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Vocab: Buildings — B2
Buildings vocabulary at B2 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
das Altenpflegeheim — nursing home, care home
Altenpflegeheim is more specific than Altenheim: residents normally need regular nursing or personal care. It is a compound of Altenpflege (care of older people) and Heim (home or residential facility).
Das Altenpflegeheim bietet rund um die Uhr Betreuung.
The nursing home provides care around the clock.
bietet means provides, rund um die Uhr means around the clock, and Betreuung means care or supervision. Das Altenpflegeheim is nominative because it is the subject, and bietet stands in position two.
Die Familie sucht ein Altenpflegeheim.
The family is looking for a nursing home.
die Familie means the family, and sucht means is looking for. Ein Altenpflegeheim is accusative because suchen takes a direct object; the neuter indefinite article is ein in both nominative and accusative.
Sie arbeitet in einem Altenpflegeheim.
She works in a nursing home.
arbeitet means works. In einem Altenpflegeheim is dative because in describes a location, not a change of location; the finite verb arbeitet is in position two.
Die Leitung des Altenpflegeheims sucht Personal.
The management of the nursing home is looking for staff.
Leitung means management, and Personal means staff. Des Altenpflegeheims is genitive because it identifies which management; the singular subject Leitung takes sucht.
In Deutschland entstehen neue Altenpflegeheime.
New nursing homes are being built in Germany.
entstehen means come into existence or are built, and neue means new. Altenpflegeheime is plural because neue modifies several facilities; the plural subject makes the verb entstehen plural.
die Besatzungszone — occupation zone
Die Besatzungszone is mainly a historical term for an area controlled by a foreign power. It is especially associated with the division of Germany after 1945.
Die Besatzungszone lag im Osten Deutschlands.
The occupation zone was in the east of Germany.
lag means was located, im Osten means in the east, and Deutschlands means of Germany. Die Besatzungszone is nominative because it is the subject; im Osten is dative because in describes a location, and lag is in position two.
Historiker untersuchen die Besatzungszone.
Historians are studying the occupation zone.
Historiker are historians, and untersuchen means to study or examine. Die Besatzungszone is accusative because it is the direct object; the plural subject Historiker has no article, and untersuchen stands in position two.
In der Besatzungszone galten besondere Regeln.
Special rules applied in the occupation zone.
galten means applied or were valid, and besondere Regeln means special rules. In der Besatzungszone is dative because in describes a fixed location; the phrase comes first, so the finite verb galten still occupies position two.
Die Verwaltung der Besatzungszone wurde neu organisiert.
The administration of the occupation zone was reorganized.
die Verwaltung means the administration, neu means anew, and organisiert means organized. Der Besatzungszone is genitive because it specifies which administration is meant; wurde is in position two and organisiert closes the passive construction.
Die vier Besatzungszonen hatten unterschiedliche Systeme.
The four occupation zones had different systems.
vier means four, unterschiedlich means different, and Systeme means systems. Die vier Besatzungszonen is plural nominative because it is the subject, while unterschiedliche Systeme is accusative because hatten takes an object; the finite verb is in position two.
das Kraftwerk — power station, power plant
A Kraftwerk can use coal, gas, water, wind or another source to produce Strom. The compound combines Kraft, power, with Werk, works or plant.
Das Kraftwerk produziert Strom.
The power station produces electricity.
produziert means produces and Strom means electricity. Das Kraftwerk is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb produziert stands in position two.
Die Stadt baut ein neues Kraftwerk.
The city is building a new power station.
die Stadt is the city, baut means builds, and neu means new. Ein neues Kraftwerk is accusative because bauen takes a direct object; the adjective has the ending -es after ein with a neuter noun.
Viele Menschen wohnen neben dem Kraftwerk.
Many people live next to the power station.
viele Menschen means many people, wohnen means live, and neben means next to. Dem Kraftwerk is dative because neben describes a fixed location here; the finite verb wohnen is in position two.
Der Bau des Kraftwerks kostet viel Geld.
The construction of the power station costs a lot of money.
der Bau is the construction, kostet means costs, and viel Geld means a lot of money. Des Kraftwerks is genitive because it identifies which construction is meant; the noun takes -s in this form.
In Deutschland gibt es viele Kraftwerke.
There are many power stations in Germany.
in Deutschland means in Germany, viele means many, and gibt es means there are. Viele Kraftwerke is accusative because the fixed expression es gibt takes an accusative object, although its English translation uses there are.
der Mauerbau — wall construction; building of a wall
Mauerbau can mean the activity of building a wall or a major wall-building project. In historical contexts, it often refers to the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Der Mauerbau begann im August 1961.
Construction of the Wall began in August 1961.
begann means began and im August 1961 means in August 1961. Der Mauerbau is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb begann stands in position two.
Historiker untersuchen den Mauerbau.
Historians are studying the construction of the Wall.
Historiker means historians and untersuchen means study or investigate. Den Mauerbau is accusative because untersuchen takes a direct object.
Nach dem Mauerbau veränderte sich die Stadt.
