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German Student Dictionary — Part 7
Dictionary entries, alphabetical: Baum – behalten.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
der Baum — tree
Plural: die Bäume. Fun fact: Baumwolle ("tree-wool," the next entry) is literally built from this word. The dictionary's own example: "Lasst uns in den Schatten dieses Baumes gehen." (Let's go under the shade of this tree.) — note the Genitiv "dieses Baumes" (of this tree).
Nom Der Baum steht im Garten.
The tree stands in the garden.
der Baum (maskulin) = tree · der Garten = garden. "Der" — maskulin Nominativ. Baum is the subject.
Akk Wir pflanzen den Baum im Frühling.
We plant the tree in spring.
pflanzen = to plant · der Frühling = spring. "Den" because maskulin Akkusativ (der → den). Baum is the direct object.
Dat Die Vögel sitzen auf dem Baum.
The birds sit on the tree.
der Vogel = bird · sitzen = to sit. "Dem" because maskulin Dativ (der → dem) after "auf" describing a fixed position (no motion).
Nom Ein Baum wächst hier sehr schnell.
A tree grows here very fast.
wachsen = to grow. "Ein" — no ending before maskulin Nominativ, same pattern as "der."
Akk Ich sehe einen Baum am Fluss.
I see a tree by the river.
der Fluss = river. "Einen" because maskulin Akkusativ indefinite (ein → einen) — mirrors der → den.
Dat Die Kinder spielen zwischen den Bäumen.
The children play between the trees.
Plural Dativ: the article is "den" regardless of the word's original gender, and the noun itself adds "-n" (Bäume → Bäumen) since it doesn't already end in -n or -s.
die Baumwolle — cotton
From Baum (tree) + Wolle (wool) — literally "tree-wool." The fixed phrase "aus Baumwolle (gemacht)" means "made of cotton," used just like "aus Holz" (made of wood) — materials like this are usually named without an article. Plural is rare (Baumwollen), used only for distinct grades or varieties.
Nom Die Baumwolle wächst in warmen Ländern.
Cotton grows in warm countries.
die Baumwolle (feminin) = cotton · warm = warm. "Die" — feminin Nominativ. Baumwolle is the subject.
Akk Die Fabrik verarbeitet die Baumwolle zu Stoff.
The factory processes the cotton into fabric.
die Fabrik = factory · der Stoff = fabric. "Die" stays "die" in feminin Akkusativ. Baumwolle is the direct object.
Dat Das Hemd war aus Baumwolle.
The shirt was made of cotton.
The dictionary's own example. Dativ after "aus" (made of/from) — but Baumwolle is a material noun, so like "aus Holz" or "aus Gold" it usually appears here with no article at all, even though the case underneath is still Dativ.
Nom Eine weiche Baumwolle kommt oft aus Ägypten.
A soft cotton often comes from Egypt.
weich = soft. "Eine" — feminin Nominativ indefinite.
Akk Der Laden verkauft eine weiche Baumwolle aus Ägypten.
The store sells a soft cotton from Egypt.
der Laden = store · verkaufen = to sell. "Eine" — feminin nouns don't change between Nominativ and Akkusativ, so this looks identical in form to the Nominativ example above; only the sentence role differs.
Dat Designer experimentieren mit den Baumwollen aus aller Welt.
Designers experiment with the cottons from around the world.
Plural Dativ: the article is "den" regardless of gender. Baumwollen already ends in -n, so the noun itself needs no further change.
beantworten — to answer; to respond
Formed from "antworten" (to answer) plus the prefix "be-," which turns a verb that normally needs a preposition (antworten auf etwas) into one that takes a direct object (etwas beantworten). Related noun: die Antwort — see Part 3.
Beantworten Sie die Fragen 1–10 in Ihrem Buch.
Answer questions 1–10 in your book.
beantworten = to answer · die Frage = question. Formal imperative (Sie-form): the verb comes first, and "Ihrem" is capitalized because it's the formal "your."
Kann jemand die Frage beantworten?
