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Vocab: Buildings — A2 (2)
Buildings vocabulary at A2 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
der Stock — stick, cane; storey, floor
In the stick sense, the plural is Stöcke with an umlaut. A Stock can also mean a storey or floor; that sense has the separate plural Stockwerke.
Der Stock liegt neben der Tür.
The stick is lying next to the door.
liegt means is lying, neben means next to, and die Tür means the door. Der Stock is nominative because it is the subject; der Tür is dative because neben describes a fixed location here.
Der Mann nimmt den Stock.
The man takes the stick.
der Mann means the man, and nimmt means takes. Den Stock is accusative because nehmen takes a direct object; the masculine article changes from der to den.
Er geht mit dem Stock.
He walks with the stick.
geht means walks or goes, and mit means with. Dem Stock is dative because mit always takes the dative; the finite verb geht stands in position two.
Die Spitze des Stocks ist scharf.
The tip of the stick is sharp.
die Spitze means the tip, and scharf means sharp. Des Stocks is genitive because it identifies which tip is meant; the masculine genitive article is des, and the noun adds -s.
Im Wald liegen viele Stöcke.
There are many sticks lying in the forest.
im Wald means in the forest, liegen means lie, and viele means many. Stöcke is the plural with an umlaut and -e; im Wald is dative because in describes a location.
Mein Großvater geht mit einem Stock.
My grandfather walks with a stick.
mein Großvater means my grandfather, geht means walks, and mit means with. Einem Stock is dative because mit always takes the dative, and the finite verb geht is in position two.
Wir wohnen im dritten Stock.
We live on the third floor.
wir wohnen means we live, and im dritten Stock means on the third floor. Im is in dem, and the dative is used because in describes a fixed location; dritten has the dative ending -en.
Der Aufzug fährt in den fünften Stock.
The lift goes to the fifth floor.
der Aufzug means the lift or elevator, fährt means goes, and fünften means fifth. In den fünften Stock is accusative because in expresses movement towards a destination; location uses the dative, as in im dritten Stock.
das Stockwerk — storey, floor
Stockwerk is a clear compound meaning a building level or floor. Its plural is Stockwerke, and its genitive singular is des Stockwerks.
Das Stockwerk hat drei Wohnungen.
The floor has three apartments.
hat means has, and drei Wohnungen means three apartments. Das Stockwerk is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb hat stands in position two.
Wir renovieren das Stockwerk.
We are renovating the floor.
wir renovieren means we are renovating. Das Stockwerk is accusative because renovieren takes a direct object; for a neuter noun, the article das looks the same in nominative and accusative.
In dem Stockwerk gibt es ein Büro.
There is an office on the floor.
in dem Stockwerk means on the floor, and ein Büro means an office. Dem Stockwerk is dative because in describes a fixed location; gibt es means there is, with the verb in position two.
Die Fenster des Stockwerks sind neu.
The floor's windows are new.
die Fenster means the windows, and neu means new. Des Stockwerks is genitive because it shows which floor the windows belong to; the neuter genitive article is des, and the noun adds -s.
Das Gebäude hat fünf Stockwerke.
The building has five floors.
das Gebäude means the building, hat means has, and fünf means five. Stockwerke is the plural and is accusative because it is the object of hat.
Der Aufzug fährt in ein anderes Stockwerk.
The lift goes to another floor.
der Aufzug means the lift or elevator, fährt means goes, and ein anderes means another. In ein anderes Stockwerk is accusative because in expresses movement towards a destination; the finite verb fährt is in position two.
die Stufe — step; stair; level; stage
Stufe can mean a physical step in a staircase. It is also used figuratively for a level or stage, for example in a language course or a system of classification.
Die Stufe ist sehr hoch.
The step is very high.
hoch means high, and sehr means very. Die Stufe is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich steige die Stufe hinauf.
I climb up the step.
steige ... hinauf means climb up, and hinauf means upwards. Die Stufe is accusative as the object or path of movement, and the separable verb places hinauf at the end of the main clause.
Er steht auf der Stufe.
He is standing on the step.
steht means is standing. Auf der Stufe is dative because auf describes a fixed location here; with movement onto a surface, auf would take the accusative.
Die Kante der Stufe ist kaputt.
The edge of the step is broken.
die Kante is the edge, and kaputt means broken. Der Stufe is genitive to show which step the edge belongs to, while ist remains in position two.
Die Treppe hat zwölf Stufen.
The staircase has twelve steps.
die Treppe is the staircase, and zwölf means twelve. Stufen is plural and accusative because it is the direct object of hat; the plural ending -n is part of the noun.
Der Kurs ist für die Stufe B1 geeignet.
