstehen (to stand up) → Steh auf! Stand up!

• zurückkommen (to come back) → Komm zurück! Come back!

Imperative for "ihr" (Informal Plural)

When addressing more than one person informally, use the "ihr" form of the verb in the present tense, but without the pronoun.

• machen (to do) → Macht das Fenster auf! Open the window!

• kommen (to come) → Kommt hierher! Come here!

• lesen (to read) → Lest das Buch! Read the book!

• nehmen (to take) → Nehmt das Geld! Take the money!

• aufstehen (to stand up) → Steht auf! Stand up!

Since ihr verbs already end in -t, no further changes are needed.

Imperative for "Sie" (Formal Singular and Plural)

For formal speech, use "Sie" + the verb in the infinitive. This structure is similar to English commands with "please".

• machen (to do) → Machen Sie das Fenster auf! Please open the window!

• kommen (to come) → Kommen Sie hierher! Please come here!

• lesen (to read) → Lesen Sie das Buch! Please read the book!

• nehmen (to take) → Nehmen Sie das Geld! Please take the money!

• aufstehen (to stand up) → Stehen Sie auf! Please stand up!

This form is used in polite requests, professional settings, or when addressing strangers.

Imperative for "wir" (Let's …)

The "wir" imperative is used when suggesting an action for a group including the speaker. It is equivalent to "let’s" in English. To form it, use "wir" + verb in the infinitive.

• machen (to do) → Machen wir das Fenster auf! Let’s open the window!

• gehen (to go) → Gehen wir ins Kino! Let’s go to the cinema!

• essen (to eat) → Essen wir zusammen! Let’s eat together!

• anfangen (to start) → Fangen wir an! Let’s start!

• fahren (to drive) → Fahren wir nach Hause! Let’s drive home!

Imperative of Important Irregular Verbs

"sein" (to be)

The verb "sein" has irregular forms in the imperative.

• du: Sei ruhig! Be quiet!

• ihr: Seid vorsichtig! Be careful!

• Sie: Seien Sie pünktlich! Be punctual!

• wir: Seien wir nett! Let’s be nice!

"haben" (to have)

• du: Hab Geduld! Have patience!

• ihr: Habt Spaß! Have fun!

• Sie: Haben Sie Verständnis! Please have understanding!

• wir: Haben wir Mut! Let’s have courage!

"werden" (to become)

• du: Werde nicht nervös! Don’t get nervous!

• ihr: Werdet nicht laut! Don’t get loud!

• Sie: Werden Sie gesund! Get well!

• wir: Werden wir aktiv! Let’s become active!

Word Order in Imperative Sentences

1. The verb always comes first in imperative sentences.

2. No subject pronoun is used for "du" and "ihr" forms.

3. For "Sie" and "wir", the subject pronoun comes after the verb.

Examples

• Geh nach Hause! Go home!

• Kommt bitte pünktlich! Please come on time!

• Seien Sie nicht unhöflich! Please don’t be rude!

• Fangen wir an! Let’s start!

Negation in the Imperative

To negate an imperative sentence, place "nicht" or "kein" before the object or adverb.

• Geh nicht! Don’t go!

• Kommt nicht zu spät! Don’t be late!

• Seien Sie nicht unfreundlich! Please don’t be unfriendly!

• Kauf das nicht! Don’t buy that!

• Machen wir keine Fehler! Let’s not make mistakes!

Softening the Imperative for Politeness

To make commands sound less direct and more polite, you can:

1. Add "bitte" (please)

   • Setz dich bitte. Please sit down.

   • Machen Sie das bitte. Please do that.

2. Use the conditional form ("könnten" or "würden")

   • Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen? Could you please help me?

   • Würdest du bitte die Tür schließen? Would you please close the door?

3. Use modal verbs (dürfen, sollen, mögen, etc.)

   • Darf ich dich um einen Gefallen bitten? May I ask you for a favor?

   • Soll ich dir helfen? Should I help you?

Passive in German

The passive voice (Passiv) in German is used when the focus is on the action rather than the person performing the action. In contrast to the active voice, where the subject performs the action, the passive voice emphasizes what happens to the object.

