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Vocab: Numbers & quantity — A1 (1)
Numbers & quantity vocabulary at A1 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
acht — eight
acht is the cardinal number 8. The ordinal is achte before a noun, as in der achte März, and numbers themselves do not take adjective endings.
Mein Bruder ist acht Jahre alt.
My brother is eight years old.
mein Bruder means my brother, and Jahre alt means years old. acht does not change before the plural noun Jahre; the expression uses ist plus a number and alt, not a verb meaning ‘has’.
Heute ist der achte März.
Today is the eighth of March.
heute means today, and März is March. achte is the ordinal form ‘eighth’, built from acht with -te; after the masculine article der, it has the adjective ending -e.
achte — eighth
achte is the ordinal form of acht. It behaves like an adjective and changes its ending according to the article and case.
Heute ist der achte Mai.
Today is the eighth of May.
heute means today and der Mai means May. achte is an ordinal adjective, so it takes an ending after the masculine article der; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Sie sitzt in der achten Reihe.
She is sitting in the eighth row.
sie sitzt means she is sitting and die Reihe means row. in der achten Reihe is dative because in describes a location here, and the feminine dative ending is -en.
achtzehn — eighteen
As a cardinal number, achtzehn does not take an adjective ending when it stands before a noun. The ordinal is achtzehnte, with an ending added when grammar requires one.
Ich habe achtzehn Bücher gezählt.
I counted eighteen books.
Bücher means books, and gezählt means counted. achtzehn Bücher is an accusative object of habe gezählt, and the Partizip II gezählt goes to the end of the perfect clause.
Ich bin achtzehn Jahre alt.
I am eighteen years old.
Jahre means years and alt means old. In the age expression achtzehn Jahre alt, achtzehn describes the number of years; the finite verb bin stands in position two.
Der Film beginnt um achtzehn Uhr.
The film starts at 6 p.m.
der Film means the film and beginnt means starts; Uhr marks a time on the clock. um achtzehn Uhr is an accusative time expression after um, while the finite verb beginnt is in position two.
Die Zahl achtzehn bildet die Ordnungszahl achtzehnte.
The number eighteen forms the ordinal number eighteenth.
die Zahl means the number, bildet means forms, and die Ordnungszahl means the ordinal number. The ordinal achtzehnte is made from achtzehn with -te; the finite verb bildet is in position two.
achtzig — eighty
As a cardinal number, achtzig is used for quantities, ages, prices, and times. Its ordinal is achtzigste, and ordinal endings are added when it comes before a noun.
Meine Großmutter ist achtzig Jahre alt.
My grandmother is eighty years old.
meine Großmutter means my grandmother, Jahre means years, and alt means old. achtzig Jahre alt is an age expression; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Das Fahrrad kostet achtzig Euro.
The bicycle costs eighty euros.
das Fahrrad means the bicycle and kostet means costs. achtzig Euro is the amount expressed with the verb kostet; the finite verb is in position two, and Euro normally has the same form after a number.
all — all, every
all does not have comparative or superlative forms. Before a plural noun it usually appears as alle, and before an uncountable or neuter noun it appears as alles, as in alles Wasser or alles Gute.
Die Kinder sind alle im Garten.
The children are all in the garden.
die Kinder means the children, and im Garten means in the garden. Alle is used predicatively here with the meaning all of them; it has no comparison, and the finite verb sind stands in position two.
Alle Kinder mögen Geschichten.
All children like stories.
Kinder means children, mögen means like, and Geschichten means stories. Alle Kinder is a plural nominative subject, so alle has the plural ending -e; the finite verb mögen is in position two.
Das ist aller Anfang.
This is the very beginning.
aller Anfang is a fixed expression meaning the very beginning. Aller is not a true comparative form of all; it is the genitive form used in this expression, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Das war das allerbeste Ergebnis.
That was by far the best result.
das beste Ergebnis means the best result, and allerbeste means by far the best. Aller is an intensifier before a superlative, not a superlative form of all; the finite verb war stands in position two.
der Cent — cent
Cent is the small money unit, usually one hundredth of a euro. The plural is commonly Cents; with amounts, the number normally comes before the noun, as in fünf Cents.
Der Cent liegt auf dem Tisch.
The cent is lying on the table.
liegen means to lie or be lying, and der Tisch is the table. Der Cent is nominative because it is the subject; auf dem Tisch uses the dative because it describes a fixed location.
Ich habe noch einen Cent.
I still have one cent.
noch means still or left. Einen Cent is accusative because haben takes a direct object, and the masculine article changes from ein to einen in the accusative.
Sie gibt dem Cent keine Bedeutung.
She gives the cent no importance.
geben means to give and keine Bedeutung means no importance. Dem Cent is dative because it is the recipient of something given, while keine Bedeutung is accusative; this sentence is grammatical but less common than talking about giving money to a person.
Der Wert des Cents ist sehr klein.
The value of the cent is very small.
der Wert means the value and sehr klein means very small. Des Cents is genitive after der Wert to show what is being valued; Cent takes -s after des.
Fünf Cents liegen neben der Münze.
Five cents are lying next to the coin.
fünf means five, liegen means are lying, neben means next to, and die Münze is the coin. Cents is plural after fünf, and neben der Münze uses the dative because it describes location.
drei — three
Drei is the cardinal number 3. The ordinal is dritte, and numbers before a noun do not take an article themselves; the noun they count is normally plural.
Auf dem Tisch liegen drei Äpfel.
There are three apples on the table.
auf dem Tisch means on the table, liegen means are lying, and Äpfel means apples. Drei is a cardinal number; the counted noun is plural, and drei Äpfel is the nominative subject of liegen.
