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Vocab: Countries & languages — A1 (2)
Countries & languages vocabulary at A1 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
Irland — Ireland
Irland is normally used without an article. Use nach Irland for movement to Ireland and in Irland for a location.
Wir fliegen im Sommer nach Irland.
We are flying to Ireland in summer.
fliegen means to fly, im Sommer means in summer, and nach means to or to a country. nach Irland expresses movement towards a country, while the finite verb fliegen stands in position two.
Meine Schwester lebt seit drei Jahren in Irland.
My sister has lived in Ireland for three years.
meine Schwester means my sister, lebt means lives, and seit drei Jahren means for three years. in Irland describes a location and therefore uses the dative after in; the finite verb lebt stands in position two.
Island — Iceland
Island is the German name for Iceland. It is a country name and normally appears without an article, for example after nach or in.
Im Sommer fliegen wir nach Island.
In summer we are flying to Iceland.
der Sommer means summer, fliegen means to fly, and nach means to. Nach Island expresses movement to a country and uses nach without an article; the finite verb fliegen is in position two.
Island ist für seine Vulkane bekannt.
Iceland is known for its volcanoes.
bekannt means known, and der Vulkan means volcano. Island is the nominative subject, and ist stands in position two; für seine Vulkane means for its volcanoes.
Italien — Italy
Italien is the German name for Italy. It is a country name and normally appears without an article, including after nach and in.
Wir fahren im August nach Italien.
We are travelling to Italy in August.
fahren means to travel or drive, der August means August, and nach means to. Nach Italien expresses movement to a country and uses nach without an article; the finite verb fahren is in position two.
Italien ist berühmt für seine Küche.
Italy is famous for its cuisine.
berühmt means famous, für means for, and die Küche means cuisine or cooking. Italien is the nominative subject, while für seine Küche is an accusative phrase because für always takes the accusative.
der Italiener — Italian man; Italian
Italiener means an Italian man and can also refer generally to an Italian person when the context is clear. The feminine form is Italienerin, and the plural Italiener can mean Italian men or Italians generally.
Der Italiener kommt aus Rom.
The Italian man comes from Rome.
kommt means comes, and aus Rom means from Rome. Der Italiener is the nominative subject, and the finite verb kommt stands in position two.
Ich treffe den Italiener am Bahnhof.
I am meeting the Italian man at the station.
treffe means meet, der Bahnhof means railway station, and am means at the. Den Italiener is accusative because treffen takes a direct object; am Bahnhof is a separate location phrase.
Ich helfe dem Italiener mit dem Koffer.
I am helping the Italian man with the suitcase.
helfe means help, der Koffer means suitcase, and mit means with. Dem Italiener is dative because helfen takes a dative person; mit dem Koffer is also dative because mit always takes the dative.
Das Auto des Italieners steht vor dem Haus.
The Italian man's car is in front of the house.
das Auto means car, steht means is standing or is located, and vor dem Haus means in front of the house. Des Italieners is genitive to show possession, and the noun adds -s in this form.
Viele Italiener sprechen Englisch.
Many Italians speak English.
viele means many, sprechen means speak, and Englisch means English. Italiener is the plural with no ending change; the plural subject makes the verb sprechen plural.
die Italienerin — Italian woman
Italienerin means a woman from Italy. It is the feminine form corresponding to Italiener; its plural is Italienerinnen.
Die Italienerin arbeitet in Berlin.
The Italian woman works in Berlin.
arbeitet means works, and in Berlin means in Berlin. Die Italienerin is the nominative subject, and the finite verb arbeitet stands in position two.
Ich kenne die Italienerin aus dem Kurs.
I know the Italian woman from the course.
kenne means know, aus means from, and der Kurs means course. Die Italienerin is accusative because kennen takes a direct object; aus dem Kurs is a separate phrase meaning from the course.
Ich spreche mit der Italienerin.
I am speaking with the Italian woman.
spreche means speak, and mit means with. Der Italienerin is dative because mit always takes the dative; the finite verb spreche is in position two.
Das Handy der Italienerin liegt auf dem Tisch.
The Italian woman's mobile phone is lying on the table.
das Handy means mobile phone, liegt means is lying, and auf dem Tisch means on the table. Der Italienerin is genitive to show possession; with a feminine noun, the noun itself does not add an ending.
Drei Italienerinnen besuchen das Museum.
Three Italian women are visiting the museum.
drei means three, besuchen means visit, and das Museum means museum. Italienerinnen is plural after drei, and the plural subject requires the verb besuchen rather than singular besucht.
italienisch — Italian; Italian-style
italienisch can describe something from Italy or food and cooking in an Italian style. As a language name, the noun is Italienisch with a capital letter, while the adjective remains lowercase.
Die Küche ist italienisch.
The cuisine is Italian.
die Küche means cuisine. Italienisch describes the subject die Küche and stands after the verb ist because this is a predicative adjective; it has no ending in this position.
Wir essen heute italienische Küche.
We are having Italian cuisine today.
heute means today and essen means to eat; die Küche means cuisine. italienische stands before the feminine accusative noun Küche, so it takes the ending -e after essen takes the object.
Diese Soße schmeckt italienischer als die andere.
This sauce tastes more Italian than the other one.
diese Soße means this sauce, schmecken means to taste, and die andere means the other one. italienischer is the comparative and als introduces the thing being compared; the adjective follows schmeckt here.
Das ist die italienischste Pizza auf der Karte.
That is the most Italian pizza on the menu.
die Pizza means the pizza, and auf der Karte means on the menu. italienischste is the superlative before a feminine noun and therefore has the ending -ste plus the adjective ending -e; ist is in position two.
Ich lerne italienisch.
I am learning Italian.
lernen means to learn. Here italienisch describes how or what language I learn and is used without a noun ending; the finite verb lerne is in position two.
Sie kocht gern italienisch.
She likes cooking Italian food.
kochen means to cook and gern means gladly or likes doing something. italienisch is used adverbially to describe the style of cooking, so it has no adjective ending; kocht stands in position two.
das Italienisch — Italian (language)
das Italienisch names the Italian language and is a singular mass noun, so it normally has no plural. Do not confuse it with lowercase italienisch, the adjective meaning Italian.
