The Secret of the German Language Lesson 8: Today we have a special guest: That crazy German teacher...

The Secret of the German Language

• Lesson 8:• Today we have a special guest:• That crazy German teacher that wrote all of

these stories.• That’s right: Das Gesicht von Wahnsinn!• We go back to a lesson we had when we first

started learning German.• That makes today’s lesson really easy, right?


• Do you remember our “Vor und hinter” song?• Let’s sing it!• Okay, well there’s another version, a rhyme,

by the face of insanity!• Want to see it?


• He has a reason for saying “either/or position” at the end of the rhyme.

• Now you’re going to find out that secret, too!• So get out your preliminary notes and add

these prepositions.


• AC/DC Prepositions• An - on (vertically)• Auf - on (horizontally)• Hinter - behind• In - in• Neben - near/next to• Über - over• Unter - under• Vor - in front of/before• Zwischen - between


• The AC/DC means that these prepositions can be either accusative (NESE) or dative (MRMN).

• The essential idea is that if the sentence indicates motion/placement/action/transition the prepositions take the accusative (NESE).

• If the sentence just describes a condition or position, the prepositions take the dative (MRMN).

• “Dative is stative”

R E S EN E S EM R M N+n

S+s R S+s R

-e

-en

masculine feminine neuter plural

adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)

Accusative(Direct Object)

Dative(Indirect Object)

Genitive(Possessive)

So if you take the first one (an) you can have sentences like these:The teacher hangs the poster on the wall.The poster hangs on the wall.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




The teacher hangs the poster on the wall.The poster hangs on the wall.The first sentence shows a placement. The first sentence would therefore use the accusative (NESE)


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




The teacher hangs the poster on the wall.The poster hangs on the wall.So the first sentence would be:Die Lehrerin hängt das Poster an die Wand.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




The teacher hangs the poster on the wall.The poster hangs on the wall.The second sentence shows the condition or position of the poster without any placement. This uses the dative (MRMN)


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




The teacher hangs the poster on the wall.The poster hangs on the wall.Therefore the second sentence would be:Das Poster hängt an der Wand.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Now compare both:

Die Lehrerin hängt das Poster an die Wand.Das Poster hängt an der Wand.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




That’s why these prepositions can be AC/DC.

Die Lehrerin hängt das Poster an die Wand.Das Poster hängt an der Wand.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Let’s try some more:

Der Schüler legt den Bleistift auf d__ Tisch.Der Bleistift liegt auf d__ Tisch.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




The first is NESE and the second is MRMN.

Der Schüler legt den Bleistift auf den Tisch.Der Bleistift liegt auf dem Tisch.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




How about these:

Die Katze steckt den Ball hinter d__ Sofa.Der Ball steckt hinter d__ Sofa.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




If you know the gender of Sofa, you should get it.

Die Katze steckt den Ball hinter das Sofa.Der Ball steckt hinter dem Sofa.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




How about these:

Ich werfe das Papier in d__ Mülleimer.Das Papier steckt in d__ Mülleimer.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Since Mülleimer ends with –er, you should guess the gender is masculine.

Ich werfe das Papier in den Mülleimer.Das Papier steckt in dem Mülleimer.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Here’s some more:

Ich setze mich neben mein__ Freundin.Ich sitze neben mein__ Freundin.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Did you know the first sentence shows a type of placement but the second shows position? Ich setze mich neben meine Freundin.Ich sitze neben meiner Freundin.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




How about this one:

Ich hänge die Lampe über d__ Sessel.Die Lampe hängt über d__ Sessel.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Did you get this?

Ich hänge die Lampe über den Sessel.Die Lampe hängt über dem Sessel.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




How about this one:

Ich stecke die Maus unter d__ Kiste.Die Maus steckt unter d__ Kiste.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Getting easier yet?

Ich stecke die Maus unter die Kiste.Die Maus steckt unter der Kiste.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Okay, almost done.

Ich stelle die Tasse vor d__ Teller.Die Tasse steht vor d__ Teller.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




You got this right, right? Right?

Ich stelle die Tasse vor den Teller.Die Tasse steht vor dem Teller.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Okay, I’ve saved the best for last:Ich lege den Teller zwischen d__ Gabel und d__ Messer.Der Teller liegt zwischen d__ Gabel und d__ Messer.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Did you graduate from Cotillion?Ich lege den Teller zwischen die Gabel und das Messer.Der Teller liegt zwischen der Gabel und dem Messer.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Now try two translations:

The teacher (m) stands in front of the hard-working class.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)





This might be hard to translate. I might need more info.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)





Does the teacher walk in and position himself in front of the class?


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)





Or does this simply describe where the teacher is positioned?


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




The teacher (m) stands in front of the hard-working class. If we assume the former, you would have:Der Lehrer stellt sich vor die Klasse.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




The teacher (m) stands in front of the hard-working class. If we assume the latter, you would have:Der Lehrer steht vor der Klasse.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Last one:

The young baker walks into his old bakery.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




Here there is no doubt. There is motion.

Der junge Bäcker geht in seine alte Bäckerei.


• Now for today’s tip:• Just about every noun that ends in –o is

neuter: (Main exception: der Euro)• Ex: Radio, Kino, Büro• All gerunds (nouns made from verbs) are

neuter.• Ex: Das Deutschlernen macht Spaß.


S+s R S+s R

-e

-en


adjectiveEndings

Nominative(Subject)




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The Secret of the German Language Lesson 8: Today we have a special guest: That crazy German teacher...

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