Appearance
Vocab: Body — A1 (2)
Body vocabulary at A1 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
der Rasierer — razor, shaver
Der Rasierer can mean a manual razor or, more generally, a shaving device. Its plural is unchanged: der Rasierer, die Rasierer.
Der Rasierer liegt im Bad.
The razor is in the bathroom.
liegt means is lying and im Bad means in the bathroom. Der Rasierer is nominative because it is the subject; im is short for in dem and marks a location.
Ich brauche einen Rasierer.
I need a razor.
brauchen means to need and einen means a. Einen Rasierer is accusative because it is the direct object of brauche; the masculine article changes from ein to einen.
Ich rasiere mich mit dem Rasierer.
I shave with the razor.
mich means myself and mit means with. Mit dem Rasierer is dative because mit always governs dative.
Die Klinge des Rasierers ist stumpf.
The razor's blade is blunt.
die Klinge means the blade and stumpf means blunt. Des Rasierers is genitive because it shows possession, and the genitive ending -s is added to the noun.
Im Laden gibt es viele Rasierer.
There are many razors in the shop.
im Laden means in the shop, gibt es means there are, and viele means many. Rasierer is plural without an ending; after es gibt, the noun phrase is accusative even though the plural form looks unchanged.
die Rasierklinge — razor blade
Die Rasierklinge is specifically the blade, not the whole razor. It is a feminine noun and forms its plural with -n.
Die Rasierklinge ist scharf.
The razor blade is sharp.
scharf means sharp. Die Rasierklinge is nominative because it is the subject, and ist stands in position two.
Ich brauche eine neue Rasierklinge.
I need a new razor blade.
brauchen means to need, eine means a, and neu means new. Eine neue Rasierklinge is accusative because it is the direct object; the feminine adjective takes -e after eine.
Ich schneide mich an der Rasierklinge.
I cut myself on the razor blade.
schneiden means to cut and mich means myself. An der Rasierklinge is dative because an describes the place of contact here, while mich is accusative as the person affected.
Die Farbe der Rasierklinge ist silbern.
The colour of the razor blade is silver.
die Farbe means the colour and silbern means silver. Der Rasierklinge is genitive because it identifies whose colour is meant; feminine genitive uses der without changing the noun.
Im Laden liegen viele Rasierklingen.
There are many razor blades in the shop.
im Laden means in the shop, liegen means are lying, and viele means many. Rasierklingen is the plural with -n; im marks the dative location.
der Rücken — back; back, rear side
For pain, German commonly says Rückenschmerzen haben, literally to have back pains. Body parts often appear with a possessive dative, as in Ich wasche mir den Rücken.
Mein Rücken tut weh.
My back hurts.
mein means my, and tut weh means hurts. Mein Rücken is nominative because it is the subject; the fixed expression wehtun uses weh at the end in this main clause.
Ich wasche mir den Rücken.
I wash my back.
waschen means to wash, and mir means to myself. Den Rücken is accusative because it is the body part being washed, while mir is dative to show whose body is involved.
Kannst du mir am Rücken helfen?
Can you help me with my back?
kannst du means can you, and helfen means help. Am Rücken means with or at the back and combines an with the dative article; mir is also dative because helfen takes a dative person.
Die Haut des Rückens ist sehr trocken.
The skin of the back is very dry.
die Haut means the skin, sehr means very, and trocken means dry. Des Rückens is genitive because it identifies whose skin it is, while Die Haut des Rückens is the nominative subject.
Nach dem Sport tun mir die Rücken weh.
After sport, my backs hurt.
nach dem Sport means after sport, and tun weh means hurt. Die Rücken is the plural of der Rücken; in ordinary speech, people usually mean the backs of several people here, and mir is dative for the person affected.
Auf dem Rücken des Buches steht der Titel.
The title is printed on the spine of the book.
auf dem means on the, das Buch is the book, steht means is written or stands, and der Titel is the title. Auf dem Rücken is dative because it describes a fixed location, and des Buches is genitive because it means of the book.