Italienisch klingt schön.
Italian sounds beautiful.
klingt schön means sounds beautiful. Italienisch is the nominative subject, and the finite verb klingt stands in position two; language names are often used without an article.
Ich lerne Italienisch.
I am learning Italian.
lernen means to learn. Italienisch is an accusative object because lernen takes the thing learned as its object, but the article is normally omitted with a language name.
Mit dem Italienisch aus diesem Kurs komme ich gut zurecht.
I manage well with the Italian from this course.
aus diesem Kurs means from this course, and gut zurechtkommen means to manage well. mit always takes the dative, so dem Italienisch is dative; the separable verb zurechtkommen has komme in position two and zurecht at the end.
Die Grammatik des Italienischs ist nicht einfach.
The grammar of Italian is not easy.
die Grammatik means grammar and nicht einfach means not easy. des Italienischs is genitive because it identifies whose grammar is meant; ist remains in position two.
Wir sprechen Italienisch im Urlaub.
We speak Italian on holiday.
sprechen means to speak and im Urlaub means on holiday. Italienisch names the language and normally has no article after sprechen; the finite verb sprechen is in position two.
Mein Bruder versteht schon viel Italienisch.
My brother already understands a lot of Italian.
mein Bruder means my brother, verstehen means to understand, and schon viel means already a lot. Italienisch is the language understood and is an accusative object, while the finite verb versteht stands in position two.
Japan — Japan
Japan is a country name used without an article in standard German. Use nach Japan for movement to the country and in Japan for location there.
Japan liegt in Ostasien.
Japan is in East Asia.
liegt means is located, and Ostasien means East Asia. Japan is the subject and normally has no article; the finite verb liegt stands in position two.
Wir fliegen im Sommer nach Japan.
We are flying to Japan in summer.
fliegen means fly, im Sommer means in summer, and nach means to when used with countries without an article. Nach Japan expresses the destination; the finite verb fliegen is in position two, while nach Japan comes later.
die Japanerin — Japanese woman
The ending -in marks a female person; the plural is Japanerinnen, not Japaners.
Die Japanerin arbeitet in Berlin.
The Japanese woman works in Berlin.
arbeitet means “works”, and in Berlin means “in Berlin”. Die Japanerin is nominative because she is the subject; the finite verb arbeitet stands in position two.
Ich treffe die Japanerin morgen.
I am meeting the Japanese woman tomorrow.
treffe means “meet” and morgen means “tomorrow”. Die Japanerin is accusative because treffen takes a direct object; the finite verb treffe is in position two.
Ich helfe der Japanerin mit dem Formular.
I help the Japanese woman with the form.
helfe means “help”, mit means “with”, and das Formular is “the form”. Der Japanerin is dative because helfen requires a dative object; mit dem Formular is also dative because mit always takes the dative.
Das ist der Pass der Japanerin.
That is the Japanese woman’s passport.
der Pass means “the passport”, and das ist means “that is”. Der Japanerin is genitive to show possession, meaning “of the Japanese woman”; it follows the noun Pass.
Im Zug sitzen drei Japanerinnen.
Three Japanese women are sitting on the train.
im Zug means “on the train” and sitzen means “are sitting”. Japanerinnen is the plural of Japanerin; im means in dem, and in takes the dative here because it describes a location.
das Japanisch — Japanese (language)
As a language name, Japanisch is a neuter noun and is usually used without an article after verbs such as lernen and sprechen. Do not confuse it with lowercase japanisch, the adjective.
Japanisch klingt sehr anders als Deutsch.
Japanese sounds very different from German.
klingt means “sounds”, sehr anders means “very different”, and Deutsch means “German”. Japanisch is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb klingt stands in position two.
Ich lerne Japanisch.
I am learning Japanese.
lerne means “am learning”. Japanisch is the accusative object of lernen, but language names used without an article have no visible accusative ending; the finite verb lerne is in position two.
Mit Japanisch kann ich mich in Tokio verständigen.
With Japanese, I can communicate in Tokyo.
mit means “with”, kann means “can”, mich verständigen means “communicate”, and in Tokio means “in Tokyo”. Japanisch is dative after mit; the modal verb kann stands in position two and verständigen goes to the end.
Die Aussprache des Japanisch ist schwierig.
The pronunciation of Japanese is difficult.
die Aussprache means “the pronunciation” and schwierig means “difficult”. Des Japanisch is genitive after Aussprache, showing what is being pronounced; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
japanisch — Japanese; from Japan
Japanisch with a capital letter is the language noun, while lowercase japanisch is the adjective. Nationality adjectives normally take an adjective ending before a noun, as in japanische Nudeln.
Das Essen ist japanisch.
The food is Japanese.
das Essen means “the food”. Japanisch is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir kaufen japanische Nudeln.
We are buying Japanese noodles.
kaufen means “buy” and die Nudeln means “the noodles”. Japanische describes Nudeln and takes the ending -e after die; the noun phrase is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object.
Diese Suppe schmeckt japanischer als die andere.
This soup tastes more Japanese than the other one.
diese Suppe means “this soup”, schmeckt means “tastes”, and die andere means “the other one”. Japanischer is a predicative comparative after schmecken; als introduces the thing used for comparison.
Das ist das japanischste Restaurant der Stadt.
That is the most Japanese restaurant in the city.
das Restaurant means “the restaurant” and der Stadt means “of the city”. Japanischste stands before the neuter noun Restaurant and takes -e after das; der Stadt is genitive to show the whole area being considered.
Kanada — Canada
Kanada is a country name and normally has no article. Use nach Kanada for movement to Canada and in Kanada for location there.
Kanada liegt in Nordamerika.
Canada is in North America.
liegt means is situated, and Nordamerika means North America. The finite verb liegt is in position two in this simple main clause; Kanada is the subject.
Ich möchte nach Kanada reisen.
