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Vocab: Family — A1
Family vocabulary at A1 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
der Bruder — brother
The plural is Brüder, with a vowel change, while the genitive singular is Bruders. For a female sibling, use die Schwester.
Mein Bruder wohnt in Berlin.
My brother lives in Berlin.
Mein means my, and wohnt means lives; Berlin is the capital city. Mein Bruder is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb wohnt stands in position two.
Ich besuche meinen Bruder am Wochenende.
I am visiting my brother at the weekend.
besuche means visit, and am Wochenende means at the weekend. Meinen Bruder is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the finite verb besuche is in position two.
Ich fahre mit meinem Bruder nach Hamburg.
I am travelling to Hamburg with my brother.
fahre means travel or go by vehicle, and nach Hamburg means to Hamburg. Mit always takes the dative, so meinem Bruder is dative; fahre is in position two.
Das Fahrrad meines Bruders ist neu.
My brother’s bicycle is new.
Das Fahrrad means the bicycle, and neu means new. Meines Bruders is genitive because it shows possession, and the genitive ending -s appears on Bruders.
Die Brüder spielen im Garten.
The brothers are playing in the garden.
spielen means are playing, and im Garten means in the garden. Die Brüder is plural and is the nominative subject; the vowel changes from u to ü.
die Ehefrau — wife
Die Ehefrau means wife and is a compound of Ehe, marriage, and Frau, woman. In modern German, Ehepartnerin, meaning female spouse, is also common and more neutral in some contexts.
Meine Ehefrau kocht heute Abend.
My wife is cooking this evening.
meine means my, kocht means is cooking, and heute Abend means this evening. Meine Ehefrau is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb kocht stands in position two.
Ich sehe meine Ehefrau jeden Tag.
I see my wife every day.
ich sehe means I see, and jeden Tag means every day. Meine Ehefrau is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the finite verb sehe is in position two.
Ich helfe meiner Ehefrau im Haushalt.
I help my wife with the housework.
helfen means to help, and im Haushalt means with the housework or at home. Meiner Ehefrau is dative because helfen always takes a dative person; the finite verb helfe stands in position two.
Der Name meiner Ehefrau steht auf dem Formular.
My wife's name is on the form.
der Name means the name, steht means is written or stands, and das Formular means the form. Meiner Ehefrau is genitive because it shows whose name it is; auf dem Formular is dative because it describes a location.
Viele Ehefrauen arbeiten heute Vollzeit.
Many wives work full-time today.
viele means many, arbeiten means work, and Vollzeit means full-time. Viele Ehefrauen is the plural nominative subject, and the plural verb arbeiten stands in position two.
der Ehemann — husband
Ehemann is the usual neutral word for a married man. The related word Ehepartner is more gender-neutral and can mean either spouse.
Der Ehemann kocht heute.
The husband is cooking today.
kocht means is cooking and heute means today. Der Ehemann is nominative because he is the subject, and the finite verb kocht stands in position two.
Ich sehe den Ehemann im Garten.
I see the husband in the garden.
sehe means see and im Garten means in the garden. Den Ehemann is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the finite verb sehe is in position two.
Ich helfe dem Ehemann beim Umzug.
I am helping the husband with the move.
helfe means help, beim Umzug means with the move, and Umzug means move to a new home. Dem Ehemann is dative because helfen requires a dative object.
Das Auto des Ehemanns ist neu.
The husband's car is new.
Das Auto means the car and neu means new. Des Ehemanns is genitive because it shows possession; masculine singular genitive uses des and adds -s.
Viele Ehemänner arbeiten heute zu Hause.
Many husbands are working at home today.
Viele means many, arbeiten means are working, and zu Hause means at home. Ehemänner is plural, so it has no plural ending on the article after viele; the noun itself uses -er and umlaut.
das Ehepaar — married couple
Ehepaar refers to the two spouses together, not to one spouse. It is grammatically singular even when it refers to two people, so it takes a singular verb.
Das Ehepaar wohnt neben uns.
The married couple lives next door to us.
wohnt means lives and neben uns means next door to us. Das Ehepaar is nominative because it is the subject; although it refers to two people, the noun is grammatically singular, so the verb is wohnt.
Wir besuchen das Ehepaar am Sonntag.
We are visiting the married couple on Sunday.
besuchen means visit and am Sonntag means on Sunday. Das Ehepaar is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object, but the neuter article remains das.
Wir geben dem Ehepaar ein Geschenk.
We are giving the married couple a present.
geben means give and ein Geschenk means a present. Dem Ehepaar is dative because it is the recipient, while ein Geschenk is the accusative thing being given.
Das Haus des Ehepaares ist sehr schön.
The married couple's house is very beautiful.
Das Haus means the house and sehr schön means very beautiful. Des Ehepaares is genitive because it shows whose house it is; des Ehepaars is a shorter alternative.
Zwei Ehepaare sitzen im Restaurant.
Two married couples are sitting in the restaurant.
Zwei means two, sitzen means are sitting, and im Restaurant means in the restaurant. Ehepaare is plural with -e, and the plural verb sitzen agrees with it.
die Eltern — parents
Eltern is always plural in standard German, even when it refers to one mother and one father. There is no normal singular Eltern; use die Mutter or der Vater for one parent.
Meine Eltern wohnen in Hamburg.
My parents live in Hamburg.
Meine means my, wohnen means live, and in Hamburg means in Hamburg. Meine Eltern is nominative because it is the plural subject; the verb wohnen stands in position two.
Ich besuche meine Eltern am Wochenende.
I visit my parents at the weekend.
besuche means visit, meine means my, and am Wochenende means at the weekend. Meine Eltern is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the finite verb besuche is in position two.
Ich helfe meinen Eltern im Haushalt.
I help my parents with the housework.
helfe means help, and im Haushalt means with the housework. Meinen Eltern is dative because helfen requires a dative object; the plural possessive determiner ends in -en.
Das Auto meiner Eltern ist alt.
My parents' car is old.
Das Auto means the car, and alt means old. Meiner Eltern is genitive and means my parents'; with a plural noun, the genitive article is der, but the possessive determiner meiner is used here.
Die Eltern warten vor der Schule.
The parents are waiting in front of the school.
warten means wait, and vor der Schule means in front of the school. Eltern is a plural-only noun, so it takes plural verb agreement; vor der Schule is dative because it describes a location.
der Enkel — grandson
Enkel can refer specifically to a grandson; in everyday speech, the plural Enkel can also mean grandchildren in general. The feminine form is Enkelin.
Der Enkel spielt im Garten.
The grandson is playing in the garden.
der Garten means garden, and spielen means to play. Der Enkel is nominative because he is the subject; the finite verb spielt is in position two.
Ich besuche den Enkel am Sonntag.
I am visiting my grandson on Sunday.
besuchen means to visit, and am Sonntag means on Sunday. Den Enkel is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the finite verb besuche is in position two.