Active vs. Passive Example

• Der Lehrer erklärt die Grammatik. The teacher explains the grammar. (Active)

• Die Grammatik wird erklärt. The grammar is explained. (Passive)

German uses two main types of passive constructions:

1. Vorgangspassiv (Process Passive) – Used for ongoing actions.

2. Zustandspassiv (State Passive) – Used for completed states or conditions.

The Process Passive (Vorgangspassiv)

Formation of the Passive Voice

The Vorgangspassiv is formed with:

1. The auxiliary verb "werden" conjugated in the relevant tense.

2. The past participle (Partizip II) of the main verb at the end of the sentence.

Present Tense Passive (Präsens Passiv)

The present passive describes actions happening right now or general truths.

Conjugation of Passive Voice in Present Tense: "bauen" (to build)

• ich werde gebaut I am being built

• du wirst gebaut you are being built

• er/sie/es wird gebaut he/she/it is being built

• wir werden gebaut we are being built

• ihr werdet gebaut you (plural) are being built

• sie/Sie werden gebaut they/you (formal) are being built

Examples of Present Passive

• Das Haus wird gebaut. The house is being built.

• Die Briefe werden verschickt. The letters are being sent.

• Das Problem wird gelöst. The problem is being solved.

Past Tense Passive (Präteritum Passiv)

The past passive describes actions that happened in the past. It is formed with "wurden" + past participle.

Conjugation of Passive Voice in Simple Past: "bauen" (to build)

• ich wurde gebaut I was built

• du wurdest gebaut you were built

• er/sie/es wurde gebaut he/she/it was built

• wir wurden gebaut we were built

• ihr wurdet gebaut you (plural) were built

• sie/Sie wurden gebaut they/you (formal) were built

Examples of Past Passive

• Die Straße wurde repariert. The street was repaired.

• Das Buch wurde veröffentlicht. The book was published.

• Die Aufgaben wurden erledigt. The tasks were completed.

Present Perfect Passive (Perfekt Passiv)

The present perfect passive describes past actions with relevance to the present. It is formed with "sein" + past participle + worden.

Conjugation of Passive Voice in Present Perfect: "bauen" (to build)

• ich bin gebaut worden I have been built

• du bist gebaut worden you have been built

• er/sie/es ist gebaut worden he/she/it has been built

• wir sind gebaut worden we have been built

• ihr seid gebaut worden you (plural) have been built

• sie/Sie sind gebaut worden they/you (formal) have been built

Examples of Present Perfect Passive

• Die Fenster sind repariert worden. The windows have been repaired.

• Die Dokumente sind verschickt worden. The documents have been sent.

Past Perfect Passive (Plusquamperfekt Passiv)

The past perfect passive describes actions that were completed before another past event. It is formed with "sein" in past tense + past participle + worden.

Conjugation of Passive Voice in Past Perfect: "bauen" (to build)

• ich war gebaut worden I had been built

• du warst gebaut worden you had been built

• er/sie/es war gebaut worden he/she/it had been built

• wir waren gebaut worden we had been built

• ihr wart gebaut worden you (plural) had been built

• sie/Sie waren gebaut worden they/you (formal) had been built

Examples of Past Perfect Passive

• Der Fehler war bereits behoben worden. The mistake had already been corrected.

• Die Pakete waren abgeschickt worden. The packages had been sent.

Future Passive (Futur I Passiv)

The future passive describes actions that will happen in the future. It is formed with "werden" + past participle + werden.

Conjugation of Passive Voice in Future: "bauen" (to build)

• ich werde gebaut werden I will be built

• du wirst gebaut werden you will be built

• er/sie/es wird gebaut werden he/she/it will be built

• wir werden gebaut werden we will be built

• ihr werdet gebaut werden you (plural) will be built

• sie/Sie werden gebaut werden they/you (formal) will be built

Examples of Future Passive

• Das Projekt wird bald abgeschlossen werden. The project will be completed soon.

• Die neuen Regeln werden eingeführt werden. The new rules will be introduced.

The State Passive (Zustandspassiv)

The Zustandspassiv expresses a state or condition resulting from a completed action. It is formed with "sein" + past participle.

Examples of State Passive

• Die Tür ist geschlossen. The door is closed. (State, not action)

• Die Arbeit ist erledigt. The work is done.