I would like to travel to Canada.
möchte means would like to, and reisen means to travel. nach Kanada expresses a destination and uses nach with a country name; the infinitive reisen stands at the end after möchte.
Korea — Korea
Korea is a proper name and normally has no article. Use nach Korea for movement to the country and in Korea for being there.
Ich fliege nach Korea.
I am flying to Korea.
fliege means am flying, and nach means to when it is used with a country name. Country names such as Korea usually have no article; the finite verb fliege is in position two.
Korea liegt in Asien.
Korea is in Asia.
liegt means lies or is located, and Asien means Asia. Korea is the nominative subject and has no article; the finite verb liegt stands in position two.
Kroatien — Croatia
Kroatien is a country name and normally has no article. Use nach Kroatien for movement to the country and in Kroatien for a location.
Wir fahren nach Kroatien.
We are travelling to Croatia.
wir fahren means we are travelling, and nach means to when used with most countries without an article. Kroatien has no article here, and the finite verb fahren stands in position two.
Meine Schwester lebt in Kroatien.
My sister lives in Croatia.
meine Schwester means my sister, and lebt means lives. in Kroatien describes a location, so in takes the dative; this country name normally appears without an article.
das Land — country; land; countryside; rural area
Land means a country in political contexts and land or countryside in other contexts. The plural is Länder for countries; the article and meaning make the plural clear.
Das Land ist sehr groß.
The country is very large.
groß means large. Das Land is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir besuchen das Land im Sommer.
We are visiting the country in summer.
besuchen means to visit, and der Sommer is summer. Das Land is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the time phrase im Sommer is short for in dem Sommer.
Ich lebe seit einem Jahr in dem Land.
I have been living in the country for a year.
leben means to live, seit means for or since, and einem Jahr is one year. Dem Land is dative because in describes a fixed location here; seit also takes the dative.
Die Hauptstadt des Landes liegt am Meer.
The country's capital is by the sea.
die Hauptstadt is the capital, liegen means to lie or be situated, and das Meer is the sea. Des Landes is genitive because it shows which country the capital belongs to; am Meer means an dem Meer.
Viele Länder nehmen an dem Wettbewerb teil.
Many countries take part in the competition.
viele means many, der Wettbewerb is the competition, and teilnehmen means to take part. Länder is the plural with an umlaut and -er; the phrase an dem Wettbewerb is dative because teilnehmen an takes the dative.
Meine Großeltern wohnen auf dem Land.
My grandparents live in the countryside.
meine Großeltern means my grandparents, and wohnen means to live or reside. Dem Land is dative because auf describes a fixed location here; auf dem Land is the usual expression for in the countryside.
Am Wochenende fahren wir aufs Land.
At the weekend we are going to the countryside.
am Wochenende means at the weekend, and fahren means to go or travel by vehicle. Aufs Land is short for auf das Land and is accusative because fahren expresses movement towards a destination; do not use dative for this direction.
Lettland — Latvia
Lettland is a country name and is normally used without an article. With movement, use nach Lettland; with origin, use aus Lettland.
Lettland liegt an der Ostsee.
Latvia is on the Baltic Sea.
liegt means is situated, and die Ostsee is the Baltic Sea. Lettland is a proper name and has no article here; the finite verb liegt stands in position two.
Meine Freundin kommt aus Lettland.
My friend comes from Latvia.
meine Freundin means my female friend and kommt aus means comes from. The preposition aus always takes the dative, but a country name without an article such as Lettland does not show a visible case ending.
Litauen — Lithuania
Country names such as Litauen are usually used without an article. Use nach Litauen for movement to the country and in Litauen for being there.
Ich fliege nach Litauen.
I am flying to Lithuania.
fliege means fly and nach means to when used with a country name. Nach Litauen expresses destination and normally has no article; the finite verb fliege stands in position two.
In Litauen gibt es viele Seen.
There are many lakes in Lithuania.
gibt es means there are, viele means many, and Seen are lakes. In Litauen expresses location and has no article because Litauen is a country name; in es gibt, the thing that exists is accusative.
Luxemburg — Luxembourg (country); Luxembourg (city)
When Luxemburg means the country, it normally appears without an article. Do not confuse the country with Luxemburg, the capital city; the same name is used for both.
Meine Schwester lebt in Luxemburg.
My sister lives in Luxembourg.
meine Schwester means my sister and lebt means lives. in Luxemburg names the place where someone is located, so in takes the dative here; the finite verb lebt is in position two.
Wir fahren morgen nach Luxemburg.
We are travelling to Luxembourg tomorrow.
morgen means tomorrow and fahren means travel or go by vehicle. nach Luxemburg expresses movement to a country without an article, and the finite verb fahren stands in position two.
Luxemburg ist eine schöne Stadt.
Luxembourg City is a beautiful city.
ist means is, eine schöne Stadt means a beautiful city. Luxemburg is the subject in the nominative, and the finite verb ist comes in position two.
Im Sommer besuchen viele Touristen Luxemburg.
Many tourists visit Luxembourg City in summer.
im Sommer means in summer, viele Touristen means many tourists, and besuchen means visit. Luxemburg is an accusative object because besuchen takes an accusative object; the finite verb besuchen is in position two.
der Luxemburger — Luxembourgish man; Luxembourgish person
The plural die Luxemburger refers to Luxembourgish people and has no extra ending. For a woman, use die Luxemburgerin; for a general person, Luxemburger can be used depending on context.
Der Luxemburger arbeitet in Deutschland.
The Luxembourgish man works in Germany.
arbeitet means works and Deutschland is Germany. Der Luxemburger is the nominative subject, and the finite verb arbeitet stands in position two.
Ich treffe den Luxemburger am Bahnhof.
I am meeting the Luxembourgish man at the station.
treffe means meet, am Bahnhof means at the station. den Luxemburger is accusative because treffen takes an accusative object; the noun keeps its singular form, but the article changes from der to den.
Ich helfe dem Luxemburger mit dem Gepäck.
I am helping the Luxembourgish man with the luggage.
helfe means help and das Gepäck means luggage. helfen requires a dative object, so dem Luxemburger is dative; the finite verb helfe is in position two.
