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Vocab: Household tasks — B2
Household tasks vocabulary at B2 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
befleckt — stained, tainted, tarnished
befleckt can describe a physical mark, but it is also used figuratively for damaged honour or reputation. It is often a participial adjective from beflecken, and its ending changes when it stands before a noun, as in ein beflecktes Kleid.
Das weiße Hemd ist befleckt.
The white shirt is stained.
weiß means white and das Hemd is the shirt. befleckt is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; the adjective describes the nominative subject das weiße Hemd.
Sie trägt ein beflecktes Kleid.
She is wearing a stained dress.
sie trägt means she is wearing, and das Kleid is the dress. beflecktes comes before Kleid and takes -es after ein because the accusative object is neuter; the finite verb trägt stands in position two.
Der alte Ruf ist befleckter als zuvor.
The old reputation is more tarnished than before.
der Ruf is the reputation, alt means old, and zuvor means before. befleckter is predicative after ist and therefore has no ending; als introduces the comparison.
Dieser Name ist am beflecktesten.
This name is the most tarnished.
dieser Name means this name, and Name can refer to a person’s reputation. am beflecktesten is the predicative superlative after ist; the finite verb is in position two and the adjective phrase follows it.
beschmutzen — to soil, to stain, to dirty
beschmutzen is stronger and more formal than simply schmutzig machen and can be used literally or figuratively, as in den Ruf beschmutzen. It is a regular verb and takes haben in the perfect.
Der Hund beschmutzt den Teppich mit seinen Pfoten.
The dog soils the carpet with its paws.
der Hund is the dog, der Teppich is the carpet, and die Pfoten are the paws. Den Teppich is accusative because beschmutzen takes a direct object; mit takes the dative, so seinen Pfoten is dative.
Der Regen hat die weiße Wand beschmutzt.
The rain has soiled the white wall.
der Regen means the rain, and die weiße Wand means the white wall. The perfect uses hat and the Partizip II beschmutzt at the end; die weiße Wand is accusative.
Die Farbe beschmutzte seine Hände.
The paint stained his hands.
die Farbe is the paint, and seine Hände means his hands. The finite past form beschmutzte is in position two, while seine Hände is accusative as the object.
Beschmutz nicht die frische Kleidung.
Do not soil the clean clothes.
nicht means not, and frische Kleidung means clean clothes. The imperative beschmutz comes first; die frische Kleidung is accusative because it is the object.
Ich würde den Boden nicht beschmutzen.
I would not soil the floor.
der Boden means the floor, and nicht means not. Den Boden is accusative after beschmutzen; würde marks the conditional and the infinitive beschmutzen follows it.
Der Schlamm wird die Schuhe beschmutzen.
The mud will soil the shoes.
der Schlamm means the mud, and die Schuhe means the shoes. Future tense uses wird in position two and places beschmutzen at the end; die Schuhe is accusative.
der Erhalt — preservation, maintenance; receipt
Der Erhalt is a formal noun, often meaning preservation or maintenance; Erhalt can also mean receipt in official language. It is normally singular-only when it refers to preservation.
Der Erhalt des Gebäudes ist wichtig.
Preserving the building is important.
das Gebäude means the building, and wichtig means important. Der Erhalt is nominative because it is the subject, while des Gebäudes is genitive to show what is being preserved.
Wir sichern den Erhalt des Parks.
We ensure the preservation of the park.
sichern means ensure or safeguard, and der Park means the park. Den Erhalt is accusative because sichern takes a direct object; des Parks is genitive because it identifies what is preserved.
Mit dem Erhalt der Nachricht begann die Arbeit.
After receiving the message, the work began.
mit means with or upon, die Nachricht means the message, and begann means began. Dem Erhalt is dative because mit governs the dative; the verb begann is in position two, and der Nachricht is genitive.
Die Kosten des Erhalts sind hoch.
The costs of maintenance are high.
die Kosten means the costs, and hoch means high. Des Erhalts is genitive because it specifies which costs are meant; the noun is normally singular here because maintenance is an abstract activity.
die Instandhaltung — maintenance, upkeep
Instandhaltung is normally an uncountable activity noun, so it has no plural. It is used especially for machines, buildings and technical systems, and is more formal than everyday phrases such as “taking care of”.
Die Instandhaltung der Maschinen kostet viel Zeit.
Maintaining the machines takes a lot of time.
die Maschinen means the machines, and kostet viel Zeit means takes a lot of time. Die Instandhaltung is the nominative subject, while der Maschinen is genitive because it identifies what is being maintained.
Die Firma plant die Instandhaltung der Anlage.
The company is planning maintenance of the facility.
die Firma means the company, plant means plans, and die Anlage means the facility or installation. Die Instandhaltung is accusative because planen takes a direct object; der Anlage is genitive and shows what is maintained.