Ich gebe dem Enkel ein Buch.
I am giving the grandson a book.
geben means to give, and ein Buch means a book. Dem Enkel is dative because he receives something, while ein Buch is the accusative thing given.
Das Fahrrad des Enkels ist neu.
The grandson's bicycle is new.
das Fahrrad means bicycle and neu means new. Des Enkels is genitive because it shows possession; the noun gets -s and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Die Enkel kommen morgen zu Besuch.
The grandsons are coming to visit tomorrow.
kommen means to come, morgen means tomorrow, and zu Besuch means to visit. Die Enkel is plural and nominative because it is the subject; the plural has no noun ending.
die Enkelin — granddaughter
Enkelin means granddaughter. Its plural is Enkelinnen, with the feminine plural ending -innen.
Die Enkelin malt ein Bild.
The granddaughter is painting a picture.
malen means to paint and ein Bild means a picture. Die Enkelin is nominative because she is the subject; the finite verb malt is in position two.
Wir sehen die Enkelin heute.
We are seeing our granddaughter today.
sehen means to see and heute means today. Die Enkelin is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the feminine article stays die in both nominative and accusative.
Ich helfe der Enkelin bei den Hausaufgaben.
I help my granddaughter with her homework.
helfen means to help, bei den Hausaufgaben means with the homework. Der Enkelin is dative because helfen always takes a dative person, not an accusative one.
Das Zimmer der Enkelin ist hell.
The granddaughter's room is bright.
das Zimmer means room and hell means bright. Der Enkelin is genitive because it shows whose room it is; feminine singular has no extra noun ending.
Die Enkelinnen besuchen uns im Sommer.
The granddaughters visit us in summer.
besuchen means to visit, uns means us, and im Sommer means in summer. Die Enkelinnen is plural and nominative because it is the subject; the plural ending is -innen.
das Enkelkind — grandchild
Enkelkind is a gender-neutral word for a grandchild. It is a compound of Enkel and Kind, and its plural is Enkelkinder.
Das Enkelkind schläft schon.
The grandchild is already asleep.
schlafen means to sleep and schon means already. Das Enkelkind is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb schläft is in position two.
Sie fotografiert das Enkelkind.
She is taking a photograph of the grandchild.
fotografieren means to take a photograph of, and sie means she. Das Enkelkind is accusative because fotografieren takes a direct object; the neuter article remains das.
Wir schenken dem Enkelkind ein Spielzeug.
We give the grandchild a toy.
schenken means to give as a present, and ein Spielzeug means a toy. Dem Enkelkind is dative because it is the recipient, while ein Spielzeug is the accusative gift.
Das Lachen des Enkelkindes ist süß.
The grandchild's laugh is sweet.
das Lachen means the laugh and süß means sweet. Des Enkelkindes is genitive because it shows possession; the neuter noun can take the ending -es.
Die Enkelkinder spielen draußen.
The grandchildren are playing outside.
spielen means to play and draußen means outside. Die Enkelkinder is plural and nominative because it is the subject; Kind changes to Kinder in the plural.
die Familie — family
die Familie normally means the people related to one another, including close relatives. Its plural is Familien; German uses the singular for one family even when referring to the family as a group.
Meine Familie lebt in Berlin.
My family lives in Berlin.
meine Familie means “my family”, and lebt means “lives”. meine Familie is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb lebt stands in position two.
Ich besuche meine Familie am Wochenende.
I visit my family at the weekend.
besuche means “visit”, and am Wochenende means “at the weekend”. meine Familie is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the finite verb besuche is in position two.
Ich helfe meiner Familie.
I help my family.
helfe means “help”. meiner Familie is dative because helfen governs the dative; the finite verb helfe stands in position two.
Das Auto meiner Familie ist alt.
My family's car is old.
das Auto is the car, and alt means “old”. meiner Familie is genitive because it shows possession; the feminine noun does not change, but meiner marks the genitive.
Viele Familien feiern heute zusammen.
Many families are celebrating together today.
viele means “many”, feiern means “celebrate”, and zusammen means “together”. Familien is plural and is the nominative subject; the finite verb feiern stands in position two.
das Familienfoto — family photo
The compound combines Familie, family, and Foto, photo. The plural is Familienfotos, not a form with an umlaut.
Das Familienfoto hängt im Wohnzimmer.
The family photo is hanging in the living room.
hängt means “is hanging,” and das Wohnzimmer is the living room. Das Familienfoto is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb hängt is in position two.
Ich stelle das Familienfoto auf den Schreibtisch.
I put the family photo on the desk.
stelle means “put,” and der Schreibtisch is the desk. Das Familienfoto is accusative because stellen takes a direct object; auf den Schreibtisch is accusative because it expresses movement to a place.
Meine Tante zeigt mir dem Familienfoto?
My aunt shows me the family photo?
Meine Tante means my aunt, and zeigt means shows. This sentence is not standard German: the correct form is Meine Tante zeigt mir das Familienfoto, because mir is the dative recipient and das Familienfoto is the accusative thing shown.
Die Farbe des Familienfotos ist verblasst.
The colour of the family photo has faded.
Die Farbe is the colour, and verblasst means has faded. Des Familienfotos is genitive because it identifies whose colour it is; the noun has the genitive ending -s.
Im Album sind viele Familienfotos.
There are many family photos in the album.
Im Album means in the album, and viele means many. Familienfotos is plural with -s; im is in dem, and it takes the dative here because it describes a location, not movement.
das Familienmitglied — family member
The compound combines Familie, family, and Mitglied, member. The plural is Familienmitglieder, with -er; do not use Familienmitglieds as the plural, because that is the genitive singular.
Mein Bruder ist ein wichtiges Familienmitglied.
My brother is an important family member.
Mein Bruder means my brother, and wichtig means important. Mein Bruder is the subject in the nominative, while ein wichtiges Familienmitglied is a predicate noun after ist; the finite verb is in position two.
Ich besuche ein Familienmitglied.
I am visiting a family member.
besuchen means to visit. Ein Familienmitglied is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; with the neuter article ein, the adjective would take -es if one were used.
Ich helfe einem Familienmitglied.
I am helping a family member.
helfen means to help. Einem Familienmitglied is dative because helfen always takes a dative person; the neuter article changes from ein to einem.
Das Auto des Familienmitglieds ist neu.
The family member's car is new.
Das Auto means the car, and neu means new. Des Familienmitglieds is genitive because it shows whose car it is; the neuter noun takes -s in the genitive.
Alle Familienmitglieder kommen zum Fest.
All the family members are coming to the celebration.
Alle means all, kommen means are coming, and das Fest is the celebration. Familienmitglieder is the plural form; zum means zu dem, and zu takes the dative because it expresses movement toward an event.
die Frau — woman
Die Frau means an adult female person. The plural is die Frauen; do not use Mädchen for this word, because Mädchen means girl.
Die Frau wartet an der Tür.