Difference Between Action and State Passive

• Das Fenster wird geöffnet. The window is being opened. (Action)

• Das Fenster ist geöffnet. The window is open. (State)

Using "von" and "durch" in Passive Sentences

In passive constructions, the agent (who performs the action) is introduced with "von" or "durch".

• Von is used for people:

  • Das Buch wurde von dem Autor geschrieben. The book was written by the author.

• Durch is used for processes or means:

  • Das Feuer wurde durch den Regen gelöscht. The fire was extinguished by the rain.

Negation in German

Negation (Verneinung) is an essential part of German grammar, as it allows speakers to express the absence, denial, or contradiction of something. German negation is primarily done using "nicht" and "kein", but there are also various negative expressions and words that contribute to forming negative sentences.

Using "nicht" (Not) in German

The word "nicht" is used to negate verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and specific elements within a sentence. Unlike English, where "not" typically comes before a verb, "nicht" has specific placement rules depending on what is being negated.

Negating a Verb in a Simple Sentence

When negating a verb in a simple sentence, "nicht" usually appears at the end of the sentence:

• Ich schlafe nicht. I am not sleeping.

• Er arbeitet nicht. He is not working.

• Wir kommen nicht. We are not coming.

Negating a Specific Element in a Sentence

If a specific element (such as an adverb, adjective, or prepositional phrase) is being negated, "nicht" appears before that element.

• Er arbeitet nicht schnell. He does not work quickly.

• Sie ist nicht glücklich. She is not happy.

• Wir wohnen nicht in Berlin. We do not live in Berlin.

Negating a Whole Sentence (Formal Placement of "nicht")

When negating the entire sentence, "nicht" usually appears before the main verb in compound tenses and at the end in simple tenses.

• Ich habe das Buch nicht gelesen. I have not read the book.

• Du wirst morgen nicht kommen. You will not come tomorrow.

Negation with Modal Verbs

When a modal verb is present, "nicht" typically comes before the infinitive verb:

• Ich kann heute nicht kommen. I cannot come today.

• Sie will das nicht machen. She does not want to do that.

Using "kein" (No, Not Any) in German

The word "kein" is used to negate nouns with indefinite articles (ein, eine) or without any article. It functions similarly to "no" or "not any" in English and declines like an adjective.

Conjugation of "kein" with Personal Pronouns

Using "haben" (to have) + kein as an example:

• Ich habe kein Buch. I do not have a book.

• Du hast keine Zeit. You do not have time.

• Er hat keinen Hund. He does not have a dog.

• Wir haben keine Lust. We do not feel like it.

• Ihr habt keinen Plan. You (plural) do not have a plan.

• Sie haben keine Fragen. They/You (formal) do not have any questions.

Examples of "kein" in Different Cases

Because "kein" behaves like an adjective, it changes based on gender, number, and case.

Nominative Case (Subject of the Sentence)

• Kein Mann ist hier. No man is here.

• Keine Frau ist da. No woman is there.

• Kein Kind spielt draußen. No child is playing outside.

Accusative Case (Direct Object)

• Ich sehe keinen Mann. I do not see a man.

• Sie kauft keine Schokolade. She is not buying any chocolate.

Dative Case (Indirect Object)

• Ich helfe keinem Freund. I am not helping any friend.

• Sie gibt keinem Kind Süßigkeiten. She does not give any child candy.

"Nicht" vs. "Kein" – When to Use Each

Use "nicht" when negating:

• Verbs

  • Ich arbeite nicht. I am not working.

• Adjectives

  • Das Buch ist nicht interessant. The book is not interesting.

• Prepositional Phrases

  • Wir sind nicht in Deutschland. We are not in Germany.

Use "kein" when negating:

• Nouns without definite articles

  • Ich habe keine Zeit. I do not have time.

• Nouns preceded by indefinite articles

  • Er hat kein Auto. He does not have a car.

Double Negation in German

Unlike English, where double negation creates a positive meaning, German does not allow double negatives in standard speech.

• Incorrect: Ich habe kein Geld nicht.

• Correct: Ich habe kein Geld. I have no money.

However, in colloquial or dialectal German, double negation sometimes occurs for emphasis.

• Ich habe nichts gesagt, gar nichts! I said nothing, absolutely nothing!

Common Negative Expressions in German

In addition to "nicht" and "kein", German has several negative expressions:

• nichts (nothing)

  • Ich sehe nichts. I see nothing.