Der Film beginnt um drei Uhr, und heute ist der dritte Mai.
The film starts at three o'clock, and today is the third of May.
der Film means the film, beginnt means starts, heute means today, and der dritte Mai means the third of May. Um drei Uhr gives the time; the related ordinal dritte is made from drei and takes an adjective ending before Mai.
dreimal — three times
Dreimal is an adverb formed from drei plus -mal and means three times. It does not change form and normally stands near the action or the time expression it describes.
Ich putze mir dreimal am Tag die Zähne.
I brush my teeth three times a day.
putzen means to clean or brush, am Tag means a day, and die Zähne means the teeth. Dreimal is a frequency adverb and usually comes before the time phrase; mir is dative because the action is done for oneself, while die Zähne is accusative.
Bitte lies den Satz dreimal.
Please read the sentence three times.
bitte means please, lies means read, and der Satz means the sentence. Dreimal tells how often the action happens; den Satz is accusative because lesen takes a direct object, and the imperative comes first here.
dreizehn — thirteen
dreizehn is the cardinal number 13. It is used before a noun for counting, age, or time; the ordinal is dreizehnte.
Ich zähle bis dreizehn.
I count to thirteen.
zähle means count and bis means up to. dreizehn is used as a number after bis; the verb zähle stands in position two.
Der Kurs beginnt um dreizehn Uhr.
The course begins at 1 p.m.
der Kurs means the course, beginnt means begins, and um ... Uhr gives a clock time. dreizehn comes before Uhr, and the finite verb beginnt is in position two.
Meine Schwester ist dreizehn Jahre alt.
My sister is thirteen years old.
meine Schwester means my sister and Jahre alt means years old. dreizehn stands before Jahre in an age expression, while ist is the finite verb in position two.
Der dreizehnte Tag ist ein Freitag.
The thirteenth day is a Friday.
der Tag means the day and Freitag means Friday. dreizehnte is the ordinal form of dreizehn and has the adjective ending -e after the masculine article der.
dreizehnte — thirteenth, 13th
dreizehnte is the ordinal form of dreizehn, meaning 13th. It behaves like an adjective and changes its ending: der dreizehnte Tag, but am dreizehnten Mai after the dative preposition an.
Heute ist der dreizehnte Mai.
Today is 13 May.
heute means today and Mai means May. dreizehnte is an ordinal adjective; after the masculine article der, it has the ending -e in the nominative.
Sie kommt als dreizehnte ins Ziel.
She finishes thirteenth.
sie means she, kommt ... ins Ziel means finishes or reaches the finish, and als means as. dreizehnte describes an understood feminine person after als and has the ending -e; kommt is in position two.
dreißig — thirty
dreißig is the cardinal number 30. Its ordinal form is dreißigste, and it is used before nouns in amounts, ages, and other number expressions.
Im Raum sitzen dreißig Menschen.
Thirty people are sitting in the room.
im Raum means in the room and sitzen means are sitting. dreißig describes Menschen, people; the preposition in with location takes the dative, while sitzen is in position two.
Das Fahrrad kostet dreißig Euro.
The bicycle costs thirty euros.
das Fahrrad means the bicycle and kostet means costs. dreißig Euro gives the price, and kostet stands in position two.
Mein Vater ist dreißig Jahre alt.
My father is thirty years old.
mein Vater means my father and Jahre alt means years old. dreißig stands before Jahre in an age expression, and ist is the finite verb in position two.
Der dreißigste Geburtstag ist ein besonderer Tag.
The thirtieth birthday is a special day.
der Geburtstag means the birthday and besonderer Tag means special day. dreißigste is the ordinal form of dreißig and takes -e after the masculine article der.
dreißigste — thirtieth, 30th
dreißigste is the ordinal form of dreißig, meaning 30th. It behaves like an adjective and changes its ending: der dreißigste Tag, but am dreißigsten Juni after dative am.
Heute ist der dreißigste Juni.
Today is 30 June.
heute means today and Juni means June. dreißigste is an ordinal adjective; after the masculine article der, it has the ending -e in the nominative.
Am dreißigsten Tag machen wir eine Pause.
On the thirtieth day, we take a break.
am means on the and Tag means day; eine Pause machen means take a break. an in am takes the dative for a date or time, so dreißigste becomes dreißigsten; machen comes in position two after the fronted time phrase.
dritte — third
dritte is an ordinal adjective meaning third. It is normally used before a noun, and its ending changes with gender, case and article; it is not compared, so it has no comparative or superlative.
Heute ist der dritte Tag unseres Urlaubs.
Today is the third day of our holiday.
heute means today, der Tag means day, and unser Urlaub means our holiday. dritte stands before the masculine noun Tag and has the adjective ending -e after der.
Der dritte ist mein Lieblingsfilm.
The third one is my favourite film.
mein Lieblingsfilm means my favourite film. dritte is used substantivally here, meaning the third one; the finite verb ist stands in position two, and the form keeps the ending -e.
Sie wohnt im dritten Stock.
She lives on the third floor.
wohnt means lives, der Stock means floor, and im means in the. im is short for in dem and requires the dative for a fixed location, so dritten has the dative ending -en.
ein — a, an, one
ein is the indefinite article for masculine and neuter singular nouns; the feminine form is eine. It can also mean one when the number is being stressed.
Ein Mann wartet vor dem Haus.
A man is waiting in front of the house.