The woman is waiting at the door.
wartet means is waiting and die Tür means the door. Die Frau is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb wartet stands in position two.
Ich sehe die Frau.
I see the woman.
sehe means see. Die Frau is accusative because it is the direct object of sehe; the feminine article looks the same in the nominative and accusative.
Ich helfe der Frau.
I help the woman.
helfe means help. The verb helfen takes a dative object, so der Frau is dative; der here is the feminine dative article, not a masculine nominative article.
Das Fahrrad der Frau ist neu.
The woman's bicycle is new.
das Fahrrad means the bicycle and neu means new. Der Frau is genitive because it shows possession, meaning the bicycle belongs to the woman; the feminine noun itself does not change.
Viele Frauen arbeiten heute.
Many women are working today.
viele means many and arbeiten means work. Frauen is the plural subject, formed with -en and the vowel change au → äu; the finite verb arbeiten is in position two.
der Geburtstag — birthday
A birthday is the yearly date of someone's birth. For congratulations, use the fixed phrase Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!, where zum means “for the”.
Heute ist mein Geburtstag.
Today is my birthday.
heute means today. Mein Geburtstag is nominative because it is the subject, and ist is the finite verb in position two.
Wir feiern seinen Geburtstag am Samstag.
We are celebrating his birthday on Saturday.
feiern means to celebrate, and am Samstag means on Saturday. Seinen Geburtstag is accusative because feiern takes a direct object; am Samstag gives the time.
Ich schenke meiner Schwester etwas zum Geburtstag.
I am giving my sister something for her birthday.
schenken means to give as a present, and meiner Schwester means to my sister. Zum Geburtstag means for the birthday and combines zu with dem; zu takes the dative.
Die Party meines Geburtstags war sehr schön.
The party for my birthday was very nice.
die Party means the party, and sehr schön means very nice. Meines Geburtstags is genitive because it identifies the birthday connected with the party; the masculine noun has -s and the article is meines.
Meine Geburtstage verbringe ich gern mit der Familie.
I like spending my birthdays with my family.
verbringen means to spend time, gern means gladly or like to, and mit der Familie means with the family. Meine Geburtstage is plural and accusative because it is the object of verbringe; the verb is in position two after the fronted object.
die Geschwister — siblings, brothers and sisters
Die Geschwister is plural-only: it means brothers and sisters together, not one sibling. To speak about one person, use der Bruder for brother or die Schwester for sister.
Meine Geschwister wohnen in Berlin.
My siblings live in Berlin.
meine means my and wohnen means live. Meine Geschwister is plural nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb wohnen is in position two, and Geschwister has no singular form in this meaning.
Ich besuche meine Geschwister am Wochenende.
I visit my siblings at the weekend.
besuchen means visit and am Wochenende means at the weekend. Meine Geschwister is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the possessive form looks the same in plural nominative and accusative.
Ich helfe meinen Geschwistern bei den Hausaufgaben.
I help my siblings with their homework.
helfen means help, die Hausaufgaben means homework, and bei means with or during. Meinen Geschwistern is dative because helfen takes the dative; plural nouns usually add -n in the dative, and bei den Hausaufgaben is also dative after bei.
Die Namen meiner Geschwister stehen hier.
My siblings’ names are written here.
die Namen means names and hier means here. Meiner Geschwister is a genitive plural phrase showing whose names they are; the finite verb stehen is in position two.
Meine Geschwister spielen im Garten.
My siblings are playing in the garden.
spielen means play and der Garten means garden. Meine Geschwister is plural nominative as the subject; im Garten means in the garden and uses the dative because it describes a location.
Meine Geschwister sind schon groß.
My siblings are already grown up.
schon means already and groß means grown up or big. Meine Geschwister is plural nominative, and sind is the finite form of sein in position two; groß is predicative and has no adjective ending.
die Großeltern — grandparents
Großeltern is a plural-only noun: German has no normal singular noun for one grandparent. It can be nominative, accusative or genitive with die, but dative plural uses den Großeltern.
Die Großeltern wohnen auf dem Land.
The grandparents live in the countryside.
wohnen means live, and auf dem Land means in the countryside. Die Großeltern is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb wohnen stands in position two.
Ich besuche die Großeltern am Sonntag.
I am visiting my grandparents on Sunday.
besuche means visit, and am Sonntag means on Sunday. Die Großeltern is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; besuche is the finite verb in position two.
Wir schenken den Großeltern Blumen.
We are giving the grandparents flowers.
schenken means give as a present, and Blumen means flowers. Den Großeltern is dative because they are the recipients, while Blumen is accusative as the thing given.
Das Auto der Großeltern steht vor dem Haus.
The grandparents' car is in front of the house.
Das Auto means the car, and steht vor dem Haus means is standing in front of the house. Der Großeltern is genitive and shows possession; the finite verb steht is in position two.
Die Großeltern kommen heute zu Besuch.
The grandparents are coming to visit today.
kommen means are coming, and heute zu Besuch means to visit today. Die Großeltern is a plural subject, so the verb is kommen, not a singular form; the finite verb is in position two.
die Großmutter — grandmother
The word Großmutter is a compound made from groß, meaning big or great, and Mutter, meaning mother. In everyday speech, Oma is also very common and more informal.
Meine Großmutter wohnt in Köln.
My grandmother lives in Cologne.
wohnt means lives, and in Köln means in Cologne. Meine Großmutter is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb wohnt is in position two.
Ich besuche meine Großmutter am Sonntag.
I am visiting my grandmother on Sunday.
besuche means visit and am Sonntag means on Sunday. Meine Großmutter is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the finite verb besuche stands in position two.
Ich erzähle meiner Großmutter von der Reise.
I tell my grandmother about the trip.
erzähle means tell, von der Reise means about the trip, and Reise means trip. Meiner Großmutter is dative because erzählen gives the information to someone; von takes the dative here.
Das Auto meiner Großmutter ist sehr alt.
My grandmother’s car is very old.
das Auto means the car and sehr alt means very old. Meiner Großmutter expresses possession in the genitive; the verb ist is in position two.
Meine Großmütter backen gern Kuchen.
My grandmothers like baking cakes.
backen means bake, gern means with pleasure or like doing something, and Kuchen means cake. Meine Großmütter is plural and nominative because it is the subject, so the verb is backen, not singular backt.
der Großvater — grandfather
The word Großvater is a compound made from groß, meaning big or great, and Vater, meaning father. In everyday speech, Opa is also very common and more informal.
Mein Großvater liest jeden Abend.
My grandfather reads every evening.
liest means reads and jeden Abend means every evening. Mein Großvater is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb liest is in position two.
Wir besuchen unseren Großvater am Wochenende.
We visit our grandfather at the weekend.
Wir means we, besuchen means visit, and am Wochenende means at the weekend. Unseren Großvater is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the masculine article or possessive changes to unseren.
Ich helfe meinem Großvater im Garten.