Can someone respond to the question?
jemand = someone. With a modal verb (kann), the infinitive "beantworten" moves to the end of the sentence.
bedeuten — to mean
Regular verb: ich bedeute, du bedeutest, er/sie/es bedeutet, wir/sie bedeuten, ihr bedeutet. The fixed phrase "das bedeutet" means "that is to say" / "that means" — a handy filler when explaining something.
Was bedeutet das?
What does that mean?
bedeuten = to mean. The go-to question when a word or phrase is unclear.
bedeutend — great
From "bedeuten" (to mean) — best understood as "significant/important" rather than casual "great": it describes people or things of major consequence, not just impressive size.
Abraham Lincoln war einer der bedeutendsten Präsidenten der U.S.A.
Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest U.S. presidents.
der Präsident = president. "Bedeutendsten" is the superlative (bedeutend → bedeutendst-) with the weak adjective ending "-en" after "einer der."
bedienen — to run; to serve
Two common senses: to operate/run a machine, and to serve or wait on someone — like a waiter serving guests at a table.
Ich weiß nicht, wie man die Maschine bedient.
I don't know how to run the machine.
die Maschine = machine · wissen = to know (a fact). "Wie man ... bedient" = how one operates.
Zuerst bedienen wir unsere Gäste.
First, we serve our guests.
zuerst = first · der Gast = guest. Bedienen takes a direct object (Akkusativ) — unsere Gäste.
sich beeilen — to hurry
Reflexive verb: ich beeile mich, du beeilst dich, er/sie/es beeilt sich, wir beeilen uns, ihr beeilt euch, sie beeilen sich. The imperative "Beeil dich!" ("Hurry up!") is one of the most common phrases built from this verb.
Beeil dich!
Hurry up!
Informal du-imperative of "sich beeilen" — the reflexive pronoun "dich" is required even in the command form.
Wir beeilen uns, um den Zug zu erreichen.
We are hurrying to catch the train.
der Zug = train · erreichen = to catch/reach. "Um ... zu" = in order to; den Zug is the Akkusativ object of erreichen.
beenden — to finish
Regular weak verb: ich beende, du beendest, er/sie/es beendet — simple past beendete, past participle beendet.
Ich beendete meine Hausaufgabe um 10 Uhr abends.
I finished my homework at 10:00 p.m.
die Hausaufgabe = homework. Simple past (beendete), common in written narration.
der Befehl — command
Plural: die Befehle. The dictionary's own example: "Der Offizier gibt den Soldaten Befehle." (The officer gives commands to the soldiers.) — note "den Soldaten" is Dativ plural of the weak noun "der Soldat" (Soldat → Soldaten in every case but Nominativ singular).
Nom Der Befehl kommt vom General.
The command comes from the general.
der Befehl (maskulin) = command · der General = general. "Der" — maskulin Nominativ. Befehl is the subject; "vom" = "von dem" (Dativ).
Akk Der Hauptmann gibt den Befehl.
The captain gives the command.
der Hauptmann = captain. "Den" because maskulin Akkusativ (der → den). Befehl is the direct object.
Dat Die Soldaten gehorchen dem Befehl.
The soldiers obey the command.
gehorchen = to obey (always Dativ). "Dem" because maskulin Dativ (der → dem).
Nom Ein Befehl ist unmissverständlich.
A command is unambiguous.
unmissverständlich = unambiguous. "Ein" — no ending before maskulin Nominativ, same as "der."
Akk Der General erteilt einen Befehl.
The general issues a command.
erteilen = to issue/give. "Einen" because maskulin Akkusativ indefinite (ein → einen) — mirrors der → den.
Dat Die Truppe folgt den Befehlen sofort.
The troop follows the orders immediately.
folgen = to follow (always Dativ). Plural Dativ: the article is "den" regardless of gender, and Befehle adds "-n" → Befehlen.
die Begeisterung — enthusiasm
Usually used only in the singular, like most abstract nouns for feelings — the plural is rare and refers to separate outbursts of enthusiasm. The dictionary's own example: "Du zeigst große Begeisterung für neue Fächer." (You show a lot of enthusiasm for new subjects.)
Nom Die Begeisterung der Fans ist riesig.
The fans' enthusiasm is huge.
die Begeisterung (feminin) = enthusiasm · der Fan = fan · riesig = huge. "Die" — feminin Nominativ. Begeisterung is the subject.
