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Forming the Genitive
The genitive case affects articles, nouns, and adjectives.
Masculine and Neuter Nouns:
The article changes to:
des (for definite articles: the)
eines (for indefinite articles: a/an)
Most masculine and neuter nouns add an “-s” or “-es” ending in the genitive case (especially monosyllabic nouns). If the noun already ends in “-s,” “-ß,” “-x,” “-z,” or “-tz,” only add an apostrophe.
Feminine and Plural Nouns:
The article changes to:
der (for definite articles: the)
no indefinite article exists in the plural
Feminine and plural nouns do not change their form in the genitive case.
Examples of Genitive Forms
Case Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural
Nominative der Mann (the man) die Frau (the woman) das Kind (the child) die Kinder (the children)
Genitive des Mannes der Frau des Kindes der Kinder
Using the Genitive
Here’s how the genitive is used in sentences:
Showing Possession: The genitive typically comes before the noun it modifies.
Das Auto des Mannes ist teuer. (das au-to des man-nes ist toi-er) – The car of the man is expensive. (The man’s car is expensive.)
Die Farbe des Himmels ist blau. (dee far-be des him-mels ist blau) – The color of the sky is blue. (The sky’s color is blue.)
Die Kinder der Frau sind nett. (dee kin-der dare frau zint net) – The children of the woman are nice. (The woman’s children are nice.)
With Certain Prepositions: Some prepositions always take the genitive case. However, in modern German, these prepositions are often used with the dative case, especially in spoken language. The most common genitive prepositions are:
während (vay-rent) – during
trotz (trots) – despite
wegen (vay-gen) – because of
statt/anstatt (shtat/ahn-shtat) – instead of
außerhalb (au-ser-halb) – outside of
innerhalb (in-ner-halb) – inside of
Wegen, während, and trotz can sometimes be used with the dative case in spoken language.
Wegen des Regens bleiben wir zu Hause. (vay-gen des ray-gens blai-ben veer tsoo hau-ze) – Because of the rain, we are staying at home.
Während des Konzerts war es sehr laut. (vay-rent des kon-tserts var es zair laut) – During the concert, it was very loud.
Trotz des schlechten Wetters gehen wir spazieren. (trots des shlehh-ten ve-ters gay-en veer shpa-tseer-en) – Despite the bad weather, we are going for a walk.
With Certain Verbs (Rare in Modern German): Some verbs historically required the genitive case, but this is now very rare, and alternative constructions are preferred.
Alternatives to the Genitive
Because the genitive case is becoming less common, there are alternative ways to express possession or relationship:
Using “von + Dative”: This is the most common substitute for the genitive in spoken German.
Das Auto von dem Mann ist teuer. (das au-to fon dame man ist toi-er) – The car of the man is expensive.
Die Farbe von dem Himmel ist blau. (dee far-be fon dame him-mel ist blau) – The color of the sky is blue.
Using Possessive Adjectives:
Das ist sein Auto (that is his car) (instead of “Das ist das Auto des Mannes”).
Das ist ihr Kind (that is her child) (instead of “Das ist das Kind der Frau”).
Word Bank
Genitiv (gay-nee-teef) – Genitive case
Wessen? (ves-sen) – Whose?
des (des) – of the (masculine/neuter genitive article)
der (dare) – of the (feminine/plural genitive article)
während (vay-rent) – during
trotz (trots) – despite
wegen (vay-gen) – because of
Exercises
Change the articles and nouns in the following phrases to the genitive case:
der Mann
die Frau
das Kind
die Kinder
Translate the following sentences into German using the genitive case (where appropriate):
The car of the man is expensive.
The color of the sky is blue.
Despite the rain, we went outside.
Because of the traffic, we were late.
Rewrite the sentences from Exercise 2 using “von + Dative” instead of the genitive.
Create five original sentences using genitive prepositions.
Where appropriate, convert the sentences into alternative constructions with either “von” + the dative or the possessive adjective.
That completes Chapter 17! You now have a solid understanding of the genitive case, its formation, and its uses, as well as common alternatives. While it’s less frequently used in modern spoken German, understanding the genitive is essential for reading formal texts and recognizing grammatical structures.