I help my grandfather in the garden.
helfe means help and im Garten means in the garden. Meinem Großvater is dative because helfen always takes a dative person; this is a common case mistake.
Das Fahrrad meines Großvaters ist neu.
My grandfather’s bicycle is new.
das Fahrrad means the bicycle and neu means new. Meines Großvaters is genitive because it expresses possession; the masculine noun takes -s and the article form is meines.
Meine Großväter wohnen weit entfernt.
My grandfathers live far away.
wohnen means live and weit entfernt means far away. Meine Großväter is plural and nominative because it is the subject; the umlaut changes a to ä.
heiraten — to marry, to get married; to get married
heiraten takes an accusative person: jemanden heiraten means to marry someone. It can also be used without an object when the meaning is simply to get married; its perfect auxiliary is haben.
Sie heiratet ihren besten Freund.
She is marrying her best friend.
ihren besten Freund means her best friend. It is accusative because heiraten takes the person one marries as a direct object, and the finite verb heiratet is in position two.
Wir haben im Mai geheiratet.
We got married in May.
im Mai means in May. The perfect uses haben plus geheiratet; haben is in position two and the Partizip II goes to the end.
Meine Eltern heirateten sehr jung.
My parents married very young.
meine Eltern means my parents and sehr jung means very young. heirateten is the weak-verb simple past, with -te added to the stem, and the finite verb is in position two.
Heirate mich!
Marry me!
mich means me. Heirate is the du imperative, and mich is accusative because it is the person being married; the subject du is left out.
Wenn ich sie besser kennen würde, heiratete ich sie vielleicht.
If I knew her better, I might marry her.
wenn means if, besser means better, and vielleicht means perhaps. Here heiratete is the Konjunktiv II form, and the verb goes to the end of the wenn-clause; in careful speech, würde heiraten is also common.
Sie wird nächstes Jahr heiraten.
She will get married next year.
nächstes Jahr means next year. Futur I uses wird in position two and the infinitive heiraten at the end; the person married can be an accusative object when stated.
Unsere Tochter möchte bald heiraten.
Our daughter would like to get married soon.
unsere Tochter means our daughter and bald means soon. After the modal verb möchte, the infinitive heiraten goes to the end; no object is needed in this meaning.
Sie haben nach zehn Jahren geheiratet.
They got married after ten years.
nach zehn Jahren means after ten years. The perfect uses haben with geheiratet at the end, and the time phrase with nach is dative.
die Hochzeit — wedding; wedding occasion
Die Hochzeit is the wedding event, while heiraten means to get married. It is feminine, so its plural is die Hochzeiten and its genitive is der Hochzeit.
Die Hochzeit ist am Samstag.
The wedding is on Saturday.
am Samstag means on Saturday. Die Hochzeit is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist is in position two.
Wir planen die Hochzeit für den Sommer.
We are planning the wedding for the summer.
planen means to plan, and für den Sommer means for the summer. Die Hochzeit is accusative because it is the direct object of planen; the finite verb planen stands in position two.
Wir erzählen unseren Freunden von der Hochzeit.
We are telling our friends about the wedding.
erzählen means to tell, unseren Freunden means our friends, and von means about or from. Der Hochzeit is dative because von always takes the dative, while erzählen also gives the people being told the dative.
Das Datum der Hochzeit steht auf der Einladung.
The date of the wedding is on the invitation.
das Datum means the date and die Einladung means the invitation. Der Hochzeit is genitive because it shows whose date it is, and the feminine genitive article is der.
Im Mai gibt es viele Hochzeiten.
There are many weddings in May.
im Mai means in May and viele means many. Hochzeiten is plural after viele, and gibt es is the fixed expression for there is or there are.
Meine Schwester heiratet nächstes Jahr; die Hochzeit ist im Juni.
My sister is getting married next year; the wedding is in June.
meine Schwester means my sister, heiratet means is getting married, and nächstes Jahr means next year. Die Hochzeit is feminine and uses the definite article when the wedding is already known; ist remains in position two.
Auf der Hochzeit haben alle getanzt.
Everyone danced at the wedding.
alle means everyone and getanzt means danced. Auf der Hochzeit is dative because auf describes a location here, and haben ... getanzt forms the perfect with the participle at the end.
Sie trägt ein schönes Kleid für die Hochzeit.
She is wearing a beautiful dress for the wedding.
trägt means is wearing, ein schönes Kleid means a beautiful dress, and für means for. Die Hochzeit is accusative because für always takes the accusative.
das Kind — child; childish person; immature person
Kind means a child, in contrast to Erwachsener, an adult. The plural is irregular in form: das Kind, but die Kinder.
Das Kind schläft schon.
The child is already asleep.
schläft means is sleeping, and schon means already. Das Kind is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb schläft stands in position two.
Ich sehe das Kind im Garten.
I see the child in the garden.
sehe means see, and im Garten means in the garden. Das Kind looks the same in nominative and accusative, but it is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; sehe is in position two.
Ich helfe dem Kind bei den Hausaufgaben.
I help the child with the homework.
helfe means help, bei means with or during, and die Hausaufgaben are homework. Dem Kind is dative because helfen governs the dative; bei den Hausaufgaben is also dative because bei always takes the dative.
Das Spielzeug des Kindes liegt auf dem Boden.
The child’s toy is lying on the floor.
das Spielzeug means the toy, liegt means is lying, and der Boden is the floor. Des Kindes is genitive to show possession and adds -es; auf dem Boden is dative because it describes a location.
Die Kinder spielen draußen.
The children are playing outside.
spielen means are playing, and draußen means outside. Die Kinder is plural, with the special ending -er; the finite verb spielen is in position two.
Sei doch kein Kind!
Don’t be such a child!
sei means be, doch adds emphasis, and kein means no or not a. Kein Kind is a predicate noun after sein and is therefore nominative; the imperative sei addresses du, which is left out.
Er ist noch ein Kind, wenn es um Geld geht.
He is still a child when it comes to money.
noch means still, wenn es um Geld geht means when it comes to money, and Geld means money. Ein Kind is a predicate noun after ist and stays nominative; in the subordinate clause, the finite verb geht moves to the end.
die Kusine — female cousin
die Kusine is the feminine form of der Cousin. The plural is die Kusinen; German also commonly uses the international form Cousine.
Meine Kusine wohnt in Köln.
My cousin lives in Cologne.
meine Kusine means my female cousin, wohnt means lives, and in Köln means in Cologne. The noun phrase is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb wohnt stands in position two.
Ich besuche meine Kusine.
I am visiting my cousin.
ich besuche means I am visiting and meine Kusine means my female cousin. The noun phrase is accusative because besuchen takes a direct accusative object; the finite verb besuche is in position two.
Ich gebe meiner Kusine ein Geschenk.
I am giving my cousin a present.
geben means give, meiner Kusine means to my cousin, and ein Geschenk is a present. meiner Kusine is dative because it is the recipient, while ein Geschenk is the accusative thing given.