Der Rucksack liegt auf meinem Rücken.
The backpack is lying on my back.
der Rucksack means the backpack, liegt means lies or is lying, and meinem means my in the dative. Auf meinem Rücken is dative because the backpack is in a fixed location; Der Rucksack is the nominative subject.
die Schulter — shoulder
Die Schulter is the body part between the neck and the upper arm. For pain, German commonly uses Schmerzen in der Schulter or the verb wehtun; the body part can be accusative or dative depending on the verb.
Meine Schulter tut heute weh.
My shoulder hurts today.
Meine means my, tut weh means hurts, and heute means today. Meine Schulter is nominative because it is the subject; the separable verb wehtun appears as tut ... weh, with the finite part tut in position two and weh at the end.
Ich habe mir die Schulter gestoßen.
I bumped my shoulder.
Ich habe mir means I have, or I did to myself, and gestoßen means bumped. Die Schulter is accusative because it is the part of the body affected, while mir is dative because the action happened to me; the participle gestoßen goes to the end.
Der Arzt gibt meiner Schulter Ruhe.
The doctor gives my shoulder a rest.
Der Arzt is the doctor, gibt means gives, and Ruhe means rest. Meiner Schulter is dative because it is the recipient or affected body part, while Ruhe is accusative as the thing given; gibt stands in position two.
Die Form der Schulter ist normal.
The shape of the shoulder is normal.
Die Form is the shape and normal means normal. Der Schulter is genitive because it identifies whose shape is meant; ist is the finite verb in position two.
Nach dem Sport schmerzen meine Schultern.
My shoulders hurt after sport.
Nach dem Sport means after sport, and schmerzen means hurt or ache. Schultern is the plural subject, while nach always takes the dative; because the subject follows the introductory phrase, the finite verb schmerzen still remains in position two.
schwitzen — to sweat
schwitzen is a regular verb and normally takes haben in the perfect. The cause can be expressed with vor plus dative, as in vor Angst, or with a situation introduced by bei.
Ich schwitze in der heißen Sonne.
I am sweating in the hot sun.
heiß means hot, and die Sonne is the sun. in der heißen Sonne is dative because it describes a fixed location.
Wir haben beim Sport stark geschwitzt.
We sweated a lot during sport.
beim Sport means during sport, and stark means heavily or a lot. geschwitzt combines with haben and stands at the end.
Er schwitzte vor Angst.
He was sweating with fear.
vor Angst means from fear, and Angst is fear. schwitzte is the regular simple-past form and stands in position two.
Schwitz nicht so viel!
Don't sweat so much!
nicht means not, and so viel means so much. Schwitz is the informal singular command for du, whose pronoun is left out.
Wenn ich würde schwitzen, wäre mir zu warm.
If I were sweating, I would feel too hot.
wenn means if, and zu warm means too hot. In the wenn clause, würde is at the end and the infinitive schwitzen follows it in this construction.
Im Sommer werde ich schnell schwitzen.
In summer I will sweat quickly.
im Sommer means in summer, and schnell means quickly. werde is in position two, while the infinitive schwitzen goes to the end.
schön — beautiful, pretty; nice; nice, pleasant
Schön can describe appearance, as in ein schönes Bild, and can also mean nice or pleasant, as in schönes Wetter. Its comparison is regular: schön – schöner – am schönsten.
Der Garten ist schön.
The garden is beautiful.
der Garten means garden. Schön is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Sie trägt ein schönes Kleid.
She is wearing a beautiful dress.
trägt means is wearing and das Kleid means dress. Ein schönes Kleid is accusative because tragen takes a direct object; the adjective has -es after the neuter indefinite article ein.
Dieser Park ist schöner als der andere.
This park is more beautiful than the other one.
dieser Park means this park and der andere means the other one. Schöner compares two parks and is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; als introduces the comparison.