Das Auto des Luxemburgers steht vor dem Hotel.
The Luxembourgish man's car is in front of the hotel.
das Auto means the car, steht means is standing or is located, and vor dem Hotel means in front of the hotel. des Luxemburgers expresses possession in the genitive and adds -s to the noun; steht is in position two.
Die Luxemburger sprechen oft mehrere Sprachen.
Luxembourgish people often speak several languages.
sprechen means speak, oft means often, and mehrere Sprachen means several languages. Die Luxemburger is the plural subject; its noun form is identical to the singular, so the article die shows the number.
luxemburgisch — Luxembourgish
luxemburgisch is a nationality adjective and is normally not compared, but comparative forms are possible when describing how strongly something reflects Luxembourg. Before a noun it takes the usual adjective ending, as in luxemburgische Küche; after sein it stays uninflected.
Die Sprache ist luxemburgisch.
The language is Luxembourgish.
die Sprache means the language and ist means is. luxemburgisch is predicative after sein, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir essen heute luxemburgische Spezialitäten.
We are eating Luxembourgish specialities today.
heute means today, essen means eat, and Spezialitäten means specialities or local dishes. luxemburgische describes the accusative plural object Spezialitäten, so it takes the plural ending -e after no article.
Dieses Gericht schmeckt luxemburgischer als das andere.
This dish tastes more Luxembourgish than the other one.
dieses Gericht means this dish, schmeckt means tastes, and das andere means the other one. The comparative luxemburgischer is used with als to compare two things; after schmecken, the adjective is predicative and therefore has no extra ending.
Von allen Gerichten schmeckt dieses am luxemburgischsten.
Of all the dishes, this one tastes the most Luxembourgish.
von allen Gerichten means of all the dishes, and dieses means this one. The predicative superlative uses am luxemburgischsten; it is placed after the verb schmeckt, and the form is unusual because nationality adjectives are rarely compared.
Marokko — Morocco
Marokko is a country name and normally has no article. Use nach Marokko for movement to the country and in Marokko for location there.
Wir fliegen im Sommer nach Marokko.
We are flying to Morocco in summer.
fliegen means fly, im Sommer means in summer, and nach means to when it is used with a country name. nach Marokko expresses direction, and the finite verb fliegen is in position two.
Marokko liegt im Norden Afrikas.
Morocco is in the north of Africa.
liegt means is located, im Norden means in the north, and Afrikas means of Africa. Marokko is the nominative subject, and the finite verb liegt stands in position two; country names normally have no article here.
Mexiko — Mexico
Country names such as Mexiko normally have no article. Use nach Mexiko for movement to the country and in Mexiko for being there.
Im Sommer fliegen wir nach Mexiko.
In summer we are flying to Mexico.
Im Sommer means in summer, fliegen means fly, and nach means to. Nach Mexiko expresses destination; country names without an article follow nach, and the finite verb fliegen is in position two.
Meine Schwester lebt seit drei Jahren in Mexiko.
My sister has lived in Mexico for three years.
Meine Schwester means my sister, lebt means lives, and seit drei Jahren means for three years. In Mexiko describes a location and uses the dative idea after in; with a country name without an article, the form does not visibly change.
Niederlande — the Netherlands
die Niederlande is a plural place name, although it names one country. With movement, use in die Niederlande; with location, use in den Niederlanden.
Die Niederlande liegen an der Nordsee.
The Netherlands lies on the North Sea.
liegen means to lie or be situated, and die Nordsee is the North Sea. The country name is used with the plural article die, and the finite verb liegen stands in position two.
Im Sommer fahren wir in die Niederlande.
In summer we are going to the Netherlands.
im Sommer means in summer, and fahren means to travel or go by vehicle. in die Niederlande uses the accusative because in expresses movement into a place; the finite verb fahren is in position two.
der Norden — north
Der Norden is normally used as a singular geographical noun and often appears with im for location or in den for movement. The opposite direction is der Süden.
Der Norden ist im Winter oft kalt.
The north is often cold in winter.
der Winter means winter and kalt means cold. Der Norden is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist is in position two.
Wir fahren in den Norden.
We are travelling north.
fahren means to travel or drive. In den Norden is accusative because in shows movement towards a place here; the finite verb fahren stands in position two.
Im Norden regnet es häufig.
It often rains in the north.
regnen means to rain and häufig means frequently. Im Norden is dative because in describes a location here; im is short for in dem.
Die Küste des Nordens ist wunderschön.
The coast of the north is beautiful.
die Küste means the coast and wunderschön means beautiful. Des Nordens is genitive because it shows whose coast it is, and the noun Norden adds -s in the genitive.
Norwegen — Norway
Norwegen is normally used without an article, unlike countries such as die Schweiz or die USA.
Ich reise im Sommer nach Norwegen.
I am travelling to Norway in summer.
im Sommer means in summer, and reisen means to travel. nach is used with most country names without an article to show movement to a place; Norwegen has no article here.
Meine Schwester lebt in Norwegen.
My sister lives in Norway.
meine Schwester means my sister, and lebt means lives. in takes the dative for a fixed location, but country names without an article do not show a visible case ending; the finite verb stands in position two.
der Norweger — Norwegian man; Norwegian person
The feminine form is Norwegerin. As a nationality noun, Norweger is capitalised because all German nouns are capitalised.
Der Norweger arbeitet in Berlin.
The Norwegian man works in Berlin.
arbeitet means works, and in Berlin means in Berlin. Der Norweger is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb arbeitet stands in position two.
Ich sehe den Norweger im Zug.
I see the Norwegian man on the train.
sehe means see, and im Zug means on the train. den Norweger is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the article changes from der to den, while the noun itself does not change.
Ich helfe dem Norweger mit dem Gepäck.
I help the Norwegian man with the luggage.
helfe means help, and das Gepäck means the luggage. dem Norweger is dative because helfen takes a dative object; mit also requires the dative in dem Gepäck.
Das Auto des Norwegers steht vor dem Hotel.