Bei der Instandhaltung entstehen zusätzliche Kosten.
Additional costs arise during maintenance.
bei means during or in the course of, entstehen means arise, and zusätzliche Kosten means additional costs. Bei always takes the dative, so der Instandhaltung is dative; the finite verb entstehen stands in position two.
Die Kosten der Instandhaltung sind gestiegen.
The maintenance costs have increased.
die Kosten means the costs, and gestiegen means increased or risen. Der Instandhaltung is genitive because it specifies which costs are meant; sind gestiegen is a perfect form with sein because steigen describes a change.
der Kabelsalat — cable tangle, cable mess
This compound combines Kabel (cable) and Salat (salad), humorously describing a tangled mass of wires. The plural is Kabelsalate, not Kabelsalats.
Der Kabelsalat hinter dem Schreibtisch nervt mich.
The cable mess behind the desk annoys me.
hinter dem Schreibtisch means behind the desk, and nervt mich means annoys me. Der Kabelsalat is nominative because it is the subject; mich is accusative because it is the person affected, and nervt stands in position two.
Ich hasse den Kabelsalat unter dem Tisch.
I hate the cable mess under the table.
hasse means hate, unter dem Tisch means under the table, and der Tisch is the table. Den Kabelsalat is accusative because hassen takes a direct object, and hasse stands in position two.
Mit dem Kabelsalat kann niemand arbeiten.
No one can work with the cable mess.
mit means with, niemand means no one, and arbeiten means work. Dem Kabelsalat is dative because mit always takes the dative; the modal verb kann is in position two and arbeiten goes to the end.
Die Ursache des Kabelsalats ist unklar.
The cause of the cable mess is unclear.
Die Ursache means the cause and unklar means unclear. Des Kabelsalats is genitive because it identifies the cause, and ist stands in position two.
In vielen Büros gibt es Kabelsalate.
There are cable tangles in many offices.
In vielen Büros means in many offices, and gibt es means there are. Kabelsalate is plural; after es gibt, the thing that exists is accusative, although the plural article is omitted here, and gibt stands in position two.
vergießen — to spill; to shed; to shed blood or tears
The verb is used for spilling liquids and for shedding Tränen or Blut; the perfect is hat vergossen, not ist vergossen.
Beim Kochen vergießt er etwas Öl.
While cooking, he spills some oil.
beim Kochen means while cooking, and etwas Öl means some oil. Öl is accusative because vergießen takes a direct object, while the finite verb vergießt stands in position two.
Sie hat viele Tränen vergossen.
She shed many tears.
viele Tränen means many tears. The perfect uses hat and the Partizip II vergossen because this verb takes haben; the auxiliary is in position two and vergossen goes to the end.
Im Krieg vergoss der Soldat viel Blut.
In the war, the soldier shed a lot of blood.
im Krieg means in the war, der Soldat is the soldier, and viel Blut means a lot of blood. Blut is accusative as the direct object, and the strong past form vergoss occupies position two.
Vergieß kein Wasser auf den Boden!
Don’t spill any water on the floor!
kein Wasser means no water, and auf den Boden means onto the floor. The singular imperative is vergieß; the object is accusative, and the preposition auf takes accusative here because it expresses movement onto a surface.
Ich würde keine Tränen vergießen.
I would not shed any tears.
keine Tränen means no tears. würde marks the conditional, while the infinitive vergießen goes to the end and takes the accusative object keine Tränen.
Er wird im Training viel Schweiß vergießen.
He will shed a lot of sweat during training.
im Training means during training, and viel Schweiß means a lot of sweat. Future wird stands in position two and sends the infinitive vergießen to the end; Schweiß is accusative.
In diesem Kampf wurde viel Blut vergossen.
A lot of blood was shed in this fight.
in diesem Kampf means in this fight, and viel Blut means a lot of blood. The passive uses wurde plus vergossen; the Partizip II stays at the end, and Blut is the nominative subject of the passive sentence.
Die Sängerin vergoss auf der Bühne Tränen.
The singer shed tears on the stage.
die Sängerin is the singer, auf der Bühne means on the stage, and Tränen means tears. Tränen is accusative as the direct object, while the simple-past form vergoss is in position two.
der Verwendungszweck — intended purpose, intended use
This formal compound is common in instructions, product descriptions and administrative texts. It asks what something is intended for, not simply how it happens to be used.
Der Verwendungszweck des Raumes ist noch unklar.
The intended purpose of the room is still unclear.
Raum means room, noch means still, and unklar means unclear. Der Verwendungszweck is nominative because it is the subject, while des Raumes is genitive and means of the room; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Die Behörde genehmigt den Verwendungszweck nicht.
The authority does not approve the intended purpose.
Behörde means authority and genehmigt means approves or authorizes. Den Verwendungszweck is accusative because genehmigen takes a direct object; nicht negates the action and comes near the end.