• nie (never)

  • Er kommt nie zu spät. He is never late.

• niemand (no one, nobody)

  • Niemand ist hier. No one is here.

• nirgendwo (nowhere)

  • Ich finde das Buch nirgendwo. I can’t find the book anywhere.

• weder … noch (neither … nor)

  • Ich mag weder Kaffee noch Tee. I like neither coffee nor tea.

Examples of Negative Expressions in Sentences

• Ich habe nichts gesehen. I saw nothing.

• Wir haben noch nie Sushi gegessen. We have never eaten sushi before.

• Niemand hat mir geholfen. No one helped me.

• Er will nirgendwo hingehen. He does not want to go anywhere.

• Sie hat weder Hunger noch Durst. She is neither hungry nor thirsty.

Negative Questions in German

In German, negative questions are formed similarly to English and can express surprise or expectation.

• Hast du nicht Hunger? Aren’t you hungry?

• Ist er nicht hier? Isn’t he here?

• Habt ihr keine Lust zu kommen? Don’t you feel like coming?

A possible answer to a negative question includes:

• Doch! (Yes, I do!) – Used to contradict a negative question.

  • Hast du das nicht gesehen? Didn’t you see that?

  • Doch, ich habe es gesehen! Yes, I did see it!

• Nein. (No, I didn’t.) – Used to confirm a negative.

  • Hast du das nicht gemacht? Didn’t you do that?

  • Nein, ich habe das nicht gemacht. No, I didn’t do that.

Sentence Structure in German

Word order in German (Wortstellung) follows specific rules that differ from English. While English generally follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) structure, German uses a more flexible structure due to its case system, but with strict rules governing verb placement.

German sentences can be main clauses (Hauptsätze) or subordinate clauses (Nebensätze), each with different word order rules. Additionally, German uses verb-second (V2) position in main clauses, verb-final (VF) position in subordinate clauses, and special structures for questions, negation, and adverbial phrases.

Basic Word Order in Main Clauses

The default word order in German main clauses follows the verb-second (V2) rule, meaning the conjugated verb always appears in the second position.

Standard Structure: Subject-Verb-Object

• Ich esse einen Apfel. I eat an apple.

• Er kauft ein Buch. He buys a book.

• Wir besuchen unsere Freunde. We visit our friends.

Adverbial Phrases in Main Clauses

If a sentence begins with an adverb or another element, the verb remains in second position, and the subject moves after the verb (inversion).

• Heute gehe ich ins Kino. Today I am going to the cinema.

• Morgen kommt mein Bruder. Tomorrow my brother is coming.

• In Deutschland trinkt man viel Bier. In Germany, people drink a lot of beer.

The Position of Verbs in German Sentences

Unlike English, where the verb generally remains in the middle of the sentence, German has strict rules about verb placement depending on the type of sentence.

Verb Placement in Main Clauses

1. In declarative sentences, the verb is always in second position (V2).

   • Mein Freund liest ein Buch. My friend is reading a book.

   • Am Wochenende gehen wir ins Kino. On the weekend, we are going to the cinema.

2. In yes/no questions, the verb is in first position (V1).

   • Hast du Zeit? Do you have time?

   • Kommt er morgen? Is he coming tomorrow?

3. In commands (imperatives), the verb is in first position (V1).

   • Geh nach Hause! Go home!

   • Macht die Tür zu! Close the door!

Verb Placement in Subordinate Clauses (Nebensätze)

In subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb moves to the end of the sentence.

• Ich weiß, dass er müde ist. I know that he is tired.

• Sie sagt, dass sie heute keine Zeit hat. She says that she has no time today.

• Weil es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause. Because it is raining, we are staying at home.

When using modal verbs or compound verbs, both verbs move to the end, with the conjugated verb in final position and the other verb before it.

• Ich glaube, dass er nach Hause gehen muss. I believe that he must go home.

• Er sagt, dass er Deutsch lernen will. He says that he wants to learn German.

Word Order in Sentences with Multiple Elements

Time-Manner-Place (TMP) Rule

In German, adverbs of time, manner, and place follow a specific order:

1. Time (Wann?) – When does it happen?

2. Manner (Wie?) – How does it happen?

3. Place (Wo?) – Where does it happen?

• Ich gehe morgen mit meinen Freunden ins Kino. I am going to the cinema with my friends tomorrow.

