the key to German . . .

meine

rdeinem

unser

den

ein

die

das

einem

keinen

dieses

If you put any of those words (der, eine, dieses, meiner, unser) in front of any word, which kind of words are we talking about? the dog a table this book my sister our house nou

ns

At primary school you learn that a verb is a ‘doing’ word. Nouns are always linked to the verb:

The shortest possible sentence is one verb and one noun (a pronoun maybe):

I sleep The cat sleeps

Other verbs demand more nouns: The dog eats the bone The boy sees the ball

Others, still more: The man writes the woman a letter The Grandad gives the boy a present

The functions of nous in phrases

In order to be able to express yourself clearly In order to be able to express yourself clearly in German, you need to be able to recognise in German, you need to be able to recognise which role each of the nouns plays in each which role each of the nouns plays in each phrase.phrase.

is it a subject?is it a subject?The person or thing doing the verb/actionThe person or thing doing the verb/action

Is it a direct object?Is it a direct object?The person or thing having the verb/action done to itThe person or thing having the verb/action done to it

Is it an indirect object?Is it an indirect object?The person or thing who/which is indirectly affected by The person or thing who/which is indirectly affected by

the verbthe verb

The difference from English

Journalists say that if a dog bites a man it‘s not newsworthy.Journalists say that if a dog bites a man it‘s not newsworthy.

But if a man bites a dog, it‘s a sensational story.But if a man bites a dog, it‘s a sensational story.

Man bites Dog!Man bites Dog!The headline would read:

subject

subject

object

object

subject verb object

In English the subject and object are easy to identify, because the subject is placed in front of the verb and the object after the verb. There is no room for flexibility.

Elephant wins

lotteryKing loses trousers!

SVO - language

... you ... you can‘tcan‘t tell that something is the subject just because it comes tell that something is the subject just because it comes first or before the verb, or that something is the object just first or before the verb, or that something is the object just because it comes after the verb. Unlike English, it is the form of because it comes after the verb. Unlike English, it is the form of the article (the / a), not the position in the sentence, which shows the article (the / a), not the position in the sentence, which shows which word performs which function: the role of the subject and which word performs which function: the role of the subject and which the role of the object.which the role of the object.

in German . . .

Der Mann beißt den Hund !

Den Hund beißt der Mann !

both sentences mean the same thing!

How do I work it out?

Use the verb and ask the questions:

1. who bites?

=answer gives you the subject

2. bites what?

= answer gives you the direct object

S

O

V

V

The boy his mum the present

different types of objects . . .

gives

who gives?

gives what?

What role does “his Mum” play?

She‘s the person to whom the present is being given – she is indirectly being affected by the verb and is therefore the INDIRECT OBJECT: “Something/Someone to whom something is being given or done or said, etc.”

Indirect object

“Something/Someone to whom something is being given or

done/said, etc.” In English you can use the word “to”, but you don’t always

need to – it is implied, in German you don’t need a word for ‘to’ at all. The boy gives the present to his mum The boy gives his mum the present

the indirect object

“Parents give £3,000 to Local School”

now you have a go . . .

“Boy tells Father Tall Story”“Queen presents

Granny with an award!” “Pupils

introduced to the

Mayor”

“30-year-old wrote Santa

a letter!”

telling the difference in German

case:

gender:

subject:

who ~?

(nominative)

direct object:

~ what?

(accusative)

indirect object ~to whom?

(dative)

masculine noun

der

ein

den

einen

dem

einem

feminine noun

die

eine

die

eine

der

einer

neuter noun

das

ein

das

ein

dem

einem

some practice: nom/acc?

1.1. ___ Kassette (f) ist kaputt___ Kassette (f) ist kaputt

2.2. Reparierst du bitte ___ Stuhl (m)Reparierst du bitte ___ Stuhl (m)

3.3. Hast du ___ Wagen gesehen? (m)Hast du ___ Wagen gesehen? (m)

4.4. ___ Haus (n) ist kalt___ Haus (n) ist kalt

5.5. ___ Lehrerin (f) ist krank___ Lehrerin (f) ist krank

6.6. Hast du _____ Uhr (f)?Hast du _____ Uhr (f)?

7.7. Ich werde _____ Pullover kaufen Ich werde _____ Pullover kaufen (m)(m)

8.8. Ich mIch möchte ___ Hund (m)öchte ___ Hund (m)

9.9. Wir singen ___ Lied (n)Wir singen ___ Lied (n)

10.10. ____ Bein (n) ist gebrochen [–my]____ Bein (n) ist gebrochen [–my]

Use the word for “the”

Use the word for “a”

rr nn mm

ee ee rr

ss ss mm

rr ee ss

nn ee ss

mm rr mm

. . . und nochmal . . .. . . und nochmal . . .1.1. Ich schenke ____ Mutter Pralinen zum Geburtstag (my).Ich schenke ____ Mutter Pralinen zum Geburtstag (my).

2.2. Schreibst du ______ Onkel _____ Karte? (your - m/ a - f)Schreibst du ______ Onkel _____ Karte? (your - m/ a - f)

3.3. Was hast du _____ Lehrer gesagt? (the)Was hast du _____ Lehrer gesagt? (the)

4.4. Ich habe _____ Bettler (m) zehn Euro gegeben.Ich habe _____ Bettler (m) zehn Euro gegeben.

5.5. ____ Weihnachstmann (m) gibt ____ Jungen (m)____ Weihnachstmann (m) gibt ____ Jungen (m) ____ Fußball (m). ____ Fußball (m).

6.6. Wir schenken ____ Tante (our) ___ Buch (a - n).Wir schenken ____ Tante (our) ___ Buch (a - n).

7.7. ______ Organisation (this - f) gebe ich nie wieder Geld!______ Organisation (this - f) gebe ich nie wieder Geld!

8.8. Bring ____ Pferd (the - n) etwas zu fressen.Bring ____ Pferd (the - n) etwas zu fressen.

9.9. Er wird ___ Geschichte (f) _____ Lehrerin (no) erzählen.Er wird ___ Geschichte (f) _____ Lehrerin (no) erzählen.

10.10. ___ Mann gibt ____ Frau ____ Rose (a - f).___ Mann gibt ____ Frau ____ Rose (a - f).

11.11. ____ Mutter schenkt ____ Kind (n) _____ Geschenk (a - n).____ Mutter schenkt ____ Kind (n) _____ Geschenk (a - n).

12.12. ____ Junge schreibt ____ Mädchen (n) ______ Brief (a - m).____ Junge schreibt ____ Mädchen (n) ______ Brief (a - m).