The course is suitable for level B1.
der Kurs is the course, geeignet means suitable, and für means for. Für die Stufe B1 is an accusative phrase because für always takes the accusative; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Sie hat die nächste Stufe erreicht.
She has reached the next level.
nächste means next, and erreicht means reached. Die nächste Stufe is accusative as the object of erreichen, and the perfect uses hat ... erreicht, with the participle at the end.
das Terminal — terminal, passenger terminal; computer terminal
In transport, Terminal is a passenger building or area at an airport, station, or port. The plural is Terminals, not Terminale.
Das Terminal ist sehr groß.
The terminal is very large.
Sehr groß means very large. Das Terminal is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir suchen das Terminal für den Flug nach Berlin.
We are looking for the terminal for the flight to Berlin.
Wir suchen means we are looking for, der Flug is the flight, and nach Berlin means to Berlin. Das Terminal is accusative because suchen takes a direct object; the neuter article das looks the same in nominative and accusative.
Ich warte in dem Terminal auf meine Familie.
I am waiting in the terminal for my family.
Warte means am waiting, meine Familie means my family, and auf means for in this expression. In dem Terminal is dative because in describes a fixed location here, and warte is the finite verb in position two.
Der Eingang des Terminals ist dort hinten.
The entrance to the terminal is back there.
Der Eingang means the entrance, and dort hinten means back there. Des Terminals is genitive because it shows which terminal the entrance belongs to; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Die Terminals schließen um Mitternacht.
The terminals close at midnight.
Schließen means close, and um Mitternacht means at midnight. Terminals is plural and nominative because it is the subject; the plural noun has -s, and schließen stands in position two.
Das Computer-Terminal zeigt eine Fehlermeldung.
The computer terminal displays an error message.
Das Computer-Terminal means the computer terminal, zeigt means displays, and die Fehlermeldung means error message. The compound noun is nominative as the subject, and the finite verb zeigt is in position two.
Bitte melden Sie sich an dem Terminal an.
Please log in at the terminal.
Bitte means please, sich anmelden means to log in, and sich refers to the person logging in. An dem Terminal is dative because an describes the place of the action here; the separable verb anmelden splits into melden ... an in the main clause.
die Tiefgarage — underground garage, parking garage
Tiefgarage is a compound of tief and Garage and means a garage below ground level. It is feminine: die Tiefgarage, with plural die Tiefgaragen.
Die Tiefgarage ist heute voll.
The underground garage is full today.
ist means is, heute means today, and voll means full. Die Tiefgarage is nominative because it is the subject; ist stands in position two.
Ich suche die Tiefgarage.
I am looking for the underground garage.
suche means look for, and ich means I. Die Tiefgarage is accusative because suchen takes a direct object; the finite verb suche is in position two.
Wir parken in der Tiefgarage.
We park in the underground garage.
parken means park, and wir means we. In der Tiefgarage is dative because it describes a fixed location, not movement into it; the finite verb parken is in position two.
Die Einfahrt der Tiefgarage ist neben dem Hotel.
The entrance to the underground garage is next to the hotel.
die Einfahrt means the entrance, and neben dem Hotel means next to the hotel. Der Tiefgarage is genitive because it shows which garage the entrance belongs to; ist is in position two.
Die Tiefgaragen öffnen um sechs Uhr.
The underground garages open at six o'clock.
öffnen means open, and um sechs Uhr means at six o'clock. Die Tiefgaragen is the plural subject, formed with -n; the plural verb öffnen stands in position two.
das Treppenhaus — stairwell, staircase
Das Treppenhaus is the shared stair area inside a building, not one individual flight of stairs. The word is a compound of die Treppe and das Haus; its plural has the umlaut in Häuser.
Das Treppenhaus ist sehr hell.
The stairwell is very bright.
sehr hell means very bright. Das Treppenhaus is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist is in position two.
Ich sehe das Treppenhaus.
I can see the stairwell.
sehen means to see. das Treppenhaus is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the finite verb sehe stands in position two.
Im Treppenhaus riecht es nach Farbe.
It smells of paint in the stairwell.
riechen means to smell, and die Farbe means paint. im Treppenhaus means “in the stairwell” and is dative because in describes a fixed location here; es is a formal subject.
Die Tür des Treppenhauses ist geschlossen.
The door of the stairwell is closed.
die Tür means door and geschlossen means closed. des Treppenhauses is genitive because it means “of the stairwell”; the singular subject Die Tür takes ist.
Alte Treppenhäuser haben oft keinen Aufzug.