Mit dem Verwendungszweck muss die Firma vorsichtig sein.
The company must be careful about the intended use.
mit means with or concerning, Firma means company, and vorsichtig means careful. Mit forces the dative, so the masculine form is dem Verwendungszweck; with the modal muss, the infinitive sein goes to the end.
Die Beschreibung des Verwendungszwecks fehlt im Vertrag.
The description of the intended purpose is missing from the contract.
Beschreibung means description, fehlen means to be missing, and Vertrag means contract. Des Verwendungszwecks is genitive because it specifies the purpose being described; im Vertrag is short for in dem Vertrag and is dative because it expresses location.
Die verschiedenen Verwendungszwecke stehen in der Anleitung.
The different intended uses are listed in the instructions.
verschieden means different, Anleitung means instructions, and stehen here means are written or listed. Verwendungszwecke is the plural subject; in der Anleitung is dative because it describes where the information is located.
verwerten — to use, recycle, make use of; to exploit, make commercial use of
Verwerten is broader than recyceln: it can mean recycling material, but also making practical use of information or results. It takes haben in the perfect and normally an accusative object.
Das Unternehmen verwertet alte Batterien.
The company recycles old batteries.
Unternehmen means company, alt means old, and Batterien means batteries. Alte Batterien is accusative because verwerten takes a direct object; the finite verb verwertet stands in position two.
Die Stadt hat den Bioabfall verwertet.
The city recycled the organic waste.
Stadt means city and Bioabfall means organic waste. Den Bioabfall is accusative because it is the object, while the auxiliary hat is in position two and the Partizip II verwertet goes to the end.
Die Firma verwertete die gesammelten Daten.
The company analyzed and made use of the collected data.
Firma means company, gesammelt means collected, and Daten means data. Die gesammelten Daten is accusative because it is the object; the simple-past finite verb verwertete stands in position two.
Verwerte die Reste für eine Suppe.
Use the leftovers for a soup.
Reste means leftovers and Suppe means soup. Verwerte is the du imperative, so the subject is understood; die Reste is accusative, and für also forces the accusative in für eine Suppe.
Ich würde die alten Möbel gern verwerten.
I would gladly make use of the old furniture.
alte Möbel means old furniture and gern means gladly. Die alten Möbel is accusative because it is the object; würde is the Konjunktiv II auxiliary in position two and the infinitive verwerten goes to the end.
Wir werden die Materialien vollständig verwerten.
We will recycle the materials completely.
Materialien means materials and vollständig means completely. Die Materialien is accusative because verwerten takes a direct object; werden stands in position two and the infinitive verwerten goes to the end.
Der Verlag verwertet die Forschungsergebnisse in einem Buch.
The publisher makes use of the research findings in a book.
Verlag means publisher, Forschungsergebnisse means research findings, and Buch means book. Die Forschungsergebnisse is accusative as the direct object; in einem Buch is dative because it describes the location or medium of the use.
Wir dürfen die Idee nicht kommerziell verwerten.
We are not allowed to exploit the idea commercially.
dürfen means may or be allowed to, Idee means idea, and kommerziell means commercially. Die Idee is accusative, while the modal dürfen is in position two and the infinitive verwerten goes to the end; nicht negates the permission.
der Wertstoff — recyclable material
This compound means a material with value for recycling: Wert means value and Stoff means material. It is often used in waste sorting and environmental contexts; the plural is Wertstoffe.
Der Wertstoff gehört in die blaue Tonne.
The recyclable material belongs in the blue bin.
gehört means “belongs,” and die blaue Tonne is the blue bin. blau means blue. Der Wertstoff is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb gehört is in position two.
Wir bringen den Wertstoff zum Recyclinghof.
We take the recyclable material to the recycling centre.
bringen means “take” or “bring,” zum Recyclinghof means to the recycling centre, and Recyclinghof is a recycling centre. Den Wertstoff is accusative because it is the direct object of bringen; zum is short for zu dem and forces the dative.
Die Mitarbeiter geben dem Wertstoff eine neue Verwendung.
The employees give the recyclable material a new use.
die Mitarbeiter are the employees, geben means “give,” and eine neue Verwendung is a new use. Dem Wertstoff is dative because geben uses a dative recipient; eine neue Verwendung is the accusative thing that is given.
Die Wiederverwendung des Wertstoffs spart Energie.
Reusing the recyclable material saves energy.
die Wiederverwendung means reuse, and spart Energie means saves energy. Des Wertstoffs is genitive because it identifies the material being reused; the genitive ending -s is added to this masculine noun.
Viele Wertstoffe werden heute wiederverwendet.
Many recyclable materials are reused today.
viele means many, heute means today, and wiederverwendet means reused. Wertstoffe is plural and nominative as the subject; werden wiederverwendet is the passive, with the participle at the end.