Language/German/Grammar/Cases:-Nominative-and-Accusative

◀️ Plural Forms — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Numbers 1-100 ▶️

German → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Cases: Nominative and Accusative

Welcome to our lesson on the Nominative and Accusative cases in German! Understanding these grammatical cases is essential for forming correct sentences and communicating effectively in German. Whether you are ordering a coffee or chatting with a friend, mastering these cases will enhance your ability to express yourself clearly.

In this lesson, we will break down the Nominative and Accusative cases, explore their roles in sentences, and provide plenty of examples to help you grasp these concepts. After that, we’ll engage you with exercises that will reinforce your understanding.

Here’s what we will cover:

The Importance of Cases in German

In German, the way nouns and pronouns behave in a sentence depends on their grammatical case. This means that nouns can change their form based on their function in the sentence. The two cases we will focus on today are:

• Nominative Case: This is used for the subject of the sentence, the one performing the action.

• Accusative Case: This is used for the direct object of the sentence, the one receiving the action.

Understanding these cases is crucial as they affect articles, adjectives, and even verbs.

Nominative Case

The Nominative case is the simplest of the four German cases. It answers the question: Who? or What? It is used for the subject of the sentence.

Nominative Articles

In the Nominative case, the definite and indefinite articles are as follows:

Article Type	Singular	Plural
Definite Article (the)	der (masculine)	die (feminine)	das (neuter)	die (plural)
Indefinite Article (a/an)	ein (masculine)	eine (feminine)	ein (neuter)	-

Examples of Nominative Case

Here are some examples to illustrate the use of the Nominative case:

German	Pronunciation	English
Der Hund ist groß.	deːɐ̯ hʊnt ɪst ɡʁoːs	The dog is big.
Die Katze schläft.	diː ˈkaːtsə ʃlɛːft	The cat is sleeping.
Das Kind spielt.	das kɪnt ʃpiːlt	The child is playing.
Die Lehrer sind freundlich.	diː ˈleːʁɐ zɪnt ˈfʁɔ͜ʏntlɪç	The teachers are friendly.
Ein Mann läuft.	aɪ̯n man lɔɪ̯ft	A man is running.
Eine Frau kocht.	ˈaɪ̯nə fʁaʊ̯ kɔxt	A woman is cooking.

Accusative Case

The Accusative case, on the other hand, is used for the direct object of the sentence. It answers the question: What? or Whom?

Accusative Articles

In the Accusative case, the articles change slightly:

Article Type	Singular	Plural
Definite Article (the)	den (masculine)	die (feminine)	das (neuter)	die (plural)
Indefinite Article (a/an)	einen (masculine)	eine (feminine)	ein (neuter)	-

Examples of Accusative Case

Let's see how the Accusative case works in practice:

German	Pronunciation	English
Ich sehe den Hund.	ɪç ˈzeːə den hʊnt	I see the dog.
Sie hat eine Katze.	ziː hat ˈaɪ̯nə ˈkaːtsə	She has a cat.
Er isst das Brot.	eːʁ ɪst das bʁoːt	He eats the bread.
Wir kaufen die Bücher.	viːɐ̯ ˈkaʊ̯fən diː ˈbyːkɐ	We are buying the books.
Ich habe einen Freund.	ɪç ˈhaːbə ˈaɪ̯nən fʁɔʊ̯nd	I have a friend.
Sie sieht einen Mann.	ziː ziːt ˈaɪ̯nən man	She sees a man.

Key Differences Between Nominative and Accusative

To summarize, here are the key distinctions between the Nominative and Accusative cases:

• The Nominative case is used for the subject of the sentence.

• The Accusative case is used for the direct object of the sentence.

• Articles change:

• Definite articles: der (Nominative) → den (Accusative)

• Indefinite articles: ein (Nominative) → einen (Accusative for masculine nouns)

Practice Scenarios

Now that we've covered the basics, it's time to put your knowledge to the test! Here are some exercises to help solidify your understanding of the Nominative and Accusative cases.

Exercise 1: Identify the Cases

Read the following sentences and identify whether the nouns are in the Nominative or Accusative case.

1. Der Junge spielt mit dem Ball.

2. Ich sehe die Frau.

3. Die Blumen sind schön.

4. Er hat einen Hund.

5. Das Auto fährt schnell.

Answers:

1. Nominative

2. Accusative

3. Nominative

4. Accusative

5. Nominative

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences by filling in the appropriate form of the article (either Nominative or Accusative).

1. ___ Katze ist süß. (Nominative)

2. Ich kaufe ___ Buch. (Accusative)

3. ___ Lehrer erklärt die Aufgabe. (Nominative)

4. Sie sieht ___ Mann. (Accusative)

5. ___ Kinder spielen im Park. (Nominative)

Answers:

1. Die

2. ein

3. Der

4. einen

5. Die

Exercise 3: Translate the Sentences

Translate the following sentences from English to German, using the appropriate cases.

1. The child sees the dog.

2. I have a cat.

3. The women are friendly.

4. He buys a book.

5. The man is running.

Answers:

1. Das Kind sieht den Hund.

2. Ich habe eine Katze.

3. Die Frauen sind freundlich.

4. Er kauft ein Buch.

5. Der Mann läuft.

Exercise 4: Sentence Creation

Create sentences based on the following prompts. Use the correct case for the articles.

1. (The girl) / (the ball)

2. (A friend) / (the book)

3. (The teacher) / (a student)

4. (The cat) / (a mouse)

5. (The children) / (the toys)

Answers:

1. Das Mädchen sieht den Ball.

2. Ich habe einen Freund und das Buch.

3. Der Lehrer hilft einem Schüler.

4. Die Katze fängt eine Maus.

5. Die Kinder spielen mit den Spielsachen.

Exercise 5: Matching Exercise

Match the German sentences with their English translations.

1. Der Hund ist süß.

2. Ich sehe die Katze.

3. Die Männer essen.

4. Sie hat einen Apfel.

5. Das Mädchen spielt.

Answers:

1. The dog is cute.

2. I see the cat.

3. The men are eating.

4. She has an apple.

5. The girl is playing.

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing this lesson! You've taken a significant step in understanding how to use the Nominative and Accusative cases in German. Remember, practice makes perfect, so take time to work on the exercises and use these cases in your daily conversations.

Keep exploring the beautiful German language, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. Happy learning!

Table of Contents - German Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Sentence Structures

• Subject and Verb
• Noun and Gender

  ---

Greetings and Introduction

• Greetings and Goodbyes
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Definite and Indefinite Articles

• Gender and Articles
• Plural Forms
• Cases: Nominative and Accusative

  ---

Numbers, Dates and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Days of the Week and Months
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Conjugation

• Verb Forms
• Present Tense
• Separable Verbs

  ---

Family and Friends

• Family Members
• Talking About Your Friends

  ---

Prepositions

• Using Prepositions
• Two-Way Prepositions

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Food and Meals
• Drinks and Beverages

  ---

Germany and German-Speaking Countries

• Geography and Landmarks
• Cuisine and Traditions

  ---

Pronouns and Possessives

• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Booking a Trip
• Public Transportation

  ---

Modal Verbs

• Expressing Abilities
• Talking About Obligations

  ---

Shopping and Clothes

• Shopping for Clothes
• Buying Groceries

  ---

Music and Entertainment

• Popular Musicians and Genres
• Movies, TV and Literature

  ---

Adjectives

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative Forms

  ---

Health and Body

• Talking About Health
• Body Parts

  ---

Time and Temporal Prepositions

• Using Time Expressions
• Temporal Prepositions

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 ▶️