Das Fahrrad meiner Kusine ist neu.
My cousin's bicycle is new.
das Fahrrad is the bicycle and neu means new. meiner Kusine is genitive after the possessive phrase, expressing whose bicycle it is; the whole phrase Das Fahrrad meiner Kusine is the nominative subject.
Meine Kusinen kommen am Wochenende.
My cousins are coming at the weekend.
meine Kusinen means my female cousins, kommen means are coming, and am Wochenende means at the weekend. The plural noun phrase is nominative because it is the subject; Kusinen keeps the plural ending -en.
die Mama — mum, mom
Mama is an informal and affectionate word; Mutter is more neutral and formal. It is normally used for one's own mother or when speaking warmly about a mother.
Die Mama kocht heute eine Suppe.
Mum is cooking soup today.
heute means today and eine Suppe means a soup. Die Mama is nominative because she is the subject, and the finite verb kocht is in position two.
Ich sehe die Mama im Garten.
I see Mum in the garden.
sehen means to see and im Garten means in the garden. Die Mama is accusative because sehen takes a direct object, while the finite verb sehe stays in position two.
Ich gebe der Mama einen Kuss.
I give Mum a kiss.
geben means to give and einen Kuss means a kiss. Der Mama is dative because she receives something, while einen Kuss is accusative as the thing given.
Das Auto der Mama ist rot.
Mum's car is red.
das Auto means the car and rot means red. Der Mama is genitive because it shows whose car it is; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Die Mamas warten vor der Schule.
The mums are waiting in front of the school.
warten means to wait and vor der Schule means in front of the school. Die Mamas is plural and nominative because the mums are the subject; vor takes the dative here because it describes a fixed location.
der Mann — man, male adult; husband, male partner
Mann means an adult male person. In another very common sense, der Mann can mean a woman's husband; the context normally makes this clear.
Der Mann wartet an der Bushaltestelle.
The man is waiting at the bus stop.
wartet means is waiting and die Bushaltestelle means bus stop. Der Mann is nominative because he is the subject, while an der Bushaltestelle is dative because it gives a fixed location.
Ich sehe den Mann im Park.
I see the man in the park.
sehe means see, im Park means in the park, and der Park is the park. Den Mann is accusative because it is the direct object of sehe; im Park is dative because it describes location.
Ich helfe dem Mann mit dem Koffer.
I help the man with the suitcase.
helfe means help, mit means with, and der Koffer means suitcase. Helfen takes a dative object, so dem Mann is dative; mit dem Koffer is also dative because mit always takes the dative.
Das Auto des Mannes steht vor dem Haus.
The 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 Mannes is genitive to show possession, and vor dem Haus is dative because it describes a fixed location.
Die Männer spielen im Garten Fußball.
The men are playing football in the garden.
spielen means play, im Garten means in the garden, and Fußball means football. Die Männer is the plural subject, and the plural verb spielen agrees with it.
Mein Mann kocht heute Abend.
My husband is cooking this evening.
mein means my, kocht means is cooking, and heute Abend means this evening. Mein Mann is the nominative subject, and the possessive determiner has the masculine ending -in in the nominative.
Sie spricht oft über ihren Mann.
She often talks about her husband.
sie means she, spricht means talks, oft means often, and über means about. Über takes the accusative when it means about, so ihren Mann is accusative; ihren agrees with the masculine noun.
die Mutter — mother
Mutter means mother and is feminine: die Mutter. Its plural is irregular in spelling, die Mütter, with an umlaut and -er.
Meine Mutter kocht heute.
My mother is cooking today.
meine means my, kochen means to cook, and heute means today. Meine Mutter is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb kocht stands in position two.
Ich besuche meine Mutter.
I am visiting my mother.
besuchen means to visit, and meine means my. Meine Mutter is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the feminine noun has the same form in nominative and accusative.
Ich helfe meiner Mutter.
I help my mother.
helfen means to help, and meiner means my in the feminine dative. Meiner Mutter is dative because helfen requires dative, not accusative; the finite verb helfe is in position two.
Das Auto meiner Mutter ist blau.
My mother's car is blue.
das Auto means the car, and blau means blue. Meiner Mutter is genitive because it shows whose car it is; with a feminine noun, the noun stays unchanged and the possessive form is meiner.
Viele Mütter arbeiten heute.
Many mothers are working today.
viele means many, and arbeiten means to work. Mütter is plural and has an umlaut plus -er; the finite verb arbeiten agrees with the plural subject and stands in position two.
der Muttertag — Mother’s Day
The compound combines Mutter, mother, and Tag, day. Muttertag is usually written as one word and is a masculine noun: der Muttertag.
Am Muttertag schenke ich meiner Mutter Blumen.
On Mother’s Day I give my mother flowers.
schenke means give as a present, meiner Mutter means my mother, and Blumen means flowers. Am Muttertag is a time phrase; meiner Mutter is dative because the recipient is marked as an indirect object, while Blumen is accusative because it is what is given.
Wir feiern den Muttertag im Mai.
We celebrate Mother’s Day in May.
feiern means celebrate and im Mai means in May. den Muttertag is accusative because feiern takes the day as its direct object; the finite verb feiern is in position two.
Zum Muttertag backe ich einen Kuchen.
For Mother’s Day I bake a cake.
Zum means for the occasion of, and backe means bake; einen Kuchen is a cake. Zum Muttertag is dative because zu always governs the dative, while einen Kuchen is accusative as the thing baked.
Die Geschichte des Muttertags ist in verschiedenen Ländern unterschiedlich.
The history of Mother’s Day is different in different countries.
Die Geschichte means the history, verschiedenen Ländern means different countries, and unterschiedlich means different. Des Muttertags is genitive because it identifies whose history it is; the masculine noun has des and -s.
In vielen Ländern gibt es verschiedene Muttertage.
There are different Mother’s Days in many countries.
In vielen Ländern means in many countries, and verschiedene means different. Muttertage is plural after verschiedene; es gibt takes an accusative phrase, although the plural phrase is not marked by a visible article here.
die Mutti — mum, mom, mummy (familiar)
Mutti is warm and familiar, like “Mum” or “Mom”; it is not the usual neutral word in formal situations. The neutral word is Mutter.
Meine Mutti kocht heute.
My mum is cooking today.
Meine means my and kocht heute means is cooking today. Meine Mutti is nominative because she is the subject; the finite verb kocht stands in position two.
Ich besuche meine Mutti am Sonntag.
I am visiting my mum on Sunday.
besuche means visit and am Sonntag means on Sunday. Meine Mutti is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the feminine form looks the same in nominative and accusative.
Ich helfe meiner Mutti im Garten.
I help my mum in the garden.
helfe means help and im Garten means in the garden. Meiner Mutti is dative because helfen always takes a dative person; im Garten is also dative because in describes a location here.
Das Auto meiner Mutti ist rot.
My mum’s car is red.