After the construction of the Wall, the city changed.
nach means after, veränderte sich means changed, and die Stadt means the city. Dem Mauerbau is dative because nach always takes the dative.
Die Folgen des Mauerbaus waren schwerwiegend.
The consequences of the construction of the Wall were serious.
die Folgen means the consequences and schwerwiegend means serious or far-reaching. Des Mauerbaus is genitive because it identifies the construction whose consequences are discussed; Bau takes -s.
Die Mauerbauten stehen heute unter Denkmalschutz.
The wall constructions are protected as historic monuments today.
heute means today, unter Denkmalschutz stehen means be protected as historic monuments, and Denkmalschutz means heritage protection. Die Mauerbauten is plural nominative because it is the subject.
die Modernisierung — modernization; the process of making something more modern
Modernisierung is often used for buildings, public transport, technology or organisations. It can involve new equipment, updated design or improved systems; it does not necessarily mean rebuilding everything.
Die Modernisierung des Bahnhofs beginnt im Frühjahr.
The modernization of the railway station begins in spring.
des Bahnhofs means of the railway station, beginnt means begins, and im Frühjahr means in spring. Die Modernisierung is nominative because it is the subject, while des Bahnhofs is genitive to identify what is being modernized; the finite verb beginnt stands in position two.
Die Stadt finanziert die Modernisierung der Schulen.
The city is financing the modernization of the schools.
die Stadt means the city, finanziert means finances, and der Schulen means of the schools. Die Modernisierung is accusative because finanzieren takes a direct object; der Schulen is genitive and specifies which modernization is meant.
Wir stehen einer Modernisierung der Straßen offen gegenüber.
We are open to modernization of the roads.
offen gegenüberstehen means to be open to, and der Straßen means of the roads. Einer Modernisierung is dative because the expression offen gegenüberstehen takes a dative object; der Straßen is genitive and identifies the roads being modernized.
Die Kosten der Modernisierung sind sehr hoch.
The costs of the modernization are very high.
die Kosten means the costs, and sehr hoch means very high. Der Modernisierung is genitive after die Kosten to show what the costs are for; the finite verb sind stands in position two.
In vielen Städten laufen mehrere Modernisierungen gleichzeitig.
In many cities, several modernization projects are under way at the same time.
in vielen Städten means in many cities, laufen means are under way, and gleichzeitig means at the same time. Modernisierungen is plural and the subject of laufen; in forces the dative here because it describes a location, shown by vielen Städten.
der Tagungsraum — conference room, meeting room
Tagung means a conference or convention, so Tagungsraum is more formal than the everyday Besprechungsraum. It is commonly used for rooms in hotels, universities, and conference centres.
Der Tagungsraum ist für die Konferenz vorbereitet.
The conference room is prepared for the conference.
vorbereitet means prepared, and die Konferenz means the conference. Der Tagungsraum is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Die Organisatoren suchen einen größeren Tagungsraum.
The organisers are looking for a larger conference room.
die Organisatoren are the organisers, and größer means larger. Einen größeren Tagungsraum is accusative because suchen takes a direct object; the adjective has -en after the accusative article einen.
In diesem Tagungsraum findet die Sitzung statt.
The meeting is taking place in this conference room.
die Sitzung means the meeting, and stattfinden means take place. In diesem Tagungsraum is dative because in describes a location; the separable verb stattfinden puts findet in position two and statt at the end.
Die Tür des Tagungsraums ist verschlossen.
The door of the conference room is locked.
die Tür means the door, and verschlossen means locked. Des Tagungsraums is genitive because it identifies which door is meant, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Die Tagungsräume sind mit moderner Technik ausgestattet.
The conference rooms are equipped with modern technology.
moderne Technik means modern technology, and ausgestattet means equipped. Die Tagungsräume is nominative plural because it is the subject; the finite verb sind is in position two.
der Tor — fool, simpleton
This Tor is the masculine noun meaning a fool and is literary or old-fashioned. Do not confuse it with neuter das Tor, meaning a gate or a goal; der Tor is a weak masculine noun and has Toren in the plural.
Der Tor glaubt ihm sofort.
The fool believes him immediately.
glaubt means believes, and sofort means immediately. Der Tor is nominative because it is the subject; this noun is a weak masculine noun, but nominative singular has no -en ending.
Alle halten ihn für einen Toren.
Everyone considers him a fool.
alle means everyone, halten means consider, and für means for or as. Einen Toren is accusative after für; as a weak masculine noun, Tor becomes Toren outside the nominative singular.
Niemand hilft dem Toren.
Nobody helps the fool.
niemand means nobody, and hilft means helps. Dem Toren is dative because helfen always takes a dative person; the weak noun ending -en is required.
Die Naivität des Toren ist erschreckend.
The fool’s naivety is frightening.
die Naivität means naivety, and erschreckend means frightening. Des Toren is genitive because it shows whose naivety is meant; both the article and the weak noun ending must be used.
Die Toren lachen über ihren Fehler.
The fools laugh about their mistake.
lachen means laugh, über means about, and der Fehler is the mistake. Toren is the plural of der Tor and keeps the weak ending -en; über ihren Fehler is an accusative phrase because über means about here.