Mann means man, wartet means is waiting, and vor dem Haus means in front of the house. Ein Mann is nominative because it is the subject; ein has no ending here because the masculine article form marks the case.
Ich kaufe ein Brot.
I am buying a loaf of bread.
kaufe means buy, and Brot means bread or a loaf of bread. ein Brot is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object; the neuter form ein stays the same in nominative and accusative.
einmal — once, one time
Einmal can state frequency, as in once, or soften a request in spoken German. In the expression auf einmal, it means suddenly or all at once.
Ich war einmal in Berlin.
I was in Berlin once.
war means was, and in Berlin means in Berlin. Einmal is an adverb of frequency and does not change; the finite verb war is in position two.
Komm einmal her, bitte.
Come over here for a moment, please.
komm her means come over here, and bitte means please. Here einmal softens the informal imperative rather than literally meaning once; the command starts with the verb.
eins — one
Eins is the number one. Before a masculine or neuter noun, the related form is usually ein, but eins is used when the number stands alone or before Uhr.
Eins, zwei, drei – los!
One, two, three – go!
zwei and drei mean two and three, and los means go or start. This is a counting sequence; eins is used without an article when counting aloud.
Es ist eins Uhr.
It is one o’clock.
Es ist ... Uhr means it is ... o’clock. Eins is used before Uhr for the time, and the finite verb ist stands in position two; learners should not use ein in this expression.
einundzwanzig — twenty-one
Einundzwanzig is the cardinal number 21 and is written as one word. The ordinal is einundzwanzigste, meaning twenty-first, and it takes the normal adjective ending required by the noun phrase.
Ich habe einundzwanzig Bücher.
I have twenty-one books.
Bücher means books and haben means have. The number einundzwanzig does not change here; Bücher is accusative because it is the object of haben.
Der Zug fährt um einundzwanzig Uhr ab.
The train leaves at 9 p.m.
der Zug means train, abfahren means leave or depart, and um ... Uhr gives the time. In the 24-hour clock, einundzwanzig Uhr means 21:00, or 9 p.m.; the prefix ab is separated from fährt and goes to the end.
Meine Schwester ist einundzwanzig Jahre alt.
My sister is twenty-one years old.
meine Schwester means my sister and Jahre alt means years old. German says einundzwanzig Jahre alt for age, with no plural ending on the number; the verb ist is in position two.
Heute feiern wir den einundzwanzigsten Geburtstag meines Vaters.
Today we are celebrating my father's twenty-first birthday.
heute means today, feiern means celebrate, and der Geburtstag means birthday. Einundzwanzigsten is the ordinal form meaning twenty-first; it has an adjective ending because den Geburtstag is masculine accusative after feiern.
elf — eleven
elf is the cardinal number 11. It is used for counting, age, and clock time, and it does not take an adjective ending when it stands directly before a noun in a number expression.
Ich bin elf Jahre alt.
I am eleven years old.
Jahre alt means years old. elf does not change in this age expression, and bin is the finite verb in position two.
Der Kurs beginnt um elf Uhr.
The course starts at eleven o’clock.
der Kurs means the course, beginnt means starts, and Uhr means o’clock. um elf Uhr gives the time and uses um with the accusative form of the time expression; the finite verb beginnt is in position two.
etwas — something, anything; some
Etwas can refer to a thing or to an uncountable amount, such as etwas Zeit. Its opposite is nichts, meaning nothing; it does not take a plural ending.
Ich möchte etwas essen.
I would like to eat something.
möchte means would like, and essen means to eat. Etwas is an accusative object after essen, while möchte stands in position two and the infinitive essen goes to the end.
Hast du etwas Zeit?
Do you have some time?
Zeit means time, and haben means to have. Etwas means some in front of an uncountable noun; in this yes-no question, hast comes first and du is the subject.
fehlen — to be missing, to be absent
With a person, fehlen often means that something is missing to that person: Mir fehlt das Geld means I do not have the money. Do not translate it like English miss in every situation; Du fehlst mir means I miss you, with du as the subject and mir in the dative.
Heute fehlt ein Buch im Regal.
A book is missing from the shelf today.
heute means today, ein Buch is a book, and das Regal is the shelf or bookcase. Ein Buch is nominative because it is the thing that is missing; im Regal means in the shelf, and the finite verb fehlt is in position two.
Im Schrank hat ein Teller gefehlt.
A plate was missing from the cupboard.
der Schrank is the cupboard, ein Teller is a plate, and im Schrank means in the cupboard. The perfect uses hat plus gefehlt, with the Partizip II at the end; ein Teller is nominative, while im Schrank marks location.
Gestern fehlte meine Tasche.
Yesterday my bag was missing.
gestern means yesterday, and meine Tasche is my bag. Meine Tasche is nominative because it is the missing thing; the regular past form fehlte stands in position two.
Bitte fehl heute nicht!
Please do not be absent today!
bitte means please, heute means today, and nicht means not. The subject du is omitted in the imperative; this command sounds unusual, and a speaker would normally say that someone should not be absent.
Wenn du nicht da wärst, würde mir etwas fehlen.
If you were not here, I would be missing something.
wenn means if, nicht da means not here, and etwas means something. The person who experiences the absence is in the dative, mir; wärst goes to the end of the wenn-clause, and fehlen follows würde in the main clause.
Morgen wird uns ein wichtiges Dokument fehlen.
Tomorrow we will be missing an important document.
morgen means tomorrow, uns means to us, and wichtiges Dokument means important document. Uns is dative because fehlen presents the missing thing as missing to someone; future tense uses wird with the infinitive fehlen at the end.
fünf — five
Fünf is the cardinal number 5. It is used for counting, quantities, ages and times, and it does not change before a noun.