• Er fährt jeden Tag mit dem Bus zur Arbeit. He takes the bus to work every day.

• Wir treffen uns um 18 Uhr im Restaurant. We are meeting at the restaurant at 6 PM.

If one of these elements is moved to the beginning for emphasis, the verb still remains in second position.

• Morgen gehe ich mit meinen Freunden ins Kino. Tomorrow, I am going to the cinema with my friends.

Position of Objects in a Sentence

If a sentence contains both a direct object (accusative) and an indirect object (dative), the standard order is:

1. Dative Object (to whom?)

2. Accusative Object (what?)

• Ich gebe meinem Freund ein Buch. I give my friend a book.

• Er schenkt seiner Mutter eine Blume. He gives his mother a flower.

If one of the objects is a pronoun, the pronoun comes first:

• Ich gebe ihm das Buch. I give him the book.

• Er gibt es seiner Mutter. He gives it to his mother.

Word Order in Questions

Yes/No Questions

Yes/No questions follow a verb-first (V1) structure.

• Hast du Hunger? Are you hungry?

• Kommt sie morgen? Is she coming tomorrow?

W-Questions (W-Fragen)

W-questions start with a question word, followed by the verb, then the subject.

• Wo wohnst du? Where do you live?

• Was machst du heute? What are you doing today?

• Wie heißt du? What is your name?

If a question contains a modal verb, the main verb moves to the end.

• Was soll ich machen? What should I do?

• Wann kann er kommen? When can he come?

Word Order in Negative Sentences

Position of "nicht" (not)

1. "Nicht" negates the verb – It appears at the end of the sentence.

   • Ich komme nicht. I am not coming.

   • Er schläft nicht. He is not sleeping.

2. "Nicht" negates a specific part of the sentence – It appears before the element it negates.

   • Ich trinke nicht Kaffee, sondern Tee. I do not drink coffee, but tea.

   • Er wohnt nicht in Berlin, sondern in Hamburg. He does not live in Berlin, but in Hamburg.

Position of "kein" (no, not any)

"Kein" negates nouns without definite articles and follows adjective declension rules.

• Ich habe kein Auto. I do not have a car.

• Wir haben keine Zeit. We do not have time.

Special Conjunctions and Word Order

Some conjunctions do not change the word order, while others push the verb to the end.

Coordinating Conjunctions (verb remains in second position):

• und (and), oder (or), aber (but), denn (because)

• Ich bin müde, aber ich gehe zur Arbeit. I am tired, but I am going to work.

Subordinating Conjunctions (verb moves to the end):

• weil (because), dass (that), ob (whether), obwohl (although)

• Ich komme nicht, weil ich krank bin. I am not coming because I am sick.

Questions in German

Questions (Fragen) are an essential part of any language, allowing us to ask for information, seek clarification, or engage in conversations. In German, there are two main types of questions:

1. Yes/No Questions (Ja/Nein-Fragen) – Questions that can be answered with “yes” or “no.”

2. W-Questions (W-Fragen) – Questions that begin with a question word and ask for specific information.

German questions follow specific word order rules, and some require particular verbs and modal constructions.

Yes/No Questions (Ja/Nein-Fragen)

Yes/no questions are formed by inverting the subject and the verb, meaning that the verb comes first, followed by the subject and any additional information.

Formation of Yes/No Questions

The word order is: Verb – Subject – Object/Other Elements

• Hast du ein Auto? Do you have a car?

• Geht er zur Schule? Does he go to school?

• Mögen sie Pizza? Do they like pizza?

• Arbeitet ihr hier? Do you (plural) work here?

Conjugation of Yes/No Questions with "haben" (to have)

• Habe ich Zeit? Do I have time?

• Hast du Hunger? Are you hungry?

• Hat er/sie/es eine Katze? Does he/she/it have a cat?

• Haben wir eine Lösung? Do we have a solution?

• Habt ihr Fragen? Do you (plural) have questions?

• Haben sie/Sie genug Geld? Do they/you (formal) have enough money?

Examples of Yes/No Questions with Different Tenses

Present Tense (Präsens)

• Kommt sie heute? Is she coming today?

• Fährst du mit dem Bus? Are you taking the bus?

