The Secret of the German Language
• Lesson 7:• I know what you’re thinking:• Get off my CASE!• I think we’re making a lot of progress in this
CASE.• In fact, maybe I’ll give you all a big hug and a
CASE.
The Secret of the German Language
• Today we are going to venture into the dangerous waters of prepositional phrases.
• But all of you will survive with the help of those catchy songs I make you sing! ;-)
The Secret of the German Language
• In your G-10 preliminary notes write:• durch (through)• für (for)• gegen (against)• ohne (without)• um (around)• Take the accusative, don’t be dumm.
The Secret of the German Language
• Simply put, if you see any of these prepositions, the case used after is always accusative NESE.
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 have a sentence like:
He walks through the hallway.
You use NESE for “the hallway”
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)
He walks through the hallway.
Er geht durch den Flur.
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)
If you add an adjective, you still follow the crooked line rule:
Er geht durch den langen Flur.
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)
Try this one:
My big brother walks around the school.
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)
My big brother walks around the school.
Mein großer Bruder geht um die Schule.
Did you remember the adopted ending?
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)
How about this one?
Our wonderful father has a nice gift for our beautiful mother.
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)
Wow, did you get the two orphaned and adoped endings?
Unser wunderbarer Vater hat ein schönes Geschenk für unsere hübsche Mutter.
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)
How about this one:
The lazy student is against the stupid assignments.
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)
Of course, you’re not that lazy.
Der faule Schüler ist gegen die doofen Aufgaben.
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)
Here’s another one:
A bad student comes (to school) without his pen.
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)
Just ignore the school part for now.
Ein schlechter Schüler kommt ohne seinen Kuli.
The Secret of the German Language
• You’re doing so well, we’re going to expand your experiences to the next set of prepositions.
• Now we’ll look at those prepositions that take the dative case MRMN automatically.
• Write the following in your G-10 notes:
The Secret of the German Language
• aus (out/out of)• außer (except for/besides)• bei (at) (at someone’s place)• mit (with)• nach (after) (to/towards)• seit (since) in a time sense• von (from/of)• zu (to)• Take the dative, it is true.
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 see any of those words, you automatically use the MRMN line afterwards. For example:He comes out of the school.
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)
Er geht aus der Schule.And once again, any adjectives follow the crooked line rule:Er geht aus der kleinen Schule.
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 try this one now:
Everyone is here except for the ugly girl.
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)
Did you get the endings?
Alle sind hier außer dem hässlichen Mädchen.
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)
Try this one:
I’m staying with my best friend.
Use: at my best friend’s . . .
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)
How did you do?
Ich bleibe bei meinem besten Freund.
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)
Another good one:
I’m singing with my younger sister.
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)
Did you add the –en to “jünger”?
Ich singe mit meiner jüngeren Schwester.
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)
This one’s got a little trick to it:
After an hour I can go home.
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)
Did you remember that the verb comes in the 2nd position (after the prepositional phrase)?Nach einer Stunde kann ich nach Hause (gehen)
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)
Last one:
I go to the big store.
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)
Ich gehe zu dem großen Laden (Geschäft)
The Secret of the German Language
• Today’s tip:• All words that end in –ie are feminine:• Geographie• Most words that end in –ei are feminine:• Konditorei
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)