Akk Der Trainer weckt die Begeisterung der Mannschaft.
The coach awakens the team's enthusiasm.
der Trainer = coach · wecken = to awaken · die Mannschaft = team. "Die" stays "die" in feminin Akkusativ.
Dat Man spürt es an der Begeisterung der Zuschauer.
You can feel it in the audience's enthusiasm.
spüren = to feel/sense · der Zuschauer = spectator. "Der" because feminin Dativ (die → der) after "an" describing where the feeling shows.
Nom Eine echte Begeisterung ist ansteckend.
A genuine enthusiasm is contagious.
echt = genuine · ansteckend = contagious. "Eine" — feminin Nominativ indefinite.
Akk Sie zeigt eine echte Begeisterung für Musik.
She shows a genuine enthusiasm for music.
zeigen = to show. Feminin nouns don't change between Nominativ and Akkusativ, so "eine echte Begeisterung" looks identical in form to the Nominativ example above.
Dat Der Kommentator spricht von den Begeisterungen beider Mannschaften.
The commentator talks about the enthusiasm of both teams.
sprechen von = to talk about (+ Dativ). Plural Dativ: "den" regardless of gender; Begeisterungen already ends in -n, so no further change. The plural here highlights two separate, distinct bursts of enthusiasm (one per team).
begeistert — enthusiastic
Past participle of "begeistern" (to excite/inspire), used as a predicate adjective: "begeistert sein von etwas" (Dativ) = to be enthusiastic about something. Related noun: die Begeisterung, above.
Die Schüler sind begeistert von dem neuen Lehrer.
The students are enthusiastic about the new teacher.
der Schüler = student · begeistert von = enthusiastic about (always Dativ).
beginnen — to start
Strong verb: regular in the present (ich beginne, du beginnst, er/sie/es beginnt, wir beginnen, ihr beginnt, sie beginnen), but irregular in the past — begann, hat begonnen.
Der Film beginnt um 19.30 Uhr.
The movie starts at 7:30 p.m.
der Film = movie. Beginnen pairs with a time expression using "um ... Uhr."
behalten — to keep
Conjugates like "halten": ich behalte, du behältst, er/sie/es behält, wir behalten, ihr behaltet, sie behalten — stem vowel a → ä in the du/er form.
Er behält das Andenken für immer.
He keeps the memento forever.
für immer = forever. "Behält" — stem-changing a → ä in the er/sie/es form. Das Andenken is the direct object (see next entry).
das Andenken — keepsake
Plural: die Andenken (unchanged, like most neuter nouns already ending in -en). Literally "thinking-of" (an + denken) — also glossed as memento or souvenir, for anything that reminds you of a person, place, or trip. Related verb: behalten (to keep), above.
Nom Das Andenken liegt auf dem Regal.
The keepsake is lying on the shelf.
das Andenken (neutrum) = keepsake · das Regal = shelf. "Das" — neutrum Nominativ. Andenken is the subject.
Akk Ich kaufe das Andenken für meine Mutter.
I am buying the keepsake for my mother.
für = for (always Akkusativ). "Das" stays "das" in neutrum Akkusativ. Andenken is the direct object.
Dat Sie erzählt von dem Andenken aus Italien.
She talks about the souvenir from Italy.
erzählen von = to talk about (+ Dativ). "Dem" because neutrum Dativ (das → dem).
Nom Ein Andenken erinnert uns an den Urlaub.
A keepsake reminds us of the vacation.
erinnern an = to remind of (+ Akkusativ) · der Urlaub = vacation. "Ein" — no ending before neutrum Nominativ.
Akk Wir kaufen ein Andenken am Flughafen.
We buy a souvenir at the airport.
der Flughafen = airport. Neutrum nouns don't change between Nominativ and Akkusativ, so "ein Andenken" looks identical in form to the Nominativ example above.
Dat Das Regal ist voll mit den Andenken aus vielen Ländern.
The shelf is full of souvenirs from many countries.
voll mit = full of (+ Dativ). Plural Dativ: "den" regardless of gender; Andenken already ends in -en, so the noun itself needs no further change.