Chapter 18: Compound Nouns (Zusammengesetzte Nomen)
German is famous for its ability to create long and descriptive words by combining nouns. These compound nouns, or Zusammengesetzte Nomen, are a fundamental part of the language and often offer a very efficient way to express complex ideas. Understanding how to form and interpret compound nouns will greatly enhance your vocabulary and comprehension skills.
What is a Compound Noun?
A compound noun is a word made up of two or more words (usually nouns, but sometimes other parts of speech) joined together to create a single noun with a new, specific meaning.
Formation of Compound Nouns
German compound nouns are typically formed by placing the constituent words directly next to each other, without spaces. The last noun in the compound (the “head noun”) determines the gender and case of the entire compound noun.
Examples of Compound Nouns:
das Buch (the book) + der Laden (the shop) = der Buchladen (the bookstore) (masculine, because “Laden” is masculine)
die Tür (the door) + der Schlüssel (the key) = der Türschlüssel (the door key) (masculine, because “Schlüssel” is masculine)
das Zimmer (the room) + die Nummer (the number) = die Zimmernummer (the room number) (feminine, because “Nummer” is feminine)
Order of Words in Compound Nouns
The order of words in a compound noun is usually from the most specific to the most general, with the head noun (the most general) coming last.
der Tee (the tea) + die Tasse (the cup) = die Teetasse (the tea cup)
das Haus (the house) + die Tür (the door) = die Haustür (the front door)
Connecting Elements
Sometimes, connecting elements are added between the constituent words to make pronunciation easier or to clarify the meaning. Common connecting elements include “-s-”, “-es-”, “-n-”, “-en-”, “-er-” and “-e-”.
die Liebe (the love) + das Lied (the song) = das Liebeslied (the love song) (connecting element: -s-)
die Sonne (the sun) + der Schein (the shine) = der Sonnenschein (the sunshine) (connecting element: -n-)
das Kind (the child) + der Garten (the garden) = der Kindergarten (the kindergarten) (connecting element: -er-)
Gender of Compound Nouns
As mentioned earlier, the gender of the last noun (the head noun) in the compound determines the gender of the entire compound noun. This is very important for using the correct articles and adjective endings.
der Tisch (the table) + die Lampe (the lamp) = die Tischlampe (the table lamp) (feminine, because “Lampe” is feminine)
das Auto (the car) + der Fahrer (the driver) = der Autofahrer (the car driver) (masculine, because “Fahrer” is masculine)
Examples of Compound Nouns in Sentences
Der Buchladen ist geöffnet. (dare booh-lah-den ist ge-öf-net) – The bookstore is open.
Ich habe den Türschlüssel verloren. (ihh hah-be den tüür-shlüs-sel fer-lo-ren) – I have lost the door key.
Die Zimmernummer ist 123. (dee tsim-mer-noo-mer ist ain-hun-dert tsvai-oon-dreißig) – The room number is 123.
Der Sonnenschein ist herrlich. (dare zon-nen-shine ist her-lihh) – The sunshine is wonderful.
Common Types of Compound Nouns
Noun + Noun: Buchladen (bookstore), Haustür (front door), Teetasse (teacup)
Adjective + Noun: Hochhaus (high-rise building), Großvater (grandfather), Schwarzbrot (black bread)
Verb + Noun: Fahrkarte (train ticket), Schlafzimmer (bedroom), Lesesaal (reading room)
Benefits of Compound Nouns
Conciseness: They allow you to express complex ideas in a single word.
Precision: They can be very specific and descriptive.
Vocabulary Expansion: Learning how to form and recognize compound nouns significantly expands your vocabulary.
Word Bank
Zusammengesetztes Nomen (tsoo-zah-men-ge-zehts-tes no-men) – Compound Noun
das Buch (das booh) – the book
der Laden (dare lah-den) – the shop
die Tür (dee tüür) – the door
der Schlüssel (dare shlüs-sel) – the key
das Zimmer (das tsim-mer) – the room
die Nummer (dee noo-mer) – the number
die Liebe (dee lee-be) – the love
das Lied (das leet) – the song
die Sonne (dee zo-ne) – the sun
der Schein (dare shine) – the shine
das Kind (das kint) – the child
der Garten (dare gar-ten) – the garden
Exercises
Combine the following words to create compound nouns:
die Schule (the school) + der Hof (the yard)
das Wohnen (living) + das Zimmer (the room)
der Berg (the mountain) + die Spitze (the top)
Determine the gender of the compound nouns you created in Exercise 1.