Ich habe fünf Äpfel gekauft.
I bought five apples.
Äpfel means “apples”, and gekauft means “bought”. Fünf does not change before a plural noun; fünf Äpfel is accusative because haben here takes the thing bought as its object.
Meine Schwester ist fünf Jahre alt.
My sister is five years old.
meine Schwester means “my sister”, and Jahre alt means “years old”. In the fixed age expression fünf Jahre alt, fünf gives the number of years and does not take an ending; ist is in position two.
fünfzehn — fifteen
Fünfzehn is the cardinal number 15. It is written as one word and does not change when it is used for counting, ages or times.
Der Bus kommt in fünfzehn Minuten.
The bus is coming in fifteen minutes.
der Bus means “the bus”, kommt means “comes” or “is coming”, and in fünfzehn Minuten means “in fifteen minutes”. Fünfzehn is an invariable cardinal number before the plural noun Minuten; in expresses a future time period here.
Mein Sohn ist fünfzehn Jahre alt.
My son is fifteen years old.
mein Sohn means “my son”, and Jahre alt means “years old”. In fünfzehn Jahre alt, the number does not take an ending; ist is the finite verb in position two.
fünfzehnte — fifteenth
fünfzehnte is an ordinal number meaning fifteenth. It is used before a noun and takes adjective endings, so it changes to fünfzehnten after dem or den; do not use the cardinal number fünfzehn when you mean a position in a sequence.
Heute ist der fünfzehnte März.
Today is the fifteenth of March.
heute means today and der März is March. fünfzehnte is an ordinal number and takes an adjective ending because it stands before März; the date is in the nominative here.
Sie wohnt im fünfzehnten Stock.
She lives on the fifteenth floor.
wohnt means lives and der Stock means floor or storey. im means in dem and forces the dative for a fixed location, so fünfzehnte becomes fünfzehnten after the masculine article dem.
fünfzig — fifty
fünfzig is the cardinal number fifty. It is also used for ages, prices and quantities, and it normally does not take an ending; the related ordinal is fünfzigste, meaning fiftieth.
Ich habe fünfzig Euro dabei.
I have fifty euros with me.
Euro means euros and dabei means with me or on me. fünfzig does not take an ending as a cardinal number; Euro is an accusative object because haben takes an accusative object.
Mein Vater wird heute fünfzig.
My father turns fifty today.
mein Vater means my father, wird means becomes or turns, and heute means today. After werden, the number is used without an adjective ending; the finite verb wird stands in position two.
ganz — whole, entire; complete; intact, undamaged; full
As an adjective, ganz normally means whole or entire and changes its ending before a noun: ganze, ganzen, and so on. Do not confuse this adjective with the adverb ganz, which often means quite or very.
Der Apfel ist ganz.
The apple is whole.
der Apfel means the apple. The adjective ganz is predicative after ist, so it has no ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich esse den ganzen Apfel.
I am eating the whole apple.
essen means to eat, and den Apfel means the apple. ganzen has an adjective ending because it stands before the noun; den ganzen Apfel is accusative because essen takes an accusative object.
Der zweite Bericht ist ganzer als der erste.
The second report is more complete than the first.
der zweite Bericht means the second report, and der erste means the first one. ganzer is the comparative of ganz; als introduces the thing used for comparison, and the adjective is predicative after ist.
Diese Version ist am ganzesten.
This version is the most complete.
diese Version means this version. am ganzesten is the superlative used after ist; am belongs to this predicative superlative form, which is less common than simpler expressions such as vollständig.
Wir bleiben den ganzen Tag zu Hause.
We are staying at home all day.
bleiben means to stay, den Tag means the day, and zu Hause means at home. den ganzen Tag is an accusative time expression; ganzen takes the adjective ending after den, and the finite verb bleiben is in position two.
Sie hat die ganze Pizza gegessen.
She ate the whole pizza.
die Pizza means the pizza, and gegessen means eaten. die ganze Pizza is accusative because essen takes an accusative object; in the perfect, hat is in position two and gegessen goes to the end.
Nach dem Unfall blieb das Fenster ganz.
The window remained intact after the accident.
nach dem Unfall means after the accident, and blieb means remained. ganz is predicative after blieb, so it has no ending; nach takes the dative here because it describes a situation in time, not movement.
Er trank ein ganzes Glas Wasser.
He drank a whole glass of water.
trinken means to drink, ein Glas Wasser means a glass of water, and trank means drank. ein ganzes Glas Wasser is accusative because trinken takes an accusative object; the neuter adjective ending is -es after ein.
genau — exact, precise; exactly, precisely
Genau describes information, measurements or instructions that are exact. Before a noun it takes the normal adjective ending, as in eine genaue Zahl; after sein it stays unchanged.
Die Uhrzeit ist genau.
The time is exact.
die Uhrzeit means the time shown by a clock. Genau is predicative after ist and has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Bitte lesen Sie die genauen Anweisungen.
Please read the exact instructions.
bitte means please, lesen Sie means read, and die Anweisungen means the instructions. Genauen comes before the noun and takes -en because the definite article die marks the accusative plural; the polite imperative uses lesen Sie.
Kannst du eine genauere Zahl nennen?
Can you name a more precise number?
Kannst du means can you, eine Zahl is a number, and nennen means name or give. Genauere is the comparative before a feminine accusative noun; eine Zahl is accusative because nennen takes a direct object.
Diese Waage misst am genauesten.