The Norwegian man's car is in front of the hotel.
das Auto means the car, steht means is standing or is parked, and vor dem Hotel means in front of the hotel. des Norwegers is genitive to show possession; the masculine noun adds -s in the genitive.
Viele Norweger sprechen sehr gut Englisch.
Many Norwegians speak English very well.
viele means many, sprechen means speak, and sehr gut means very well. Norweger has the same form in the singular and plural, so viele and the plural verb sprechen show that it is plural.
norwegisch — Norwegian; relating to Norway
norwegisch is usually lower-case because it is an adjective, but the noun Norweger is capitalised. Nationality adjectives can describe language, people, food or culture.
Die Musik klingt norwegisch.
The music sounds Norwegian.
die Musik means the music, and klingt means sounds. norwegisch is predicative after klingen, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb stands in position two.
Wir lernen die norwegische Sprache.
We are learning the Norwegian language.
lernen means learn, and die Sprache means the language. norwegische stands before the feminine accusative noun Sprache and takes -e after the definite article die; the whole noun phrase is the accusative object of lernen.
Diese Küche ist norwegischer als die andere.
This cuisine is more Norwegian than the other one.
diese Küche means this cuisine, and die andere means the other one. norwegischer compares two cuisines and is followed by als; after ist, the comparative is predicative and has no extra adjective ending.
Das Gericht schmeckt am norwegischsten.
The dish tastes the most Norwegian.
das Gericht means the dish, and schmeckt means tastes. am norwegischsten is the predicative superlative; am belongs to this form, while an adjective before a noun would use an ending instead.
Polen — Poland
Polen is the name of the country Poland and is normally used without an article. After aus and nach, it stays unchanged: aus Polen, nach Polen.
Polen liegt in Europa.
Poland is in Europe.
liegt means is located, and Europa means Europe. Polen is a proper name and normally has no article; it is the subject, so the finite verb liegt stands in position two.
Meine Freundin kommt aus Polen.
My friend comes from Poland.
meine Freundin means my female friend, and kommt aus means comes from. The preposition aus takes the dative, but country names without an article show no visible case ending; Polen remains unchanged.
polnisch — Polish
polnisch describes something from Poland or connected with Polish culture or language. It is often used before a noun, as in polnische Musik, and normally is not compared when it simply means nationality.
Das Restaurant ist polnisch.
The restaurant is Polish.
Das Restaurant means the restaurant. polnisch is a predicative adjective after ist and therefore has no ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir essen heute polnische Suppe.
We are eating Polish soup today.
heute means today, and Suppe is soup. polnische stands before the feminine noun Suppe and takes -e after the zero article; the whole phrase is the accusative object of essen.
Dieses Gericht schmeckt polnischer als das andere.
This dish tastes more Polish than the other one.
Dieses Gericht means this dish, schmeckt means tastes, and das andere means the other one. polnischer compares two styles with als; in this use the adjective is predicative and has no case ending.
Von allen Gerichten schmeckt dieses am polnischsten.
Of all the dishes, this one tastes the most Polish.
Von allen Gerichten means of all the dishes, and dieses means this one. The superlative is formed with am ...-sten and is predicative, so polnischsten has no adjective ending.
Portugal — Portugal
The country name Portugal normally has no article. Use nach Portugal for movement to the country and in Portugal for being there.
Portugal liegt im Westen Europas.
Portugal is in the west of Europe.
liegt means is situated, der Westen means the west, and Europa means Europe. im is short for in dem and takes the dative for a location; the finite verb liegt is in position two.
Wir fliegen im Sommer nach Portugal.
We are flying to Portugal in summer.
fliegen means to fly and der Sommer means summer. nach is used without an article for travel to a country such as Portugal, and the finite verb fliegen stands in position two.
der Portugiese — Portuguese man; Portuguese person
Portugiese is a weak masculine noun: use der Portugiese only in the nominative singular, but den Portugiesen, dem Portugiesen, and des Portugiesen in the other singular cases.
Der Portugiese arbeitet in Berlin.
The Portuguese man works in Berlin.
arbeitet means works, and Berlin is the capital city of Germany. Der Portugiese is nominative because he is the subject; the finite verb arbeitet stands in position two.
Ich kenne den Portugiesen.
I know the Portuguese man.
kenne means know. den Portugiesen is accusative because kennen takes a direct object, and this weak masculine noun has -en outside the nominative.
Ich helfe dem Portugiesen.
I am helping the Portuguese man.
helfe means help. dem Portugiesen is dative because helfen governs the dative; the weak noun keeps -en.
Das Auto des Portugiesen ist neu.
The Portuguese man's car is new.
das Auto means car and neu means new. des Portugiesen expresses possession in the genitive, and this weak masculine noun takes -en in the genitive.
Die Portugiesen sprechen Portugiesisch.
The Portuguese speak Portuguese.
sprechen means speak and Portugiesisch means Portuguese. Die Portugiesen is the plural subject, and the finite verb sprechen is in position two.
portugiesisch — Portuguese; relating to Portugal
portugiesisch can describe the country, its people, its language, or its culture. The language is also called Portugiesisch, written with a capital letter as a noun.
Portugiesisch ist eine schöne Sprache.
Portuguese is a beautiful language.
eine Sprache means a language and schön means beautiful. Portugiesisch is used predicatively after ist, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich lerne die portugiesische Sprache.
I am learning the Portuguese language.
lerne means am learning and die Sprache means the language. die portugiesische Sprache is accusative because lernen takes a direct object, and the adjective gets -e after the definite article die.
Diese Musik klingt portugiesischer als die andere.
This music sounds more Portuguese than the other one.
diese Musik means this music, klingt means sounds, and die andere means the other one. portugiesischer is a comparative predicate after klingt; als introduces the thing it is compared with.
Dieses Gericht schmeckt am portugiesischsten.
This dish tastes the most Portuguese.
dieses Gericht means this dish and schmeckt means tastes. am portugiesischsten is a predicative superlative after schmeckt, so it uses am and has no noun ending.
die Russin — Russian woman
The feminine nationality noun is formed with -in; its plural is Russinnen. It normally describes a woman from Russia, not simply any woman who speaks Russian.