Old stairwells often do not have a lift.
alte means old, oft means often, and der Aufzug means lift or elevator. Treppenhäuser is plural and nominative as the subject, while keinen Aufzug is accusative after haben.
der Turm — tower
Der Turm ist sehr hoch.
The tower is very tall.
sehr hoch means very tall. Der Turm is nominative because it is the subject, and ist stands in position two.
Wir sehen den Turm.
We see the tower.
sehen means see. Den Turm is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the masculine article changes from der to den.
Wir stehen neben dem Turm.
We are standing next to the tower.
stehen means stand, and neben means next to. Dem Turm is dative because neben expresses a fixed location here; the masculine article changes to dem.
Die Spitze des Turms ist im Nebel.
The top of the tower is in the fog.
Die Spitze means the top, and der Nebel means fog. Des Turms is genitive to show possession, and the noun takes -s.
In der Stadt stehen zwei Türme.
There are two towers in the city.
die Stadt means the city, and zwei means two. Türme is the plural with an umlaut and -e; in der Stadt is dative because it expresses location.
der Waschraum — washroom; laundry room
In public places, Waschraum means a washroom or room with washing facilities. In a home, Germans more often say Badezimmer for a bathroom and Waschküche for a laundry room.
Der Waschraum ist im Erdgeschoss.
The washroom is on the ground floor.
Erdgeschoss means ground floor. Der Waschraum is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich suche den Waschraum.
I am looking for the washroom.
suche means am looking for. den Waschraum is accusative because suchen takes a direct object, and the finite verb suche is in position two.
Neben dem Waschraum gibt es eine Dusche.
There is a shower next to the washroom.
neben means next to and eine Dusche means a shower. dem Waschraum is dative because neben describes a fixed location here; gibt es means there is, with eine Dusche as its accusative object.
Die Tür des Waschraums ist verschlossen.
The washroom door is locked.
die Tür means the door and verschlossen means locked. des Waschraums is genitive because it expresses possession, and the masculine noun adds -s.
Die Waschräume sind sauber.
The washrooms are clean.
sauber means clean. Waschräume is plural with an umlaut and -e, so the plural verb sind is required rather than singular ist.
die Windmühle — windmill
A Windmühle is a mill driven by the wind, traditionally used to grind grain. The compound combines Wind, “wind”, and Mühle, “mill”.
Die Windmühle steht auf dem Hügel.
The windmill stands on the hill.
steht means “stands”, and auf dem Hügel means “on the hill”. Die Windmühle is nominative because it is the subject, and steht is the finite verb in position two.
Touristen fotografieren die Windmühle.
Tourists photograph the windmill.
Touristen means “tourists”, and fotografieren means “photograph”. Die Windmühle is accusative because fotografieren takes an accusative object; the finite verb is in position two.
Wir nähern uns der Windmühle.
We approach the windmill.
Wir nähern uns means “we approach”, and uns means “ourselves”. Der Windmühle is dative because the reflexive verb sich nähern requires a dative object; uns is the reflexive pronoun.
Die Flügel der Windmühle sind sehr groß.
The blades of the windmill are very large.
Die Flügel are “the blades”, and sehr groß means “very large”. Der Windmühle is genitive because it tells us whose blades they are; the plural subject die Flügel requires sind.
In dieser Region gibt es viele Windmühlen.
There are many windmills in this region.
In dieser Region means “in this region”, and viele means “many”. Windmühlen is plural accusative because es gibt always takes an accusative object, even though English uses “there are”.
der Ziegel — brick; roof tile
Der Ziegel can mean a building brick or a roof tile. The plural is unchanged: der Ziegel, but die Ziegel.
Der Ziegel ist schwer.
The brick is heavy.
schwer means heavy. Der Ziegel is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist is in position two.
Der Maurer hebt den Ziegel hoch.
The bricklayer lifts the brick up.
Der Maurer is the bricklayer and hebt ... hoch means lifts up. Den Ziegel is accusative because heben takes a direct object; the masculine article changes from der to den.
Sie gibt dem Ziegel eine neue Farbe.
She gives the brick a new colour.
gibt means gives, eine neue Farbe is a new colour. Dem Ziegel is dative because it is the thing receiving the colour, while eine neue Farbe is the accusative object.
Die Oberfläche des Ziegels ist rau.
The surface of the brick is rough.
Die Oberfläche means the surface and rau means rough. Des Ziegels is genitive because it means “of the brick”; this masculine noun adds -s in the genitive.
Die Ziegel liegen neben dem Haus.
The bricks are lying next to the house.
liegen means are lying and neben dem Haus means next to the house. Die Ziegel is plural and nominative because it is the subject; neben takes dative here because the sentence describes a fixed location.