This scale measures most precisely.
diese Waage means this scale, and misst means measures. Am genauesten is the adverbial superlative with am and -sten; the finite verb misst is in position two.
Der Bus kommt genau um acht Uhr.
The bus arrives at exactly eight o'clock.
der Bus means the bus, kommt means arrives, and um acht Uhr means at eight o'clock. Genau is an adverb here and therefore has no ending; the time phrase with um tells when the bus arrives.
„Das ist genau mein Problem.“
“That is exactly my problem.”
mein Problem means my problem. Genau emphasizes agreement with the statement and is unchanged because it is used adverbially; ist links das and mein Problem in a normal verb-second sentence.
genau — exactly, precisely; carefully, precisely
genau is often used to confirm that something is correct or exact. It is an adverb, so it does not take an adjective ending.
Das ist genau mein Problem.
That is exactly my problem.
mein Problem means my problem. genau modifies the statement and emphasizes that it matches perfectly; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Der Bus kommt um acht Uhr genau.
The bus arrives at exactly eight o'clock.
der Bus means the bus and um acht Uhr means at eight o'clock. genau specifies the exact time and stands after the time expression here; the finite verb kommt is in position two.
Bitte hör genau zu.
Please listen carefully.
bitte means please and zuhören means to listen. genau describes how the action is done; hör ... zu is a separable imperative with the prefix at the end.
Sie erklärt den Weg genau.
She explains the way precisely.
den Weg means the route or way and erklären means to explain. den Weg is accusative because erklären takes a direct object, while genau describes the precise manner.
genug — enough, sufficient
As an adjective, genug usually comes before a noun without an adjective ending, as in genug Zeit. It is an absolute adjective and has no comparative or superlative form; use expressions such as mehr als genug instead.
Das Essen ist genug.
The food is enough.
das Essen means the food. genug is predicative after ist and does not take an adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir haben genug Zeit für die Aufgabe.
We have enough time for the task.
Zeit means time, für means for, and die Aufgabe means the task. genug is used before the noun without an adjective ending; Zeit is accusative as the object of haben, while die Aufgabe is accusative after für.
Zwei Stunden sind mehr als genug für diese Prüfung.
Two hours are more than enough for this exam.
zwei Stunden means two hours, mehr als means more than, and diese Prüfung means this exam. genug itself has no comparative form; mehr als genug is the comparative expression, and genug remains unchanged after sind.
Für alle Gäste ist sogar die kleinste Portion genug.
Even the smallest portion is enough for all the guests.
sogar means even, die kleinste Portion means the smallest portion, and alle Gäste means all the guests. genug itself has no superlative form; the superlative is kleinste, while genug remains unchanged as the predicative adjective after ist.
genug — enough, sufficiently
As an adverb, genug modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb and does not change its form. It usually comes after the word it modifies, as in schnell genug, but it comes before a noun when it has the adjective use genug Zeit.
Du bist genug alt für diesen Film.
You are old enough for this film.
alt means old, and für diesen Film means for this film. genug modifies the adjective alt and means enough; the finite verb bist stands in position two.
Hast du genug geschlafen?
Have you slept enough?
geschlafen means slept. genug modifies the verb phrase and means enough; in this yes-no question, the finite auxiliary hast comes first and geschlafen goes to the end.
halb — half; partly
Before a noun, halb takes normal adjective endings: ein halbes Jahr means half a year. For proportions, German very often uses halb so groß or halb voll rather than the rare comparative and superlative forms.
Der Apfel ist halb.
The apple is half.
der Apfel means the apple. Halb is predicative after sein, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich esse einen halben Apfel.
I am eating half an apple.
essen means to eat, and einen Apfel means an apple. halben stands before the masculine accusative noun and takes -en after einen; the finite verb esse is in position two.
Dieses Glas ist halber voll als das andere.
This glass is more half-full than the other one.
dieses Glas means this glass, voll means full, and das andere means the other one. halber is a rare comparative form of halb; the comparison uses als, and the finite verb ist remains in position two.
Von den drei Gläsern ist dieses am halbesten gefüllt.
Of the three glasses, this one is the most nearly half-filled.
von den drei Gläsern means of the three glasses, and gefüllt means filled. am halbesten is the rare superlative in the am ...-sten form; von forces the dative plural.
halb — half; partly
As an adverb, halb stays unchanged and modifies a verb or adjective. In the time expression halb drei, it means half an hour before three, not half past three.
Es ist halb drei.
It is half past two.
drei means three, but halb drei means half an hour before three, or 2:30. halb is an adverb here and does not take an adjective ending; es ist is the usual impersonal structure for telling the time.
Der Bericht ist halb fertig.
The report is half-finished.
der Bericht means the report, and fertig means finished or ready. halb modifies fertig and therefore stays unchanged; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
die Hausnummer — house number
Hausnummer normally means the number of a building in an address. It is not the same as Hauszahl, which can refer to a number used in a calculation or statistic involving houses.
Die Hausnummer steht an der Wand.
The house number is on the wall.
stehen means to be written or located, an means on here, and die Wand means the wall. Die Hausnummer is nominative because it is the subject; an der Wand is a dative location phrase, and steht is in position two.
Ich suche die Hausnummer.
I am looking for the house number.
suchen means to look for. Die Hausnummer is accusative because suchen takes a direct object; the finite verb suche stands in position two.
Ich wohne in der Hausnummer 8.
I live at number 8.
wohnen means to live, in means in or at here, and acht is the number eight. In der Hausnummer is dative because in describes a fixed location rather than movement.
Die Farbe der Hausnummer ist blau.