Past Tense (Perfekt/Präteritum)

• Hat er das Buch gelesen? Did he read the book?

• Warst du gestern zu Hause? Were you at home yesterday?

Future Tense (Futur I)

• Wirst du morgen kommen? Will you come tomorrow?

• Werden wir das schaffen? Will we manage that?

Modal Verbs in Yes/No Questions

• Kannst du Deutsch sprechen? Can you speak German?

• Muss ich das bezahlen? Do I have to pay for that?

• Darf ich hier sitzen? May I sit here?

W-Questions (W-Fragen)

W-Questions start with a question word (who, what, where, when, why, etc.) and ask for specific information. The structure follows Question Word – Verb – Subject – Object/Other Elements.

Common W-Question Words

• Wer – Who

• Was – What

• Wo – Where

• Wann – When

• Warum – Why

• Wie – How

• Wohin – Where to

• Woher – Where from

• Welcher/Welches/Welche – Which

• Wieviel/Wie viele – How much/How many

Conjugation of W-Questions with "sein" (to be)

• Wer bin ich? Who am I?

• Wer bist du? Who are you?

• Wer ist er/sie/es? Who is he/she/it?

• Wer sind wir? Who are we?

• Wer seid ihr? Who are you (plural)?

• Wer sind sie/Sie? Who are they/you (formal)?

Examples of W-Questions with Different Question Words

Questions with "Wer" (Who)

• Wer arbeitet hier? Who works here?

• Wer hat das gesagt? Who said that?

Questions with "Was" (What)

• Was machst du? What are you doing?

• Was bedeutet dieses Wort? What does this word mean?

Questions with "Wo" (Where)

• Wo wohnst du? Where do you live?

• Wo ist mein Handy? Where is my phone?

Questions with "Wann" (When)

• Wann beginnt der Unterricht? When does class start?

• Wann bist du angekommen? When did you arrive?

Questions with "Warum" (Why)

• Warum lernst du Deutsch? Why are you learning German?

• Warum bist du müde? Why are you tired?

Questions with "Wie" (How)

• Wie geht es dir? How are you?

• Wie heißt du? What is your name?

Questions with "Wohin" (Where to)

• Wohin gehst du? Where are you going?

• Wohin fährt der Zug? Where is the train going?

Questions with "Woher" (Where from)

• Woher kommst du? Where do you come from?

• Woher hast du diese Information? Where did you get this information from?

Questions with "Welcher/Welches/Welche" (Which)

• Welcher Film gefällt dir? Which movie do you like?

• Welches Buch liest du? Which book are you reading?

• Welche Farbe magst du? Which color do you like?

Questions with "Wieviel/Wie viele" (How much/How many)

• Wieviel kostet das? How much does that cost?

• Wie viele Freunde hast du? How many friends do you have?

3. Indirect Questions (Indirekte Fragen)

Indirect questions are used for politeness or in formal writing. They follow a subordinate clause structure, meaning that the verb moves to the end of the clause.

Examples of Indirect Questions

• Können Sie mir sagen, wo der Bahnhof ist? Can you tell me where the train station is?

• Ich weiß nicht, wann der Bus kommt. I don’t know when the bus is coming.

• Ich frage mich, warum er so spät ist. I wonder why he is so late.

Relative Clauses in German

A relative clause (Relativsatz) in German provides additional information about a noun in the main clause. It functions similarly to relative clauses in English, using relative pronouns like der, die, das, welcher, welche, welches to introduce the clause.

Relative clauses in German are dependent clauses and always follow the verb-final rule, meaning that the conjugated verb appears at the end of the clause.

A relative clause connects two parts of a sentence by referring to a noun in the main clause. The relative pronoun must match the gender, number, and case of the noun it refers to.

• Das ist der Mann, der mir geholfen hat. That is the man who helped me.

In this sentence:

• Der Mann (the man) is the noun being referred to.

• Der is the relative pronoun that replaces der Mann in the relative clause.

• Geholfen hat (has helped) is placed at the end of the relative clause following German word order rules.

Relative Pronouns in German

The most common relative pronouns in German are der, die, das, and die (plural). They function similarly to who, which, that in English and decline according to gender, number, and case.

Relative Pronouns in the Nominative Case

When the relative pronoun is the subject of the relative clause, it takes the nominative case.