Im Frühling ist der Garten am schönsten.
In spring the garden is at its most beautiful.
im Frühling means in spring. Am schönsten is the predicative superlative with am; im is short for in dem and takes the dative for a time or location.
Das schöne Bild hängt im Wohnzimmer.
The beautiful picture is hanging in the living room.
das Bild means picture, hängt means is hanging, and das Wohnzimmer means living room. Schöne comes before the noun and takes -e after das; im Wohnzimmer is dative because in describes a fixed location.
Wir hatten einen schönen Abend zusammen.
We had a lovely evening together.
hatten means had, der Abend means evening, and zusammen means together. Einen schönen Abend is accusative because haben takes an object; the adjective has -en after einen.
Schön, dass du heute kommst!
It’s nice that you’re coming today!
dass means that, du means you, and heute means today. Schön is used predicatively in an idiomatic comment; in the dass clause, kommst goes to the end.
das Shampoo — shampoo
Shampoo is normally uncountable, so it has no plural when referring to the product. To count it, say eine Flasche Shampoo or zwei Shampoos only when you mean different products or varieties.
Das Shampoo riecht gut.
The shampoo smells good.
riecht gut means smells good. Das Shampoo is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb riecht stands in position two.
Ich kaufe das Shampoo.
I am buying the shampoo.
kaufe means am buying. Das Shampoo is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object, but the neuter article das looks the same in the nominative and accusative.
Ich wasche mir mit dem Shampoo die Haare.
I wash my hair with the shampoo.
wasche means wash, mir means for myself, and die Haare means the hair. Mit dem Shampoo is dative because mit always takes the dative; die Haare is the accusative object of wasche.
Der Geruch des Shampoos ist angenehm.
The smell of the shampoo is pleasant.
der Geruch means the smell and angenehm means pleasant. Des Shampoos is genitive because it identifies whose smell it is; the borrowed noun forms the genitive with -s.
Eine Flasche Shampoo steht im Bad.
A bottle of shampoo is in the bathroom.
eine Flasche means a bottle, steht means is standing or is located, and im Bad means in the bathroom. Shampoo is a mass noun here, so it has no plural; use a container or quantity expression instead.
die Stimme — voice; vote; vote
die Stimme can mean a person’s voice or a vote in an election. In the voting sense, common expressions include eine Stimme abgeben and Stimmen bekommen.
Die Stimme meiner Mutter ist sehr ruhig.
My mother's voice is very calm.
meiner Mutter means my mother’s, and ruhig means calm. Die Stimme is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb ist stands in position two, and the possessive phrase is genitive-like in meaning.
Ich höre die Stimme meines Lehrers.
I hear my teacher's voice.
hören means to hear, and meines Lehrers means my teacher’s. die Stimme is accusative because hören takes a direct object; meines Lehrers is genitive and shows whose voice it is.
Ich vertraue der Stimme meiner Schwester.
I trust my sister's voice.
vertrauen means to trust, and meiner Schwester means my sister’s. vertrauen takes the dative, so der Stimme is dative; the finite verb vertraue is in position two.
Die Farbe der Stimme passt gut zum Lied.
The tone of the voice suits the song well.
die Farbe is the tone or quality, passen means to suit, and das Lied is the song. der Stimme is genitive and means of the voice; zum Lied is short for zu dem Lied and is dative because zu always takes the dative.
Im Chor singen viele Stimmen zusammen.
Many voices sing together in the choir.
der Chor is the choir, viele means many, and zusammen means together. Stimmen is plural and is the subject; im Chor is dative because in describes a location.
Sie hat ihre Stimme abgegeben.
She cast her vote.
abgeben means to cast or submit, and ihre means her. ihre Stimme is accusative because abgeben takes a direct object; in the perfect, hat is in position two and the Partizip II abgegeben goes to the end.
Der Vorschlag bekam nur drei Stimmen.