The colour of the house number is blue.
die Farbe means the colour and blau means blue. Der Hausnummer is genitive and identifies which number has the colour; ist is the finite verb in position two.
Die Hausnummern sind gut lesbar.
The house numbers are easy to read.
gut lesbar means easy to read. Hausnummern is plural and is the nominative subject, while sind is the plural form of sein; lesbar is predicative and has no ending.
hoch — high, tall; high, large, intense
hoch describes something that reaches far upward, such as a building or mountain. It can also describe a high amount or level, for example hohe Preise means high prices; its comparison is irregular: höher, am höchsten.
Der Turm ist sehr hoch.
The tower is very tall.
der Turm means the tower and sehr means very. hoch is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Das ist ein hoher Berg.
That is a high mountain.
der Berg means the mountain. ein hoher Berg is the nominative phrase after ist; because the indefinite article does not show the masculine nominative ending clearly, the adjective takes -er.
Der neue Turm ist höher als der alte.
The new tower is taller than the old one.
neu means new and alt means old. höher is the irregular comparative of hoch, and als introduces the thing used for comparison; der alte means the old one, with the noun understood.
Dieser Berg ist am höchsten.
This mountain is the highest.
dieser Berg means this mountain. am höchsten is the predicative superlative and has no adjective ending; remember the irregular vowel change in hoch → höher → am höchsten.
Die Preise sind hoch.
The prices are high.
die Preise means the prices. hoch is predicative after sind, so it has no ending; the plural subject requires sind, not ist.
Wir haben hohe Kosten.
We have high costs.
die Kosten means the costs. hohe Kosten is accusative because haben takes an accusative object, and the adjective takes -e after the plural form keine would normally show the article ending.
hundert — one hundred
hundert is used before a noun or another number to express 100. It does not take an ending when it is used as a cardinal number, but it can be part of larger numbers such as zweihundert.
Ich zähle bis hundert.
I count to one hundred.
zähle means count, and bis means up to. The number follows bis in this counting expression; the finite verb zähle is in position two.
Das Buch kostet hundert Euro.
The book costs one hundred euros.
das Buch is the book, kostet means costs, and Euro means euros. hundert Euro is a number expression after kostet; the finite verb kostet is in position two.
das Kilo — kilo; kilogram
Kilo is the everyday short form of Kilogramm. After a number, German often leaves the unit unchanged, as in zwei Kilo, although the regular plural Kilos is also used when the noun is counted as separate units.
Das Kilo Äpfel kostet drei Euro.
A kilo of apples costs three euros.
Äpfel means apples, and kostet drei Euro means costs three euros. Das Kilo Äpfel is the nominative subject; a measurement phrase often stays singular when it describes one unit, and kostet is in position two.
Ich kaufe ein Kilo Reis.
I am buying a kilo of rice.
kaufe means am buying, and der Reis means rice. Ein Kilo Reis is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object; the mass noun Reis has no article here.
Wir geben dem Kind ein Kilo Mehl.
We give the child a kilo of flour.
geben means give, dem Kind means to the child, and das Mehl is flour. Dem Kind is dative because it is the recipient, while ein Kilo Mehl is accusative as the thing given.
Der Preis des Kilos ist gestiegen.
The price of the kilo has risen.
der Preis means the price, and ist gestiegen means has risen. Des Kilos is genitive after Preis to show what the price belongs to; ist gestiegen is a perfect form with sein and ends with the participle.
Im Laden stehen viele Kilos Kartoffeln.
There are many kilos of potatoes in the shop.
im Laden means in the shop, viele means many, and Kartoffeln means potatoes. Kilos is plural after viele; im Laden is dative because in describes a location.
der Kilometer — kilometre
Kilometer is used for distance and is often abbreviated km in writing. Its plural is unchanged: ein Kilometer, but drei Kilometer.
Der Kilometer ist eine wichtige Entfernungseinheit.
The kilometre is an important unit of distance.
wichtig means important, and die Entfernungseinheit means unit of distance. Der Kilometer is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir laufen einen Kilometer.
We walk one kilometre.
laufen means walk or run, and einen means one in the masculine accusative. Einen Kilometer is an accusative distance expression with laufen; the finite verb laufen is in position two.
Nach einem Kilometer machen wir eine Pause.
After one kilometre, we take a break.
nach means after, machen means take or make, and eine Pause is a break. Nach always takes the dative, so einem Kilometer has the dative article; the main-clause verb machen is in position two.
Die Länge des Kilometers steht auf dem Schild.
The length of the kilometre is written on the sign.
die Länge means the length, steht means is written or stands, and das Schild is the sign. Des Kilometers is genitive to show what length is meant, while auf dem Schild is dative because it describes location.
Die letzten drei Kilometer waren anstrengend.
The last three kilometres were tiring.
die letzten drei means the last three, and anstrengend means tiring. Kilometer has the same spelling in singular and plural; drei and waren show that it is plural.
mehr — more; any longer; more
Mehr can describe quantity, degree, or frequency. It is also used in the fixed expression nicht mehr, meaning no longer or not anymore.
Ich möchte mehr Wasser.
I would like more water.
möchte means would like, and Wasser means water. Mehr describes an additional amount; Wasser is the accusative object of möchte, although its form does not show the case.
Du musst mehr lernen.
You have to study more.
musst means have to, and lernen means study or learn. Mehr modifies the action, while the modal verb musst is in position two and the infinitive lernen goes to the end.
Ich arbeite nicht mehr.
I do not work anymore.
arbeite means work and nicht mehr means not anymore. The finite verb arbeite is in position two; mehr comes after nicht in this fixed negative expression.