Die Russin arbeitet heute im Büro.
The Russian woman is working in the office today.
arbeitet means is working, heute means today, and das Büro means the office. Die Russin is nominative because she is the subject; the finite verb arbeitet stands in position two.
Ich sehe die Russin jeden Morgen.
I see the Russian woman every morning.
sehe means see and jeden Morgen means every morning. Die Russin is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the finite verb sehe is in position two.
Ich gebe der Russin die Adresse.
I give the Russian woman the address.
gebe means give and die Adresse means the address. Der Russin is dative because she receives something, while die Adresse is accusative as the thing given.
Das Auto der Russin steht vor dem Haus.
The Russian woman’s car is in front of the house.
das Auto means car, steht means is standing or is parked, and vor dem Haus means in front of the house. Der Russin is genitive to show possession; the feminine genitive article is der.
Im Kurs lernen drei Russinnen Deutsch.
Three Russian women are learning German in the course.
im Kurs means in the course, lernen means learn, and Deutsch means German. Russinnen is plural and is the subject; im is short for in dem, which forces the dative for a location.
das Russisch — Russian (language)
Das Russisch names the Russian language and is a mass noun, so it normally has no plural. Do not confuse it with lowercase russisch, the adjective meaning Russian.
Das Russisch klingt schön.
Russian sounds beautiful.
klingt means sounds and schön means beautiful. Das Russisch is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb klingt stands in position two.
Ich lerne das Russisch in der Schule.
I am learning Russian at school.
lerne means am learning and in der Schule means at school. Das Russisch is accusative because lernen takes a direct object; this mass noun has the same form in nominative and accusative.
Mit dem Russisch komme ich gut zurecht.
I manage well with Russian.
mit means with and gut zurechtkommen means manage well. Dem Russisch is dative because mit always takes the dative; the phrase Mit dem Russisch occupies position one, so komme follows directly.
Die Aussprache des Russisch ist schwierig.
The pronunciation of Russian is difficult.
die Aussprache means pronunciation and schwierig means difficult. Des Russisch is genitive because it identifies whose pronunciation is meant; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Viele Menschen sprechen Russisch.
Many people speak Russian.
viele Menschen means many people and sprechen means speak. This language noun is normally uncountable and has no plural, so the example shows the bare language name after sprechen rather than a plural form.
russisch — Russian; relating to Russia
Russisch is the adjective for Russia, Russian people, and Russian culture or language. It takes normal adjective endings before nouns, for example russische Musik, but no ending after sein.
Die Musik ist russisch.
The music is Russian.
die Musik means the music and ist means is. Russisch is predicative after sein, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir essen in einem russischen Restaurant.
We are eating in a Russian restaurant.
essen means eat, einem Restaurant means a restaurant, and in means in. Russischen comes before Restaurant and takes an adjective ending; in einem Restaurant is dative because it describes a fixed location.
Dieser Film ist russischer als der andere.
This film is more Russian than the other one.
dieser Film means this film and der andere means the other one. Russischer compares two things and is followed by als; after ist, the comparative is predicative and has no ending.
Von allen Gerichten schmeckt dieses am russischsten.
Of all the dishes, this one tastes the most Russian.
von allen Gerichten means of all the dishes and schmeckt means tastes. Am russischsten is the predicative superlative; the initial phrase takes position one, so schmeckt is in position two.
Russland — Russia
Russland is a country name used without an article in ordinary German. Use nach Russland for movement to Russia and in Russland for location there.
Russland ist sehr groß.
Russia is very large.
ist means is and sehr groß means very large. Russland is a proper noun used without an article; as the subject, it comes before the finite verb ist in position two.
Meine Freundin kommt aus Russland.
My female friend comes from Russia.
meine Freundin means my female friend and kommt aus means comes from. Aus Russland expresses origin; aus always takes the dative, but this country name has no visible article or ending.
Schottland — Scotland
Schottland is the name of a country and normally appears without an article. Use nach Schottland for movement to Scotland and in Schottland for being there.
Schottland liegt im Norden von Großbritannien.
Scotland is in the north of Great Britain.
liegt means is located, im Norden means in the north, and Großbritannien means Great Britain. Schottland is the subject and has no article; the finite verb liegt stands in position two.
Wir fahren im Sommer nach Schottland.
We are travelling to Scotland in summer.
fahren means travel or drive, im Sommer means in summer, and nach means to when it introduces a place name. Schottland has no article, and the finite verb fahren is in position two.
der Schwede — Swede
der Schwede is a weak masculine noun: it takes -n in the accusative, dative and genitive singular, as well as in the plural. The feminine form is die Schwedin.
Der Schwede wohnt in Stockholm.
The Swede lives in Stockholm.
wohnt means lives, and Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Der Schwede is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb wohnt stands in position two.
Ich sehe einen Schweden.
I see a Swede.
sehe means see. einen Schweden is accusative because sehen takes an accusative object, and this weak masculine noun adds -n outside the nominative.
Ich helfe dem Schweden.
I help the Swede.
helfe means help. dem Schweden is dative because helfen requires the dative, and the weak noun keeps its -n ending.
Das Auto des Schweden ist neu.
The Swede's car is new.
das Auto means the car, and neu means new. des Schweden expresses possession in the genitive; the weak noun has -n, and ist agrees with das Auto.
Die Schweden sprechen Schwedisch.
The Swedes speak Swedish.
sprechen means speak, and Schwedisch means Swedish. Die Schweden is plural and therefore takes sprechen, not the singular form spricht.
Schweden — Sweden
Schweden is a country name and normally has no article. Use nach Schweden for movement to Sweden and in Schweden for being there.
Ich fahre im Sommer nach Schweden.
I am travelling to Sweden in summer.
fahre means travel or go by vehicle, and im Sommer means in summer. nach Schweden expresses movement to a country; country names without an article normally use nach.
Schweden ist ein schönes Land.