The proposal received only three votes.
der Vorschlag is the proposal, bekam means received, and nur drei means only three. drei Stimmen is accusative after bekam; the plural has the ending -n, and the finite verb is in position two.
der Zahn — tooth; tooth; cog tooth
The plural of der Zahn is irregular: die Zähne. In everyday speech, people often say Zähne putzen without an article when speaking generally about brushing teeth.
Der Zahn tut weh.
The tooth hurts.
tut weh means hurts. Der Zahn is nominative as the thing causing the pain, and the separable verb wehtun appears as tut ... weh with the finite part in position two.
Ich putze den Zahn vorsichtig.
I brush the tooth carefully.
putzen means to brush or clean and vorsichtig means carefully. Den Zahn is accusative because putzen takes a direct object; the finite verb putze is in position two.
Der Zahnarzt gibt dem Zahn eine Füllung.
The dentist gives the tooth a filling.
der Zahnarzt is the dentist and eine Füllung is a filling. Dem Zahn is dative because it is the recipient or affected part, while eine Füllung is the accusative thing that is given.
Die Farbe des Zahns ist sehr weiß.
The colour of the tooth is very white.
die Farbe means the colour and sehr weiß means very white. Des Zahns is genitive after die Farbe, showing whose colour it is; the masculine noun takes -s.
Meine Zähne sind gesund.
My teeth are healthy.
meine means my and gesund means healthy. Zähne is the plural subject, with an umlaut and -e, so the plural verb is sind, not ist.
Ich habe morgens Schmerzen am Zahn.
I have pain in my tooth in the mornings.
morgens means in the mornings and Schmerzen means pain or aches. Am Zahn is short for an dem Zahn; an takes the dative for a location, while Schmerzen is the accusative object of habe.
Ein Zahn am Kamm ist abgebrochen.
One tooth on the comb has broken off.
der Kamm is the comb and abgebrochen means broken off. Ein Zahn is nominative as the subject; in the perfect, ist is in position two and abgebrochen goes to the end because abbrechen describes a change of state.
Das Zahnrad hat zwölf Zähne.
The cogwheel has twelve teeth.
das Zahnrad is the cogwheel and zwölf means twelve. Zähne is the accusative plural object of hat; the umlaut and -e must remain in the plural.
die Zahnschmerzen — toothache, tooth pain
This noun is used only in the plural: die Zahnschmerzen. German commonly says Zahnschmerzen haben, literally “to have tooth pains”; English usually says “to have toothache.”
Zahnschmerzen sind sehr unangenehm.
Toothache is very unpleasant.
sind means are and unangenehm means unpleasant. Zahnschmerzen is a plural-only subject, so the verb is plural; do not look for a singular form such as Zahnschmerz in ordinary learner German.
Ich habe Zahnschmerzen.
I have toothache.
habe means have. Zahnschmerzen is the accusative object of haben, and this noun normally appears without an article because it describes a condition; it has plural form but no singular meaning “one toothache.”
Der Arzt hilft mir bei Zahnschmerzen.
The doctor helps me with toothache.
der Arzt means the doctor and hilft means helps. Bei Zahnschmerzen is dative because bei always takes the dative; mir is also dative because helfen takes a dative person.
Die Ursache der Zahnschmerzen ist unklar.
The cause of the toothache is unclear.
die Ursache means the cause and unklar means unclear. Der Zahnschmerzen is genitive because it identifies what the cause belongs to; the plural-only noun has the same visible form in the genitive, with the article der showing the case.
Starke Zahnschmerzen können den Schlaf stören.
Severe toothache can disturb sleep.
starke means severe, können means can, der Schlaf means sleep, and stören means disturb. Starke Zahnschmerzen is a plural subject, so können is plural; the infinitive stören goes to the end after the modal verb.
der Zeh — toe
The plural of der Zeh is irregular: die Zehen. The common compounds are der große Zeh for big toe and der kleine Zeh for little toe.
Mein Zeh tut weh.