Wir haben keine Zeit mehr.
We do not have any time left.
keine Zeit means no time, and haben means have. Keine Zeit is the accusative object of haben, while final mehr means that no time is left.
der Meter — metre; meter
Meter is a unit of length; in American English the equivalent is usually meter only in technical contexts, while everyday length is often given in feet. German writes the plural Meter without an ending, so the number or article is important.
Der Meter hat hundert Zentimeter.
A metre has one hundred centimetres.
haben means to have, hundert means one hundred, and der Zentimeter means centimetre. Der Meter is nominative because it is the subject, while hundert Zentimeter is the accusative object; the plural Zentimeter has no ending.
Der Tisch ist einen Meter lang.
The table is one metre long.
der Tisch means the table and lang means long. einen Meter is accusative because measurements after an adjective such as lang are commonly used as an accusative measure phrase; ist is in position two and lang is predicative.
Die Leiter steht neben dem Meter Holz.
The ladder is standing next to a metre of wood.
die Leiter means the ladder, stehen means to stand, and das Holz means wood. dem Meter is dative because neben takes the dative for a fixed location; Holz is a mass noun used to specify what is being measured.
Die Länge des Meters ist genau festgelegt.
The length of the metre is precisely defined.
die Länge means the length, genau means precisely, and festgelegt means defined or fixed. des Meters is genitive after die Länge to show possession; ist festgelegt is a passive-like description with the adjective at the end.
Wir laufen heute fünf Meter.
Today we are running five metres.
laufen means to run or walk, heute means today, and fünf means five. fünf Meter is a plural measurement phrase and an accusative object or distance expression; Meter keeps the same form in singular and plural.
neun — nine
Neun is used for counting, clock time and age. The ordinal form is neunte, meaning ninth, and it takes adjective endings when it stands before a noun.
Ich habe neun Äpfel gezählt.
I counted nine apples.
Äpfel means apples, and gezählt means counted. Neun does not change before a plural noun; neun Äpfel is accusative because it is the object of gezählt.
Der Zug kommt um neun Uhr.
The train arrives at nine o'clock.
der Zug is the train, and kommt means arrives or comes. In um neun Uhr, um introduces a time, and the numeral stays unchanged before Uhr.
Meine Schwester ist neun Jahre alt.
My sister is nine years old.
meine Schwester means my sister, and Jahre alt means years old. German expresses age with sein and Jahre alt; neun describes the number of years and does not take an ending.
Aus neun wird neunte, wenn man eine Reihenfolge nennt.
Nine becomes ninth when you name an order.
wird means becomes, eine Reihenfolge is an order or sequence, and nennt means names or mentions. Neun is the cardinal form, while neunte is the ordinal form; after wenn, the finite verb nennt moves to the end.
neunzehn — nineteen
Neunzehn is a cardinal number used for counting, time and age. Its ordinal form is neunzehnte, meaning nineteenth, and this form takes adjective endings before nouns.
In der Klasse sind neunzehn Schüler.
There are nineteen pupils in the class.
in der Klasse means in the class, and Schüler means pupils or students. Neunzehn stays unchanged before the plural noun; sind comes in position two in this statement about what exists in the class.
Der Film beginnt um neunzehn Uhr.
The film starts at 7 p.m.
der Film is the film, and beginnt means starts. Um neunzehn Uhr gives the time with um; German commonly uses the 24-hour clock for this form.
Mein Bruder ist neunzehn Jahre alt.
My brother is nineteen years old.
mein Bruder means my brother, and Jahre alt means years old. German uses sein with the number and Jahre alt to give someone's age; neunzehn has no ending here.
Aus neunzehn wird neunzehnte, wenn man eine Reihenfolge nennt.
Nineteen becomes nineteenth when you name an order.
wird means becomes, eine Reihenfolge is an order or sequence, and nennt means names or mentions. Neunzehn is the cardinal form, while neunzehnte is the ordinal form; after wenn, the finite verb nennt stands at the end.
neunzig — ninety
neunzig is a cardinal number for 90. It does not take an adjective ending when it directly counts something, as in neunzig Euro or neunzig Jahre.
Meine Großmutter ist neunzig Jahre alt.
My grandmother is ninety years old.
Meine Großmutter means my grandmother and Jahre alt means years old. neunzig is a cardinal number used before the plural noun Jahre; ist links the subject to the age expression, and alt stays after the number.
Das Buch kostet neunzig Euro.
The book costs ninety euros.
Das Buch means the book and kostet means costs. neunzig Euro is the price expression, with Euro usually unchanged after a number; Das Buch is nominative because it is the subject of kostet.
null — zero, nought
null is the cardinal numeral for 0 and normally does not change form. Do not confuse the numeral null with the noun die Null, which can mean the written zero or a score of zero.
Auf dem Würfel steht eine null.
There is a zero on the die.
auf dem Würfel means on the die, and steht means is written or stands. auf takes the dative here because the number is in a fixed location; eine Null is feminine because the noun Null means the written symbol for zero.
Um null Uhr beginnt der neue Tag.
The new day begins at midnight.
um ... Uhr gives the time, beginnt means begins, and der neue Tag means the new day. In a time expression, null Uhr means midnight; the finite verb beginnt stands in position two, before the subject because the time phrase occupies position one.
die Nummer — number; number in a sequence; telephone number; contact number
Use die Nummer for an identifying or ordering number, such as a room number, bus number, or number in a list. For a mathematical number, die Zahl is often more natural.
Die Nummer steht auf dem Zettel.