Das Auto means the car and rot means red. Meiner Mutti is genitive because it shows possession, meaning the car belongs to Mum; with a feminine noun, the genitive article is der, but a possessive word gives meiner here.
Viele Muttis warten vor der Schule.
Many mums are waiting in front of the school.
Viele means many, warten means wait, and vor der Schule means in front of the school. Muttis is the plural with -s; vor der Schule is dative because it describes a location, not movement.
der Nachname — surname, last name
Nachname is the usual everyday word for a family name. It is not the same as Vorname, which means first name; in official forms, both are often requested separately.
Mein Nachname ist Schneider.
My surname is Schneider.
mein means my, and Schneider is the surname given in the sentence. Mein Nachname is nominative because it is the subject, and the verb ist stands in position two.
Bitte schreiben Sie Ihren Nachnamen hier hin.
Please write your surname here.
Bitte makes the request polite, schreiben means write, and hier hin means here. Ihren Nachnamen is accusative because schreiben takes the thing being written as its direct object; the formal request uses Sie and the verb comes first.
Ich helfe meiner Freundin mit ihrem Nachnamen.
I help my friend with her surname.
helfe means help, meiner Freundin means my female friend, and ihrem means her. Meiner Freundin is dative because helfen always takes a dative person; mit also forces dative, so ihrem Nachnamen is dative.
Die Schreibweise des Nachnamens ist ungewöhnlich.
The spelling of the surname is unusual.
Schreibweise means spelling, and ungewöhnlich means unusual. Des Nachnamens is genitive because it specifies whose spelling is meant; the masculine noun adds -s in this case.
Die Nachnamen stehen auf der Liste.
The surnames are on the list.
stehen means are written or stand, and Liste means list. Nachnamen is plural and takes -n; auf der Liste is dative because it describes a fixed location, while the plural noun is the nominative subject.
Wie ist Ihr Nachname?
What is your surname?
Wie ist means what is, and Ihr is the polite form of your. Ihr Nachname is nominative because it is the subject; in a question, ist comes first and the subject follows.
der Neffe — nephew
Neffe is a weak masculine noun. It takes -n in the accusative, dative, and genitive singular—den Neffen, dem Neffen, des Neffen—and its plural is also Neffen.
Mein Neffe ist sechs Jahre alt.
My nephew is six years old.
Mein Neffe means my nephew, and sechs Jahre alt means six years old. Mein Neffe is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich besuche meinen Neffen.
I am visiting my nephew.
Ich besuche means I am visiting, and meinen means my. Meinen Neffen is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; Neffe is a weak masculine noun and therefore adds -n.
Ich gebe meinem Neffen ein Geschenk.
I give my nephew a present.
Gebe means give, and ein Geschenk means a present. Meinem Neffen is dative because the recipient of geben is in the dative; the weak noun keeps -n outside the nominative.
Das Fahrrad meines Neffen ist neu.
My nephew's bicycle is new.
Das Fahrrad means the bicycle and neu means new. Meines Neffen is genitive because it shows whose bicycle it is; Neffen has the weak-noun ending -n.
Die Neffen spielen im Garten.
The nephews are playing in the garden.
Spielen means are playing, and im Garten means in the garden. Neffen is plural and takes die; im is short for in dem, which is dative because it describes a location.
die Nichte — niece
Die Nichte is a female relative. The male equivalent is der Neffe; the plural is formed with -n: die Nichten.
Die Nichte spielt im Garten.
The niece is playing in the garden.
spielen means to play, and der Garten means the garden. Die Nichte is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb spielt stands in position two.
Ich besuche die Nichte am Sonntag.
I am visiting my niece on Sunday.
besuchen means to visit, and am Sonntag means on Sunday. Die Nichte is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the feminine article looks the same in nominative and accusative.
Ich gebe der Nichte ein Buch.
I am giving the niece a book.
geben means to give, and ein Buch means a book. Der Nichte is dative because it is the recipient of the gift; ein Buch is accusative, and the finite verb gebe is in position two.
Das Fahrrad der Nichte ist neu.
The niece's bicycle is new.
das Fahrrad means the bicycle, and neu means new. Der Nichte is genitive because it shows who owns the bicycle; the feminine noun does not change, but the article is der.
Meine Nichten wohnen in Berlin.
My nieces live in Berlin.
meine means my, wohnen means live, and Berlin is the capital city. Nichten is plural because it ends in -n and is paired with meine; the plural subject takes wohnen.
die Oma — grandma, grandmother
Oma is the familiar, everyday word for grandmother; Großmutter is more formal or neutral. Family words can be used without an article in familiar expressions such as bei Oma, meaning at Grandma’s.
Meine Oma wohnt in Berlin.
My grandma lives in Berlin.
Meine means my, wohnt means lives, and in Berlin means in Berlin. Meine Oma is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb wohnt is in position two.
Ich besuche meine Oma am Sonntag.
I visit my grandma on Sunday.
Ich besuche means I visit, and am Sonntag means on Sunday. Meine Oma is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the feminine form looks the same in the nominative and accusative.
Ich gebe Oma Blumen.
I give Grandma flowers.
Ich gebe means I give, and Blumen means flowers. Oma is dative because geben takes a person receiving something in the dative; the familiar form often drops the article when referring to a close family member.
Das Auto der Oma ist blau.
Grandma’s car is blue.
Das Auto means the car, and blau means blue. Der Oma is genitive because it shows whose car it is; the feminine genitive article is der, not die.
Die Omas trinken zusammen Kaffee.
The grandmothers drink coffee together.
trinken means drink, zusammen means together, and Kaffee means coffee. Die Omas is plural and takes -s; the finite verb trinken is in position two.
der Onkel — uncle
Onkel is a weak masculine noun: it adds -n in the accusative and dative singular, for example den Onkel and dem Onkel, but not in the nominative. Its plural is unusual because die Onkel has the same spelling as the singular.
Mein Onkel wohnt in Berlin.
My uncle lives in Berlin.
mein means my, wohnt means lives, and in Berlin means in Berlin. mein Onkel is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb wohnt stands in position two.
Ich besuche meinen Onkel.
I am visiting my uncle.
ich means I and besuche means am visiting. meinen Onkel is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; as a weak masculine noun, Onkel takes -n in the accusative only when it has no possessive ending, but the possessive form already shows the case with meinen.
Ich helfe meinem Onkel beim Umzug.
I am helping my uncle with the move.
helfe means help, beim Umzug means with the move, and Umzug means move. meinem Onkel is dative because helfen takes the dative; with a possessive, the case is shown by meinem, while an unmodified form would be dem Onkel.
Das Auto meines Onkels ist alt.
My uncle's car is old.
das Auto means the car and alt means old. meines Onkels is genitive because it shows possession, and the masculine noun has -s in the genitive singular; ist is in position two.
Meine Onkel kommen morgen.