My toe hurts.
mein means my and tut weh means hurts. Mein Zeh is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb tut stands in position two.
Ich habe mir den Zeh gestoßen.
I stubbed my toe.
sich stoßen means to bump or stub oneself, and gestoßen is bumped or stubbed. Den Zeh is accusative because it is the body part affected; mir is dative and means to myself.
Der Arzt hilft meinem Zeh.
The doctor helps my toe.
der Arzt means the doctor and helfen means to help. Meinem Zeh is dative because helfen requires the dative, and the masculine possessive form is meinem.
Die Spitze des Zehs ist rot.
The tip of the toe is red.
die Spitze means the tip and rot means red. Des Zehs is genitive because it shows which toe the tip belongs to; the noun adds -s after des.
Meine Zehen sind kalt.
My toes are cold.
kalt means cold. Meine Zehen is plural, formed with -en and an umlaut; the plural verb is sind, not singular ist.
die Zehe — toe
The plural is die Zehen, with -n added to the singular. The usual body-part expression is sich eine Zehe stoßen, meaning to stub one's toe.
Meine Zehe tut weh.
My toe hurts.
tut weh means hurts. Meine Zehe is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb tut is in position two; weh is separated from tun in this expression.
Ich habe mir die Zehe gestoßen.
I stubbed my toe.
habe mir gestoßen means stubbed, and sich stoßen means to hurt oneself by hitting something. die Zehe is accusative because it is the object of gestoßen; the perfect uses haben, with gestoßen at the end.
Der Arzt schaut sich meiner Zehe an.
The doctor examines my toe.
der Arzt is the doctor, and schaut sich ... an means examines or looks at. This sentence is not standard German with meiner Zehe: the natural sentence is Der Arzt schaut sich meine Zehe an, where meine Zehe is accusative after anschauen; learners must not copy a genitive ending here.
Die Spitze der Zehe ist rot.
The tip of the toe is red.
die Spitze is the tip, and rot means red. der Zehe is genitive because it says whose tip it is, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Nach dem Schwimmen trockne ich meine Zehen.
After swimming, I dry my toes.
Nach dem Schwimmen means after swimming, and trockne means dry. meine Zehen is plural accusative because it is the object of trocknen; the plural is Zehen, not Zehe.
die Zunge — tongue; language; way of speaking
Zunge usually means the body part. It can also mean a language or way of speaking, but for that meaning German more often uses Sprache.
Die Zunge ist sehr empfindlich.
The tongue is very sensitive.
empfindlich means sensitive. Die Zunge is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Der Zahnarzt untersucht die Zunge.
The dentist examines the tongue.
der Zahnarzt means the dentist, and untersucht means examines. Die Zunge is accusative because untersuchen takes an accusative object; the finite verb is in position two.
Ich habe mir auf die Zunge gebissen.
I bit my tongue.
ich habe ... gebissen means I bit, and sich beißen means to bite oneself. Mir is dative for the person affected, while auf die Zunge is accusative because the fixed expression describes contact directed onto the tongue.
Die Spitze der Zunge ist rot.
The tip of the tongue is red.
die Spitze means the tip, and rot means red. Der Zunge is genitive after die Spitze and means of the tongue; the singular subject Spitze takes ist.
Katzen haben raue Zungen.
Cats have rough tongues.
Katzen means cats, haben means have, and rau means rough. Zungen is plural and accusative because it is the object of haben; the adjective takes the ending -e after the zero article.
Er spricht mit gespaltener Zunge.
He speaks with a forked tongue.
gespalten means forked or divided, and sprechen means speak. Mit requires the dative, so Zunge has the form Zunge after the feminine dative article der, which is understood here in the phrase.
Viele Zungen werden in dieser Stadt gesprochen.
Many languages are spoken in this city.
viele means many, werden gesprochen means are spoken, and diese Stadt means this city. Zungen is plural and nominative as the subject of the passive; werden stands in position two and gesprochen goes to the end.