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Vocab: Countries & languages — A1 (3) ​
Countries & languages vocabulary at A1 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
der Süden — south; southern region ​
Der Süden is normally singular-only when it means the southern part of a place. For direction, use in den Süden; for location, use im Süden.
Der Süden ist im Sommer sehr warm.
The south is very warm in summer.
warm means warm and im Sommer means in summer. Der Süden is nominative as the subject, and the finite verb ist is in position two.
Wir besuchen den Süden im August.
We are visiting the south in August.
besuchen means to visit and im August means in August. Den Süden is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the finite verb besuchen is in position two.
Im Süden scheint die Sonne oft.
The sun often shines in the south.
scheinen means to shine and die Sonne means the sun. Im Süden means in the south; im is short for in dem, and in takes the dative for a fixed location.
Die Strände des Südens sind beliebt.
The beaches of the south are popular.
die Strände means beaches and beliebt means popular. Des Südens is genitive because it identifies which beaches; Süden takes -s after des.
Viele Menschen ziehen in den Süden.
Many people move to the south.
viele Menschen means many people and ziehen means to move. This example shows the noun in a directional phrase: in den Süden uses the accusative because in expresses movement towards a destination; the noun is normally singular-only.
Tschechien — the Czech Republic ​
Tschechien is the usual German country name and is used without an article. Use nach Tschechien for movement to the country and in Tschechien for being there.
Wir fahren nach Tschechien.
We are travelling to the Czech Republic.
fahren means to travel or go by vehicle, and wir means we. nach Tschechien expresses a destination; country names without an article normally follow nach, and the finite verb fahren is in position two.
Meine Schwester lebt in Tschechien.
My sister lives in the Czech Republic.
meine Schwester means my sister and lebt means lives. in Tschechien expresses location, but this country name has no article; the finite verb lebt stands in position two.
Türkei — Turkey ​
Türkei is the name of a country and is normally used with the feminine article die. With movement, use in die Türkei; for location or origin, use in der Türkei or aus der Türkei.
Die Türkei liegt zwischen Europa und Asien.
Turkey lies between Europe and Asia.
liegt means lies or is located, zwischen means between, and Europa and Asien are Europe and Asia. Die Türkei is the subject, so it is nominative, and the finite verb liegt stands in position two.
Wir fliegen im Sommer in die Türkei.
We are flying to Turkey in summer.
fliegen means fly, and im Sommer means in summer. in die Türkei expresses movement towards a country, so in takes the accusative article die; the finite verb fliegen is in position two.
ungarisch — Hungarian; Hungarian (language) ​
ungarisch is normally not compared because it describes origin or identity, not a measurable quality. Comparison is possible only in a special context where different Hungarian styles or features are being compared.
Das Essen ist ungarisch.
The food is Hungarian.
das Essen means the food. ungarisch stands after ist because it describes the subject rather than coming before a noun, so it has no ending.
Wir kaufen ungarischen Wein.
We are buying Hungarian wine.
wir kaufen means we are buying, and der Wein is wine. ungarischen comes before the masculine accusative noun Wein, so it takes -en after the articleless object.
Diese Küche ist ungarischer als die andere.
This cuisine is more Hungarian than the other one.
diese Küche means this cuisine, and die andere means the other one. ungarischer is the comparative with -er and stands after ist as a predicative adjective; als introduces the comparison.
Von den beiden Gerichten ist dieses am ungarischsten.
Of the two dishes, this one is the most Hungarian.
von den beiden Gerichten means of the two dishes, and dieses means this one. von takes the dative, shown by Gerichten; am ungarischsten is the predicative superlative after ist.
Sie lernt Ungarisch.
She is learning Hungarian.
sie lernt means she is learning. Ungarisch is the language name and is capitalized because substantivized adjectives are nouns; it is the accusative object of lernt.
Auf der Reise spricht er Ungarisch.