• Das ist der Mann, der hier arbeitet. That is the man who works here.

• Ich kenne die Frau, die im Café sitzt. I know the woman who is sitting in the café.

• Das ist das Auto, das mir gefällt. That is the car that I like.

• Das sind die Kinder, die draußen spielen. Those are the children who are playing outside.

Relative Pronouns in the Accusative Case

When the relative pronoun is the direct object in the relative clause, it takes the accusative case.

• Das ist der Mann, den ich gesehen habe. That is the man whom I saw.

• Ich kenne die Frau, die du getroffen hast. I know the woman whom you met.

• Das ist das Buch, das ich lese. That is the book that I am reading.

• Das sind die Kinder, die du eingeladen hast. Those are the children whom you invited.

Relative Pronouns in the Dative Case

When the relative pronoun is the indirect object of the relative clause, it takes the dative case.

• Das ist der Mann, dem ich geholfen habe. That is the man to whom I helped.

• Ich spreche mit der Frau, der du geschrieben hast. I am talking to the woman to whom you wrote.

• Das ist das Kind, dem sie ein Geschenk gegeben haben. That is the child to whom they gave a gift.

• Das sind die Freunde, denen wir geholfen haben. Those are the friends whom we helped.

Relative Pronouns in the Genitive Case

The genitive relative pronouns (dessen for masculine/neuter, deren for feminine/plural) indicate possession.

• Das ist der Mann, dessen Auto gestohlen wurde. That is the man whose car was stolen.

• Ich kenne die Frau, deren Haus groß ist. I know the woman whose house is big.

• Das ist das Kind, dessen Mutter Lehrerin ist. That is the child whose mother is a teacher.

• Das sind die Kinder, deren Eltern im Ausland wohnen. Those are the children whose parents live abroad.

Word Order in Relative Clauses

In relative clauses, the verb moves to the end of the clause.

• Ich kenne den Mann, der in Berlin wohnt. I know the man who lives in Berlin.

• Das ist das Auto, das mein Vater gekauft hat. That is the car that my father bought.

• Sie hat eine Freundin, die sehr nett ist. She has a friend who is very nice.

Using "Welcher, Welche, Welches" as Relative Pronouns

Instead of der, die, das, German sometimes uses welcher, welche, welches in formal writing. However, this is less common in everyday speech.

• Das ist der Mann, welcher in Berlin wohnt. That is the man who lives in Berlin.

• Ich habe das Buch, welches du mir empfohlen hast. I have the book which you recommended to me.

Welcher, welche, welches must match the gender, number, and case of the noun it refers to.

Omitting Relative Pronouns in German

Unlike English, where relative pronouns can sometimes be omitted ("The book I read" instead of "The book that I read"), German always requires a relative pronoun.

• Ich habe das Buch, das du mir gegeben hast. I have the book that you gave me.

• Ich kenne den Mann, den du gestern getroffen hast. I know the man whom you met yesterday.

Special Cases with Prepositions

When a preposition is required in the relative clause, it moves before the relative pronoun.

• Das ist der Mann, mit dem ich gesprochen habe. That is the man with whom I spoke.

• Das ist das Haus, in dem sie wohnt. That is the house in which she lives.

• Ich habe eine Freundin, auf die ich mich verlassen kann. I have a friend I can rely on.

Relative Clauses with "Was" and "Wo"

Using "was" for Indefinite Pronouns

Instead of der, die, das, German uses was for indefinite pronouns like alles, nichts, etwas, viel.

• Alles, was er gesagt hat, ist wahr. Everything that he said is true.

• Nichts, was du tust, überrascht mich. Nothing that you do surprises me.

Using "wo" for Places

For places, wo (where) is often used instead of in dem.

• Das ist die Stadt, wo ich geboren wurde. That is the city where I was born.

• Das ist der Ort, wo wir uns getroffen haben. That is the place where we met.

Combining Multiple Relative Clauses

Multiple relative clauses can be used to give additional details.

• Das ist der Mann, der in Berlin lebt und der ein berühmter Künstler ist. That is the man who lives in Berlin and who is a famous artist.

• Ich habe ein Buch, das sehr spannend ist und das ich dir empfehlen kann. I have a book that is very exciting and that I can recommend to you.

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