My uncles are coming tomorrow.
meine means my, kommen means are coming, and morgen means tomorrow. Meine Onkel is plural and is the nominative subject; the plural has no ending, so the possessive meine and the verb kommen show the number.
der Opa — grandpa, grandfather
Opa is familiar and affectionate; the more neutral word is Großvater. It is often used with a possessive such as mein Opa.
Mein Opa wohnt in Berlin.
My grandpa lives in Berlin.
mein means my, and wohnt means lives. Mein Opa is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb wohnt stands in position two.
Ich besuche meinen Opa.
I visit my grandpa.
besuche means visit, and meinen means my in the masculine accusative. Meinen Opa is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the finite verb besuche is in position two.
Ich helfe meinem Opa.
I help my grandpa.
helfe means help, and meinem means my in the masculine dative. Meinem Opa is dative because helfen always takes a dative person; the verb helfe stands in position two.
Das Auto meines Opas ist alt.
My grandpa's car is old.
Das Auto means the car, and alt means old. Meines Opas is genitive because it shows possession; the singular masculine noun has the genitive ending -s.
Meine Opas erzählen lustige Geschichten.
My grandpas tell funny stories.
Meine means my, erzählen means tell, and lustige Geschichten means funny stories. Meine Opas is a plural subject, so the verb is erzählen, and the plural noun ends in -s.
der Papa — Dad, daddy
Papa is informal and familiar; in neutral or formal situations, use Vater. It is often used without an article when speaking directly about one's own father.
Papa kocht heute.
Dad is cooking today.
kocht means is cooking and heute means today. Papa is the subject in the nominative, and the finite verb kocht stands in position two.
Ich sehe den Papa im Garten.
I see Dad in the garden.
sehe means see, der Garten means the garden, and im Garten means in the garden. den Papa is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; im Garten is dative because in describes a location.
Ich erzähle dem Papa eine Geschichte.
I tell Dad a story.
erzähle means tell and eine Geschichte means a story. dem Papa is dative because erzählen tells someone something, while eine Geschichte is the accusative thing being told.
Das Auto des Papas ist alt.
Dad's car is old.
das Auto means the car and alt means old. des Papas is genitive because it shows possession; ist is in position two, and Papas has the ending -s.
Viele Papas holen ihre Kinder ab.
Many dads pick up their children.
viele means many, holen ... ab means pick up, and ihre Kinder means their children. Papas is plural with -s; in the main clause the separable verb places holen in position two and ab at the end.
Papa hilft mir bei den Hausaufgaben.
Dad helps me with my homework.
hilft means helps, mir means me, and die Hausaufgaben means homework. mir is dative because helfen requires a dative person, and bei also takes dative in bei den Hausaufgaben.
die Schwester — sister; nurse
Die Schwester can mean a female sibling. In a hospital, it can also mean a nurse, but that use is less neutral today than die Pflegefachkraft.
Meine Schwester wohnt in Berlin.
My sister lives in Berlin.
meine means my, wohnen means live, and Berlin is the capital of Germany. Meine Schwester is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb wohnt stands in position two.
Ich besuche meine Schwester am Samstag.
I am visiting my sister on Saturday.
besuchen means visit, meine means my, and am Samstag means on Saturday. Meine Schwester is accusative because it is the direct object of besuche; the finite verb is in position two.
Ich helfe meiner Schwester bei den Hausaufgaben.
I help my sister with her homework.
helfen means help, meiner means my in the feminine dative, bei means with or during, and die Hausaufgaben are homework. Meiner Schwester is dative because helfen takes a dative person; bei den Hausaufgaben is also dative because bei requires the dative.
Das Fahrrad meiner Schwester ist neu.
My sister's bicycle is new.
das Fahrrad is the bicycle, and neu means new. Meiner Schwester is genitive because it shows possession, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Meine Schwestern lernen zusammen.
My sisters study together.
meine means my, lernen means study or learn, and zusammen means together. Meine Schwestern is plural nominative because it is the subject; the plural is formed with -n.
Meine Schwester trinkt gern Tee.
My sister likes drinking tea.
trinken means drink, gern means gladly or enjoy doing something, and der Tee is tea. Meine Schwester is the subject, and the finite verb trinkt is in position two.
Die Schwester bringt dem Patienten seine Medikamente.
The nurse brings the patient his medication.
bringen means bring, der Patient is the patient, and die Medikamente are the medicines. Dem Patienten is dative because it is the recipient, while seine Medikamente is the accusative thing being brought.
Die Schwester arbeitet auf der Station.
The nurse works on the ward.
arbeiten means work, auf der Station means on the hospital ward, and die Station is the ward. Die Schwester is nominative because it is the subject; auf der Station is dative because it describes a fixed location.
der Sohn — son
The plural is Söhne, with an umlaut and -e. The word refers specifically to a male child or male descendant.
Mein Sohn ist schon sechs Jahre alt.
My son is already six years old.
schon means already, and sechs Jahre alt means six years old. Mein Sohn is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Ich sehe meinen Sohn jeden Abend.
I see my son every evening.
jeden Abend means every evening, and sehen means to see. meinen Sohn is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the finite verb sehe stands in position two.
Ich gebe meinem Sohn ein Buch.
I give my son a book.
geben means to give, and ein Buch is a book. meinem Sohn is dative because he is the recipient, while ein Buch is accusative because it is the thing given.
Das Fahrrad meines Sohnes ist neu.
My son's bicycle is new.
das Fahrrad is the bicycle and neu means new. meines Sohnes is genitive because it shows whose bicycle it is; Sohnes takes -es in the genitive singular.
Die Söhne spielen im Garten.
The sons are playing in the garden.
spielen means are playing, and im Garten means in the garden. Söhne is the plural subject, so it is nominative plural; the umlaut changes Sohn to Söhne.
die Tante — aunt
Meine Tante wohnt in Berlin.
My aunt lives in Berlin.
meine means my and wohnt means lives. Meine Tante is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb wohnt stands in position two.
Ich besuche meine Tante.
I am visiting my aunt.
ich besuche means I am visiting. Meine Tante is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object, and the finite verb besuche is in position two.
Ich helfe meiner Tante.
I am helping my aunt.
ich helfe means I help, and meiner means my in the feminine dative. Meiner Tante is dative because helfen always takes a dative person; do not use the accusative after this verb.
Das Auto meiner Tante ist rot.
My aunt's car is red.
das Auto means the car and rot means red. Meiner Tante is genitive because it shows possession; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Meine Tanten kommen am Sonntag.
My aunts are coming on Sunday.
kommen means are coming and am Sonntag means on Sunday. Meine Tanten is plural and nominative because it is the subject; the ending -n is part of the plural noun.
die Tochter — daughter
The plural has an umlaut: die Tochter, but die Töchter. Do not confuse Tochter with Mädchen, which means girl and is grammatically neuter.
Meine Tochter spielt im Garten.
My daughter is playing in the garden.
meine means my, spielt means is playing, and im Garten means in the garden. Meine Tochter is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb spielt is in position two.
