Language/German/Grammar/Cases:-Nominative-and-Accusative
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| ◀️ Plural Forms — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Numbers 1-100 ▶️ |
Introduction
Welcome to the lesson on cases: nominative and accusative in German grammar! In this lesson, you will learn how to use the cases for nominative and accusative in basic sentences. Understanding the cases is essential for building correct and meaningful sentences in German. So let's dive in and explore this topic in depth!
Nominative Case
The nominative case is used for the subject of a sentence. It answers the question "who?" or "what?" is doing the action. In German, definite and indefinite articles change depending on the gender, number, and case of the noun. Let's take a look at the definite and indefinite articles in the nominative case:
Definite Articles in Nominative
In German, the definite articles in the nominative case are:
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| der | deɐ | the (masculine) |
| die | diː | the (feminine) |
| das | das | the (neuter) |
| die | diː | the (plural) |
Indefinite Articles in Nominative
In German, the indefinite articles in the nominative case are:
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ein | a, an (masculine) | a, an (masculine) |
| eine | a, an (feminine) | a, an (feminine) |
| ein | a, an (neuter) | a, an (neuter) |
| — | — | — (plural) |
It's important to remember that the indefinite article "ein" does not have a plural form. In the plural, no article is used in German.
Now that you know the definite and indefinite articles in the nominative case, let's see how they are used in sentences.
Accusative Case
The accusative case is used for the direct object of a sentence. It answers the question "whom?" or "what?" the action is being done to. In German, definite and indefinite articles change again depending on the gender, number, and case of the noun. Let's take a look at the definite and indefinite articles in the accusative case:
Definite Articles in Accusative
In German, the definite articles in the accusative case are:
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| den | deːn | the (masculine) |
| die | diː | the (feminine) |
| das | das | the (neuter) |
| die | diː | the (plural) |
Indefinite Articles in Accusative
In German, the indefinite articles in the accusative case are:
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| einen | a, an (masculine) | a, an (masculine) |
| eine | a, an (feminine) | a, an (feminine) |
| ein | a, an (neuter) | a, an (neuter) |
| — | — | — (plural) |
Just like in the nominative case, the indefinite article "ein" does not have a plural form in the accusative case.
Now that you know the definite and indefinite articles in the accusative case, let's see how they are used in sentences.
Using Cases in Basic Sentences
To understand how cases work in German, let's look at some examples of basic sentences using both the nominative and accusative cases:
Nominative Examples
1. Der Hund bellt. (The dog is barking.) 2. Die Katze schläft. (The cat is sleeping.) 3. Das Buch ist interessant. (The book is interesting.) 4. Die Kinder spielen. (The children are playing.)
In these examples, the definite articles "der," "die," and "das" are used in the nominative case to indicate the subject of the sentence.
1. Ein Hund bellt. (A dog is barking.) 2. Eine Katze schläft. (A cat is sleeping.) 3. Ein Buch ist interessant. (A book is interesting.) 4. — Kinder spielen. (Children are playing.)
In these examples, the indefinite articles "ein" and "eine" are used in the nominative case to indicate the subject of the sentence.
Accusative Examples
1. Er sieht den Hund. (He sees the dog.) 2. Sie füttert die Katze. (She is feeding the cat.) 3. Ich lese das Buch. (I am reading the book.) 4. Wir besuchen die Kinder. (We are visiting the children.)
In these examples, the definite articles "den," "die," and "das" are used in the accusative case to indicate the direct object of the sentence.
1. Er sieht einen Hund. (He sees a dog.) 2. Sie füttert eine Katze. (She is feeding a cat.) 3. Ich lese ein Buch. (I am reading a book.) 4. Wir besuchen — Kinder. (We are visiting children.)
In these examples, the indefinite articles "einen" and "eine" are used in the accusative case to indicate the direct object of the sentence.
Summary
Congratulations! You have learned how to use the cases for nominative and accusative in basic sentences. Understanding the cases is crucial for constructing grammatically correct sentences in German. Make sure to practice using the definite and indefinite articles in both cases to reinforce your understanding. Keep up the good work, and soon you'll be speaking German with confidence!
Videos
The German Cases | Nominative, Accusative, Dative - YouTube
Understand the GERMAN CASES - Accusative, Dative, Nominative ...
The German Cases | Nominative, Accusative, Dative - YouTube
German Cases | Nominative, Accusative, Dative - YouTube - YouTube
Sources
- The German Cases Explained In 5 Steps - I Will Teach You A ...
- German Nominative and Accusative cases + audio
- German Cases: Your Essential Guide | German with Laura
Other Lessons
- Declension
- Give your Opinion
- Questions
- Using Time Expressions
- Expressing Abilities
- Two Way Prepositions
- Noun and Gender
- Descriptive Adjectives
- Definite Articles in German
- Talking About Obligations
| ◀️ Plural Forms — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Numbers 1-100 ▶️ |