Sweden is a beautiful country.
ein schönes Land means a beautiful country. Schweden is the nominative subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
schwedisch — Swedish
schwedisch is a nationality adjective and is normally not compared: something is Swedish or it is not. In a special comparison of style or characteristics, however, schwedischer and am schwedischsten are possible.
Die Sprache ist schwedisch.
The language is Swedish.
die Sprache means the language. schwedisch is predicative after ist, so it does not take an adjective ending.
Wir essen schwedisches Essen.
We are eating Swedish food.
essen means eat, and das Essen means food. schwedisches Essen is an accusative object after essen, and the neuter adjective takes -es after the zero article.
Dieses Design wirkt schwedischer als das andere.
This design seems more Swedish than the other one.
dieses Design means this design, wirkt means seems or appears, and das andere means the other one. schwedischer compares the two designs and is followed by als; here the nationality adjective describes style, not nationality.
Von allen Möbeln wirkt dieses am schwedischsten.
Of all the pieces of furniture, this one seems the most Swedish.
von allen Möbeln means of all the pieces of furniture, and dieses means this one. am schwedischsten is the predicative superlative and compares styles; the am-form is not used directly before a noun.
Schweiz — Switzerland
The country name normally appears with the feminine article die: die Schweiz. After in, use der Schweiz for location but in die Schweiz for movement towards the country.
Ich lebe in der Schweiz.
I live in Switzerland.
leben means to live. in takes the dative here because the sentence describes a fixed location, and the feminine name has the form der Schweiz; the finite verb lebe is in position two.
Im Sommer fahren wir in die Schweiz.
In summer we are travelling to Switzerland.
im Sommer means in summer, and fahren means to travel or go by vehicle. in takes the accusative die Schweiz for movement towards a place, while the finite verb fahren stands in position two.
der Schweizer — Swiss man; Swiss person
The plural is die Schweizer, with no ending. In the genitive singular, use des Schweizers; this noun is not a weak masculine noun, so it does not take -n in the other cases.
Der Schweizer arbeitet in Zürich.
The Swiss man works in Zurich.
arbeitet means works, and in Zürich means in Zurich. Der Schweizer is nominative because he is the subject, and the finite verb arbeitet stands in position two.
Ich sehe den Schweizer im Zug.
I see the Swiss man on the train.
sehen means to see, and im Zug means on the train. den Schweizer is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the noun itself does not change in this case.
Ich helfe dem Schweizer mit dem Koffer.
I help the Swiss man with the suitcase.
helfen means to help, mit means with, and der Koffer is the suitcase. helfen takes the dative, so the phrase is dem Schweizer; mit also requires the dative in dem Koffer.
Das Auto des Schweizers steht vor dem Hotel.
The Swiss man's car is in front of the hotel.
das Auto means the car, steht means is standing or is located, and vor dem Hotel means in front of the hotel. des Schweizers expresses possession in the genitive, and the masculine noun takes -s in this form.
Viele Schweizer sprechen Deutsch.
Many Swiss people speak German.
viele means many, sprechen means speak, and Deutsch means German. Schweizer is the unchanged plural after viele; the plural subject takes the verb form sprechen.
die Schweizerin — Swiss woman
The plural of die Schweizerin is die Schweizerinnen: the ending -in becomes -innen. In the genitive singular, use der Schweizerin; the feminine noun itself does not get an extra ending.
Die Schweizerin kommt aus Bern.
The Swiss woman comes from Bern.
kommt aus means comes from, and Bern is a city in Switzerland. Die Schweizerin is nominative because she is the subject, and the finite verb kommt stands in position two.
Ich treffe eine Schweizerin im Café.
I meet a Swiss woman in the café.
treffen means to meet, and das Café means the café. eine Schweizerin is accusative because treffen takes a direct object; the feminine noun has the same form in nominative and accusative.
Ich schreibe der Schweizerin eine Nachricht.
I write the Swiss woman a message.
schreiben means to write, and eine Nachricht is a message. der Schweizerin is dative because she is the recipient, while eine Nachricht is the accusative thing being written.
Das Fahrrad der Schweizerin ist neu.
The Swiss woman's bicycle is new.
das Fahrrad means the bicycle, and neu means new. der Schweizerin expresses possession in the genitive; feminine nouns usually keep the same noun form and change the article to der.
Drei Schweizerinnen sitzen am Fenster.
Three Swiss women are sitting by the window.
drei means three, sitzen means are sitting, and am Fenster means by the window. The plural Schweizerinnen is formed with -innen, and the plural subject takes sitzen.
Spanien — Spain
Spanien is a country name and normally appears without an article. It is used with nach for a destination and in for a location.
Ich fliege morgen nach Spanien.
I am flying to Spain tomorrow.
fliege means am flying, and morgen means tomorrow. Nach Spanien expresses a destination because nach is used with country names without an article; the finite verb fliege stands in position two.
Meine Schwester lebt in Spanien.
My sister lives in Spain.
meine Schwester means my sister, and lebt means lives. In Spanien expresses location; country names without an article often have no visible case ending after in, and the finite verb lebt is in position two.
der Spanier — Spaniard, Spanish man
Spanier can mean a male person from Spain or, in the plural, Spanish people generally. The related adjective is spanisch, meaning Spanish.
Der Spanier kommt aus Madrid.
The Spaniard comes from Madrid.
kommt aus means comes from, and Madrid is the capital of Spain. Der Spanier is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb kommt stands in position two.
Ich sehe den Spanier im Zug.
I see the Spaniard on the train.
sehen means to see, im Zug means on the train, and der Zug is the train. Den Spanier is accusative because it is the direct object of sehe; the masculine article changes from der to den.
Ich helfe dem Spanier mit dem Gepäck.
I help the Spaniard with the luggage.
helfen means to help, mit means with, and das Gepäck means the luggage. Dem Spanier is dative because helfen takes a dative object; mit dem Gepäck is also dative because mit always takes the dative.
Das Auto des Spaniers steht vor dem Hotel.
The Spaniard's car is in front of the hotel.
das Auto means the car, steht means is standing or is parked, and vor dem Hotel means in front of the hotel. Des Spaniers is genitive because it shows possession; this noun takes -s in the masculine genitive singular.