Translate the following phrases into German using compound nouns:
The schoolyard is big.
The living room is comfortable.
The mountain top is covered in snow.
The train station is crowded. (der Bahnhof – train station)
Break down the following compound nouns into their constituent parts and translate each part:
das Feuerzeug (the lighter)
die Geburtstagskarte (the birthday card)
das Schwimmbad (the swimming pool)
Create five original sentences in German using compound nouns.
Congratulations! This concludes our 18-chapter journey through German grammar. You now have a foundational understanding of the key concepts, including noun cases, verb conjugations, adjective agreements, prepositions, relative clauses, the subjunctive mood, and compound nouns.
Remember that consistent practice and immersion are essential for continued progress. Keep practicing, keep exploring, and keep enjoying the process of learning German! Viel Erfolg weiterhin! (Much success going forward!)
Chapter 19: Common German Idioms (Redewendungen)
Idioms are phrases or expressions whose meanings cannot be understood from the literal meanings of the individual words. They add color and personality to a language, but they can also be confusing for learners. This chapter will introduce you to some common German idioms, along with their meanings and examples of how to use them.
What are Idioms?
Idioms are fixed expressions that have a figurative meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the words they contain. They are often culture-specific and can provide insight into a language’s history and way of thinking.
Why Learn Idioms?
Improved Comprehension: Recognizing idioms will help you understand spoken and written German more accurately.
More Natural Speech: Using idioms in your own speech will make you sound more fluent and natural.
Cultural Understanding: Idioms reflect cultural values and attitudes.
Enrichment of Language: Idioms add richness and expressiveness to your vocabulary.
Common German Idioms
Here are some common German idioms, with their meanings and examples:
Da steppt der Bär! (dah shtepht dare bair) – “The bear is dancing there!”
Meaning: There’s a real party going on; it’s a lively and exciting event.
Example: Auf der Party steppte der Bär! (auf dare par-tee shtep-te dare bair) – The party was really rocking!
Den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen (dayn nah-gel auf dayn kopf tref-fen) – “To hit the nail on the head.”
Meaning: To be exactly right; to identify the core of a problem or issue.
Example: Du hast den Nagel auf den Kopf getroffen! (doo hast dayn nah-gel auf dayn kopf ge-trof-fen) – You hit the nail on the head!
Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei. (ah-les hat ain en-de, noor dee voorst hat tsvai) – “Everything has an end, only the sausage has two.”
Meaning: Everything comes to an end; even good things don’t last forever.
Example: Wir müssen jetzt gehen. Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei. (veer mü-ssen yetst gay-en. ah-les hat ain en-de, noor dee voorst hat tsvai) – We have to go now. Everything has an end, only the sausage has two.
Jemandem die Daumen drücken (yay-man-dem dee dau-men drü-ken) – “To press one’s thumbs for someone.”
Meaning: To wish someone good luck; to keep one’s fingers crossed for someone.
Example: Ich drücke dir die Daumen für deine Prüfung! (ihh drü-ke deer dee dau-men für dai-ne prü-fung) – I’m keeping my fingers crossed for your exam!
Das ist nicht mein Bier! (das ist niht main beer) – “That’s not my beer!”
Meaning: That’s not my problem; that’s not my concern.
Example: Ich kenne mich damit nicht aus, das ist nicht mein Bier. (ihh ke-ne mihh da-mit niht aus, das ist niht main beer) – I don’t know anything about that, it’s not my problem.
Ich habe die Nase voll! (ihh hah-be dee nah-ze fol) – “I have the nose full!”
Meaning: I’m fed up; I’m tired of it.
Example: Ich habe die Nase voll von deiner ewigen Beschwerde! (ihh hah-be dee nah-ze fol fon dai-ner ay-vi-gen be-shvayr-de) – I’m fed up with your constant complaining!
In den sauren Apfel beißen (in dayn zau-ren ahp-fel bai-sen) – “To bite into the sour apple.”
Meaning: To face an unpleasant task or situation; to bite the bullet.
Example: Ich muss in den sauren Apfel beißen und die Arbeit beenden. (ihh moos in dayn zau-ren ahp-fel bai-sen unt dee ar-bait be-en-den) – I have to bite the bullet and finish the work.