He speaks Hungarian while travelling.
auf der Reise means while travelling or on the trip, and spricht means speaks. Ungarisch is the language being spoken and is not given an adjective ending because it is used as a noun.
Ungarn — Hungary ​
Ungarn is a country name and normally has no article: in Ungarn, nach Ungarn, aus Ungarn. The adjective and language name are ungarisch and Ungarisch.
Wir fahren nach Ungarn.
We are travelling to Hungary.
wir fahren means we are travelling, and nach means to when it introduces a country without an article. Ungarn follows nach without an article; the finite verb fahren is in position two.
Meine Freundin kommt aus Ungarn.
My girlfriend comes from Hungary.
meine Freundin means my girlfriend, and kommt aus means comes from. aus always takes the dative, but Ungarn normally has no article, so its form does not visibly change.
USA — United States of America ​
USA is an abbreviation for Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika, the United States of America. It is normally used with the plural article die, as in die USA, because the name refers to several states.
Meine Tante lebt in den USA.
My aunt lives in the United States.
Meine Tante means my aunt, lebt means lives, and in den USA means in the United States. The preposition in takes the dative here because this describes a location, not movement; the finite verb lebt is in position two.
Wir fliegen im Sommer in die USA.
We are flying to the United States in summer.
fliegen means to fly, im Sommer means in summer, and in die USA means to the United States. In takes the accusative because the sentence expresses movement towards a destination, and the finite verb fliegen stands in position two.
Ägypten — Egypt ​
Ägypten is the name of the country Egypt and is normally used without an article. Its inhabitants are die Ägypter (the Egyptians), and the adjective is ägyptisch (Egyptian).
Wir fliegen nach Ägypten.
We are flying to Egypt.
wir means we, fliegen means fly, and nach means to when used with many place names. Nach Ägypten expresses direction and normally has no article; the finite verb fliegen is in position two.
Meine Schwester war schon in Ägypten.
My sister has already been to Egypt.
meine Schwester means my sister, war means was, and schon means already. In Ägypten describes a location and has no article with this country name; war is the past form of sein and stands in position two.
Österreich — Austria ​
Österreich normally appears without an article, as in in Österreich and nach Österreich. The adjective and language name are österreichisch and Österreichisch.
Österreich liegt in Europa.
Austria is in Europe.
liegt means is located, and Europa means Europe. Österreich is a proper name used without an article here, and the finite verb liegt stands in position two.
Wir fahren morgen nach Österreich.
We are travelling to Austria tomorrow.
morgen means tomorrow, and fahren means travel or go by vehicle. Nach Österreich means to Austria; nach is used with country names that have no article, and the finite verb fahren is in position two.
die Österreicherin — Austrian woman ​
The ending -in makes a feminine noun for a woman with the relevant nationality; the plural ending is -innen. The masculine counterpart is der Österreicher, while Österreicherin always refers to a woman.
Die Österreicherin wohnt in Wien.
The Austrian woman lives in Vienna.
wohnt means lives, and Wien is Vienna. Die Österreicherin is nominative because she is the subject, and the finite verb wohnt is in position two.
Ich sehe die Österreicherin im Zug.
I see the Austrian woman on the train.
sehe means see, im Zug means on the train, and Zug is train. Die Österreicherin is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the finite verb sehe stands in position two.
Ich helfe der Österreicherin mit dem Koffer.
I help the Austrian woman with the suitcase.
helfe means help, mit means with, and der Koffer is the suitcase. Der Österreicherin is dative because helfen requires a dative object, while mit also requires dative.
Das Auto der Österreicherin steht vor dem Hotel.
The Austrian woman’s car is in front of the hotel.
das Auto is the car, steht means is standing or is located, and vor dem Hotel means in front of the hotel. Der Österreicherin is genitive and shows possession; the finite verb steht remains in position two.
Die Österreicherinnen besuchen Berlin.
The Austrian women visit Berlin.
besuchen means visit, and Berlin is the German capital. Die Österreicherinnen is plural nominative because it is the subject; the plural ending -innen marks several women.