Viele Spanier sprechen sehr gut Englisch.
Many Spaniards speak English very well.
viele means many, sprechen means speak, and sehr gut means very well. Spanier is the plural form after viele; unlike many masculine nouns, it does not add -n in the plural.
die Spanierin — Spanish woman
The ending -in makes a feminine noun for a woman with the relevant nationality. The plural is Spanierinnen, with -innen, not Spanierins.
Die Spanierin wohnt in Berlin.
The Spanish woman lives in Berlin.
wohnt means “lives”, and Berlin is the German capital. Die Spanierin is nominative because she is the subject; the finite verb wohnt is in position two.
Ich sehe die Spanierin jeden Tag.
I see the Spanish woman every day.
sehe means “see”, and jeden Tag means “every day”. Die Spanierin is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the finite verb sehe stands in position two.
Ich helfe der Spanierin.
I help the Spanish woman.
helfe means “help”. Der Spanierin is dative because helfen requires a dative object, not an accusative one; helfe is in position two.
Das Auto der Spanierin steht vor dem Haus.
The Spanish woman’s car is in front of the house.
das Auto means “the car”, steht means “is standing/is located”, and vor dem Haus means “in front of the house”. Der Spanierin is genitive and shows whose car it is; the finite verb steht is in position two.
Die Spanierinnen trinken Kaffee.
The Spanish women are drinking coffee.
trinken means “drink”, and Kaffee means “coffee”. Die Spanierinnen is plural and nominative as the subject; the ending -innen marks several female people.
das Spanisch — Spanish; the Spanish language
As the name of a language, Spanisch is normally a singular-only noun and is often used without an article, as in Ich lerne Spanisch. The related adjective is spanisch, and the form das Spanische is also used when the language is treated as a substantivized adjective.
Das Spanisch klingt schön.
Spanish sounds beautiful.
klingt schön means “sounds beautiful”. Das Spanisch is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb klingt is in position two.
Ich lerne Spanisch.
I am learning Spanish.
lerne means “learn”. Spanisch is accusative as the object of lernen, but language names are often used without an article; the finite verb lerne stands in position two.
Mit Spanisch kann man in vielen Ländern sprechen.
With Spanish, you can speak in many countries.
mit means “with”, vielen Ländern means “many countries”, and sprechen means “speak”. Mit requires the dative, but the language name has no visible ending; kann is in position two and sprechen goes to the end.
Die Grammatik des Spanisch ist nicht einfach.
The grammar of Spanish is not easy.
die Grammatik means “the grammar”, and nicht einfach means “not easy”. Des Spanisch is genitive and identifies whose grammar it is; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
In der Schule lernen wir Spanisch.
We learn Spanish at school.
in der Schule means “at school”, and lernen means “learn”. Spanisch is a mass noun naming a language, so it has no normal plural; lernen follows the first element in position two.
spanisch — Spanish
Spanisch can describe Spain, Spanish people, Spanish culture or the Spanish language. It is a regular adjective: spanischer is the comparative and am spanischsten is the predicative superlative.
Das Essen ist spanisch.
The food is Spanish.
das Essen means “the food”. Spanisch is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Wir essen spanische Tapas.
We are eating Spanish tapas.
essen means “eat”, and Tapas are small Spanish dishes. Spanische stands before the plural noun Tapas and takes an adjective ending; the object is accusative after essen.
Dieses Gericht ist spanischer als das andere.
This dish is more Spanish than the other one.
dieses Gericht means “this dish”, and das andere means “the other one”. Spanischer compares two things and is followed by als; after ist, the adjective is predicative and has no case ending.
Das ist das spanischste Gericht auf der Karte.
That is the most Spanish dish on the menu.
das Gericht means “the dish”, and auf der Karte means “on the menu”. Spanischste is the superlative before a noun and therefore has the ending -e after das; ist is in position two.
die Sprache — language; speech; way of speaking; wording
Sprache most often means a language such as German or English. It can also mean the way someone speaks or communicates.
Die Sprache ist nicht schwer.
The language is not difficult.
nicht schwer means not difficult. Die Sprache is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist is in position two.
Ich lerne die Sprache jeden Tag.
I learn the language every day.
lerne means learn, and jeden Tag means every day. Die Sprache is accusative because lernen takes a direct object; the finite verb lerne is in position two.
Wir sprechen mit der Sprache im Kurs.
We speak with the language in the course.
sprechen means speak, mit means with, and der Kurs is the course. Der Sprache is dative because mit always takes the dative; the finite verb sprechen is in position two.
Die Grammatik der Sprache ist interessant.
The grammar of the language is interesting.
die Grammatik means grammar, and interessant means interesting. Der Sprache is genitive because it shows whose grammar it is; the whole phrase is the nominative subject.
Sie spricht drei Sprachen.
She speaks three languages.
spricht means speaks, and drei means three. Sprachen is plural and accusative because it is the object of sprechen in this meaning; after a number, there is no plural article.
Der Text ist in einfacher Sprache geschrieben.
The text is written in simple language.
der Text means the text, einfach means simple, and geschrieben means written. In einfacher Sprache is a phrase describing the text; in takes the dative for a fixed state, so the adjective has the ending -er.
Seine Sprache klingt sehr höflich.
His way of speaking sounds very polite.
seine means his, klingt means sounds, and höflich means polite. Seine Sprache is nominative as the subject; the finite verb klingt is in position two.
Südamerika — South America
Südamerika is a proper name and normally has no article. It is formed from Süd (south) and Amerika (America).
Südamerika liegt südlich von Nordamerika.
South America lies south of North America.
liegt means lies or is located, südlich von means south of, and Nordamerika means North America. Südamerika is the nominative subject, and the finite verb liegt is in position two.
Im Sommer fliegen wir nach Südamerika.
In summer we are flying to South America.
im Sommer means in summer, fliegen means to fly, and nach means to or towards when used with a place name. Nach Südamerika expresses direction; the finite verb fliegen is in position two.