Die Katze im Sack kaufen (dee kat-se im zak kau-fen) – “To buy a cat in a sack.”
Meaning: To buy something sight unseen; to take a risk without knowing the details.
Example: Du solltest das Auto nicht die Katze im Sack kaufen. (doo zol-test das au-to niht dee kat-se im zak kau-fen) – You shouldn’t buy the car sight unseen.
Aus dem Schneider sein (aus dame shnai-der zain) – “To be out of the tailor.”
Meaning: To be out of trouble; to be in the clear.
Example: Nachdem ich die Prüfung bestanden habe, bin ich aus dem Schneider. (nahh-dem ihh dee prü-fung be-shtan-den hah-be, bin ihh aus dem shnai-der) – After passing the exam, I’m in the clear.
Leben wie Gott in Frankreich (lay-ben vee got in frank-raihh) – “To live like God in France.”
Meaning: To live a life of luxury and ease; to live the high life.
Example: Er lebt wie Gott in Frankreich mit seinem neuen Job. (air laypt vee got in frank-raihh mit zai-nem noi-en yop) – He’s living the high life with his new job.
Word Bank
die Redewendung (dee ray-de-ven-dung) – idiom
der Bär (dare bair) – the bear
der Nagel (dare nah-gel) – the nail
der Kopf (dare kopf) – the head
die Wurst (dee voorst) – the sausage
die Daumen (dee dau-men) – the thumbs
das Bier (das beer) – the beer
die Nase (dee nah-ze) – the nose
der Apfel (dare ahp-fel) – the apple
die Katze (dee kat-se) – the cat
der Sack (dare zak) – the sack
der Schneider (dare shnai-der) – the tailor
Gott (got) – God
Frankreich (frank-raihh) – France
Tips for Learning Idioms
Context is Key: Pay attention to the context in which the idiom is used to understand its meaning.
Don’t Translate Literally: Idioms rarely translate directly; focus on the figurative meaning.
Use Flashcards: Create flashcards with the idiom on one side and the meaning and example sentence on the other.
Listen and Read: Pay attention to how native speakers use idioms in conversations and written texts.
Practice: Use the idioms in your own speech and writing to solidify your understanding.
Exercises
Match the German idioms from the list with their English equivalents:
Da steppt der Bär!
Den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen
Das ist nicht mein Bier!
Ich habe die Nase voll!
a) That’s not my problem!
b) I’m fed up!
c) Hit the nail on the head
d) The party’s rocking!
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate idiom:
Ich kann dir leider nicht helfen, das ist __________.
Du hast genau das Problem erkannt, du hast __________.
Nach der langen Reise war ich total erschöpft, aber jetzt bin ich __________.
Translate the following sentences into German, using idioms:
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for your interview!
You have to bite the bullet and tell him the truth.
He’s living the high life in his new apartment.
Create five original sentences in German, using different idioms from this chapter.
Research other German idioms.
That completes Chapter 19 on common German idioms! I hope you enjoyed learning these colorful expressions and that they will add a new dimension to your German language skills. Remember to practice using them in your own speech and writing to truly master them.
Chapter 20: Ordering Food and Drink in German
Being able to confidently order food and drinks in German is essential for navigating restaurants, cafes, and bars. This chapter will equip you with the vocabulary, phrases, and cultural tips you need to have a positive dining experience.
Basic Phrases
Guten Tag! (goo-ten tahk) – Good day! (Formal greeting upon entering)
Hallo! (hah-lo) – Hello! (Informal greeting)
Einen Tisch für… bitte. (ai-nen tish für… bit-te) – A table for… please.
…eine Person (ai-ne per-zon) – …one person
…zwei Personen (tsvai per-zo-nen) – …two people
…drei Personen (drai per-zo-nen) – …three people
Haben Sie einen Tisch frei? (hah-ben zee ai-nen tish frai) – Do you have a free table?
Die Speisekarte, bitte. (dee shpai-ze-kar-te, bit-te) – The menu, please.
Ich möchte bestellen. (ihh möh-te be-shte-len) – I would like to order.
Was empfehlen Sie? (vas emp-fay-len zee) – What do you recommend?