Ich sehe meine Tochter.
I see my daughter.
sehe means see. Meine Tochter is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; with a feminine noun, the possessive meine looks the same in nominative and accusative.
Ich helfe meiner Tochter.
I help my daughter.
helfe means help. Meiner Tochter is dative because helfen always takes the dative; the possessive changes from meine to meiner.
Das Fahrrad meiner Tochter ist rot.
My daughter's bicycle is red.
das Fahrrad means the bicycle and rot means red. Meiner Tochter expresses possession after Fahrrad; it is genitive, although the feminine noun itself does not change.
Die Töchter tanzen zusammen.
The daughters are dancing together.
tanzen means dance and zusammen means together. Töchter is the plural with an umlaut change and no ending; the plural verb tanzen also shows that the subject is plural.
der Vater — father
Mein Vater arbeitet im Krankenhaus.
My father works in the hospital.
mein means my, arbeitet means works, and im Krankenhaus means in the hospital. Mein Vater is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb arbeitet stands in position two.
Ich besuche meinen Vater am Sonntag.
I visit my father on Sunday.
besuche means visit, meinen means my in the masculine accusative, and am Sonntag means on Sunday. meinen Vater is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the finite verb besuche is in position two.
Ich helfe meinem Vater im Garten.
I help my father in the garden.
helfe means help, meinem means my in the masculine dative, and im Garten means in the garden. meinem Vater is dative because helfen always takes a dative object.
Das Auto meines Vaters ist alt.
My father's car is old.
das Auto means the car and alt means old. meines Vaters is genitive because it shows possession, and Vaters has the genitive ending -s.
Viele Väter holen ihre Kinder ab.
Many fathers pick up their children.
viele means many, holen ... ab means pick up, and ihre Kinder means their children. Väter is plural after viele; in the main clause, the separable verb abholen splits, so holen is in position two and ab goes to the end.
der Vati — dad, daddy
Vati is informal and affectionate; in neutral or formal situations, use Vater.
Mein Vati kocht heute.
My dad is cooking today.
mein means my, kocht means is cooking, and heute means today. Mein Vati is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb kocht is in position two.
Ich rufe meinen Vati an.
I am calling my dad.
rufe ... an means call, and meinen is my in the masculine accusative. meinen Vati is accusative because anrufen takes a direct object; the separable verb splits in the main clause, with rufe in position two and an at the end.
Ich danke meinem Vati.
I thank my dad.
danke means thank, and meinem means my in the masculine dative. meinem Vati is dative because danken takes a dative object, not an accusative one.
Das Fahrrad meines Vatis ist neu.
My dad's bicycle is new.
das Fahrrad means the bicycle and neu means new. meines Vatis is genitive because it shows possession, and the familiar noun adds -s in the genitive.
Die Vatis warten vor der Schule.
The dads are waiting in front of the school.
warten means wait, and vor der Schule means in front of the school. Vatis is plural with -s, and der Schule is dative because vor describes a location here.
verheiratet — married; married
Verheiratet describes a marital status and is normally not compared; forms such as mehr verheiratet and am verheiratetsten are playful or unusual. With a person, use mit plus the dative to say who they are married to.
Meine Schwester ist verheiratet.
My sister is married.
meine Schwester means my sister. Verheiratet is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Nach zehn Jahren wirkt er noch mehr verheiratet als früher.
After ten years, he still seems more married than before.
nach zehn Jahren means after ten years, and früher means before or formerly. The unusual comparative mehr verheiratet means more strongly or visibly married; it is normally humorous or informal, not a standard comparison of marital status.
Von allen Paaren wirken sie am verheiratetsten.
Of all the couples, they seem the most married.
von allen Paaren means of all the couples, and wirken means seem or appear. Am verheiratetsten is a playful superlative meaning most married; ordinary German normally does not compare verheiratet because a person is either married or not.
Das ist mein verheirateter Bruder.
That is my married brother.
mein Bruder means my brother, and das means that. Before the masculine nominative noun Bruder, the adjective takes the ending -er after mein; verheirateter Bruder is the noun phrase being identified.
Verheiratete Paare bekommen oft gemeinsame Post.
Married couples often receive joint mail.
Paare means couples, bekommen means receive, and gemeinsame Post means joint mail. Verheiratete is an adjective used as a plural noun, so it has a capital letter and the ending -e; it is the subject.
Er ist seit zehn Jahren mit Anna verheiratet.
He has been married to Anna for ten years.
seit zehn Jahren means for ten years, and mit Anna means to Anna. Mit takes the dative, although the feminine name Anna shows no visible case ending; verheiratet follows ist as a predicative adjective.
die Verwandte — female relative
This is the feminine form of the adjectival noun verwandt, related. It follows adjective endings: die Verwandte, der Verwandten.
Die Verwandte wohnt in Berlin.
The female relative lives in Berlin.
wohnt means lives, and Berlin is the German capital. Die Verwandte is nominative because she is the subject; the finite verb wohnt is in position two.
Ich besuche die Verwandte morgen.
I am visiting the female relative tomorrow.
besuche means visit and morgen means tomorrow. Die Verwandte is accusative because besuchen takes a direct object; the finite verb besuche stands in position two.
Ich helfe der Verwandten beim Umzug.
I am helping the female relative with the move.
helfe means help, and der Umzug is the move to a new home. Der Verwandten is dative because helfen takes a dative object; beim means “during the” and combines bei with dem.
Das Auto der Verwandten ist neu.
The female relative’s car is new.
das Auto means car and neu means new. Der Verwandten is genitive and shows possession; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Verwandte kommen am Wochenende zu Besuch.
Relatives are coming to visit at the weekend.
Verwandte means relatives, and am Wochenende means at the weekend. The plural has no special plural ending here; Verwandte is the nominative subject, and kommen stands in position two.
die Windel — diaper, nappy
A Windel is worn by a baby to collect urine and faeces. The plural is Windeln, with an extra -n.
Die Windel ist noch trocken.
The diaper is still dry.
noch means “still”, and trocken means “dry”. Die Windel is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich wechsle die Windel.
I am changing the diaper.
wechsle means “change”. Die Windel is accusative because wechseln takes an accusative object, while the finite verb wechsle is in position two.
Ich helfe dem Vater mit der Windel.
I help the father with the diaper.
helfe means “help”, and dem Vater means “the father”. Der Windel is dative because mit always takes the dative; helfen also takes a dative person, here dem Vater.
Die Farbe der Windel ist blau.
The colour of the diaper is blue.
Die Farbe means “the colour”, and blau means “blue”. Der Windel is genitive because it identifies which diaper’s colour is meant; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Wir kaufen Windeln im Supermarkt.
We are buying diapers at the supermarket.
kaufen means “buy”, and im Supermarkt means “at the supermarket”. Windeln is plural accusative because kaufen takes an accusative object; the plural article is omitted here because no article is needed.