Ich nehme… (ihh nay-me) – I’ll take…/I’ll have…
Für mich… (für mihh) – For me…
Als Vorspeise nehme ich… (als for-shpai-ze nay-me ihh) – For a starter I’ll have…
Als Hauptspeise nehme ich… (als haupt-shpai-ze nay-me ihh) – For the main course I’ll have…
Zum Trinken hätte ich gern… (tsoom trin-ken het-te ihh gern) – To drink, I’d like…
Schmeckt es Ihnen? (shmekht es ee-nen) – Does it taste good? (Asking someone else)
Es schmeckt sehr gut! (es shmekht zair goot) – It tastes very good! (Answering positively)
Die Rechnung, bitte! (dee rehh-nung, bit-te) – The bill, please!
Zusammen oder getrennt? (tsoo-zah-men o-der ge-trent) – Together or separately?
Zusammen, bitte. (tsoo-zah-men, bit-te) – Together, please.
Getrennt, bitte. (ge-trent, bit-te) – Separately, please.
Stimmt so! (shtimt zo) – Keep the change!
Auf Wiedersehen! (auf vee-der-zay-en) – Goodbye!
Food Vocabulary
das Brot (das broht) – bread
die Butter (dee bu-ter) – butter
das Salz (das zalts) – salt
der Pfeffer (dare pfeh-fer) – pepper
das Öl (das öhl) – oil
der Essig (dare e-ssihh) – vinegar
die Suppe (dee zoo-pe) – soup
der Salat (dare za-laht) – salad
das Fleisch (das flaish) – meat
das Rindfleisch (das rint-flaish) – beef
das Schweinefleisch (das shvai-ne-flaish) – pork
das Hähnchen (das hain-hhen) – chicken
der Fisch (dare fish) – fish
die Wurst (dee voorst) – sausage
das Gemüse (das ge-mü-ze) – vegetables
die Kartoffeln (dee kar-to-feln) – potatoes
der Reis (dare rais) – rice
die Nudeln (dee noo-deln) – noodles, pasta
das Dessert (das de-sair) – dessert
der Kuchen (dare koo-hen) – cake
das Eis (das ais) – ice cream
Drink Vocabulary
das Wasser (das va-ser) – water
mit Kohlensäure (mit ko-len-zoi-re) – sparkling water
ohne Kohlensäure (o-ne ko-len-zoi-re) – still water
der Saft (dare zahft) – juice
der Apfelsaft (dare ahp-fel-zahft) – apple juice
der Orangensaft (dare o-ran-zhen-zahft) – orange juice
die Limonade (dee lee-mo-nah-de) – lemonade, soda
das Bier (das beer) – beer
das Wein (das vain) – wine
der Rotwein (dare roht-vain) – red wine
der Weißwein (dare vais-vain) – white wine
der Kaffee (dare kah-fay) – coffee
der Tee (dare tay) – tea
mit Milch (mit milhh) – with milk
mit Zucker (mit tsoo-ker) – with sugar
Example Dialogue
Waiter: Guten Tag! Haben Sie reserviert? (Good day! Do you have a reservation?) You: Guten Tag! Nein, wir haben nicht reserviert. Einen Tisch für zwei Personen, bitte. (Good day! No, we don’t have a reservation. A table for two people, please.) Waiter: Bitte, folgen Sie mir. (Please, follow me.) (After being seated) Waiter: Hier ist die Speisekarte. (Here is the menu.)
(Later) You: Ich möchte bestellen, bitte. (I would like to order, please.) Waiter: Gern. Was darf ich Ihnen bringen? (Certainly. What can I get you?) You: Für mich, als Vorspeise eine Tomatensuppe und als Hauptspeise das Schnitzel mit Pommes, bitte. (For me, a tomato soup for a starter and the schnitzel with fries for the main course, please.) Zum Trinken hätte ich gern ein Bier. (To drink, I’d like a beer.) Und für meine Frau einen Salat und ein Wasser ohne Kohlensäure. (And for my wife, a salad and a still water.) Waiter: Sehr gern. Kommt sofort. (Very gladly. Coming right up.)
(After eating) You: Die Rechnung, bitte! (The bill, please!) Waiter: Zusammen oder getrennt? (Together or separately?) You: Zusammen, bitte. (Together, please.) (Waiter brings the bill) You: Stimmt so! Auf Wiedersehen! (Keep the change! Goodbye!) Waiter: Danke schön! Auf Wiedersehen! (Thank you! Goodbye!)
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