The number is written on the note.
steht means is written or is located, and der Zettel is the note or piece of paper. Die Nummer is the nominative subject, and the finite verb steht is in position two; auf dem Zettel is dative because it describes a fixed location.
Ich schreibe die Nummer auf.
I write down the number.
schreibe ... auf means write down, and aufschreiben is a separable verb. Die Nummer is accusative because it is the object of aufschreiben; the finite part schreibe is in position two and auf goes to the end.
Kannst du mir die Nummer sagen?
Can you tell me the number?
kannst du means can you, mir means to me, and sagen means tell or say. Mir is dative because it is the person receiving the information, while die Nummer is accusative as the thing being told; the modal verb kannst sends sagen to the end.
Die Länge der Nummer ist egal.
The length of the number does not matter.
die Länge means the length, ist means is, and egal means irrelevant or not important. Der Nummer is genitive after die Länge to show which number is meant; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Die Nummern stehen in der Liste.
The numbers are in the list.
stehen means are written or are located, and die Liste is the list. Die Nummern is the plural subject, and in der Liste is dative because in describes a fixed location rather than movement.
Welche Nummer hat dieser Bus?
What number is this bus?
welche means which, dieser Bus means this bus, and hat means has. Welche Nummer is the accusative object of hat in the sense “what number does it have”; the question word comes first, so hat remains in position two.
Ich gebe dir meine Nummer.
I’ll give you my number.
gebe means give, dir means to you, and meine means my. Meine Nummer is accusative as the thing given, while dir is dative for the recipient; the finite verb gebe is in position two.
Ruf mich bitte unter dieser Nummer an.
Please call me at this number.
ruf ... an means call, mich means me, bitte means please, and dieser means this. Unter dieser Nummer is the usual phrase for a telephone number and takes the dative; mich is accusative as the person called, and the separable prefix an goes to the end.
das Paar — pair; couple; pair of matching items
Das Paar can mean two people in a relationship or two matching things. It is a capitalized noun; lowercase paar is a different word meaning a few.
Das Paar sitzt im Café.
The couple is sitting in the café.
sitzt means is sitting and im Café means in the café. Das Paar is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb sitzt stands in position two.
Ich kaufe ein Paar Schuhe.
I am buying a pair of shoes.
ich kaufe means I am buying and Schuhe means shoes. Ein Paar is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object; Schuhe specifies what the pair consists of.
Ich schenke dem Paar Blumen.
I am giving the couple flowers.
ich schenke means I give as a present, Blumen means flowers, and dem Paar means to the couple. Dem Paar is dative because it is the recipient, while Blumen is the accusative thing given.
Das Auto des Paares steht vor dem Haus.
The couple's car is in front of the house.
das Auto means the car, steht means is standing or is located, and vor dem Haus means in front of the house. Des Paares is genitive because it shows whose car it is; the noun takes -es.
Die Paare tanzen zusammen.
The couples are dancing together.
tanzen means dance and zusammen means together. Paare is the plural of Paar, and the plural subject requires tanzen.
Ich brauche ein Paar Socken.
I need a pair of socks.
ich brauche means I need and Socken means socks. Ein Paar is accusative because brauchen takes a direct object; Socken names the two matching items.
Dieses Paar Ohrringe ist sehr schön.
This pair of earrings is very beautiful.
dieses means this, Ohrringe means earrings, and sehr schön means very beautiful. Paar is grammatically singular, so the verb is ist, even though Ohrringe is plural.
paar — a few; several
Lowercase paar is an indefinite numeral meaning a few, usually before a plural noun. It is different from capitalized das Paar, a pair or couple, and it is normally written ein paar.
Ich bleibe noch ein paar Tage.
I am staying for a few more days.
ich bleibe means I am staying, noch means still or more, and Tage means days. Ein paar comes before the plural noun Tage; the time expression ein paar Tage is accusative because it gives a duration.
Wir haben ein paar Minuten gewartet.
We waited for a few minutes.
wir haben gewartet means we waited and Minuten means minutes. Ein paar stays before a plural noun, while the perfect uses haben plus gewartet at the end; do not capitalize lowercase paar.
das Pfund — pound; 500 grams
In Germany, ein Pfund normally means 500 grams, not exactly the British or American pound. The plural is often unchanged after numbers: zwei Pfund; the form Pfunds is genitive singular.
Das Pfund kostet drei Euro.
The pound costs three euros.
kostet means costs, drei Euro means three euros. Das Pfund is nominative because it is the subject of kostet, and the finite verb stands in position two.
Ich kaufe ein Pfund Tomaten.
I am buying a pound of tomatoes.
ich kaufe means I am buying, and Tomaten are tomatoes. Ein Pfund is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object; the amount comes before the food it measures.
Ich gebe dem Nachbarn ein Pfund.
I give the neighbour a pound.
ich gebe means I give and dem Nachbarn means to the neighbour. Ein Pfund is the accusative thing given, while dem Nachbarn is dative because it is the recipient.
Der Preis des Pfunds ist gestiegen.
The price of the pound has risen.
der Preis means the price, ist gestiegen means has risen, and gestiegen means risen. Des Pfunds is genitive after der Preis to show which price is meant; the finite auxiliary ist is in position two.
Zwei Pfund Mehl reichen für den Kuchen.
Two pounds of flour are enough for the cake.
zwei means two, Mehl means flour, reichen means are enough, and der Kuchen is the cake. Pfund is also used as an unchanged plural after a number when it names a quantity; für den Kuchen is accusative because für takes the accusative.
Wie viel kostet ein Pfund?
How much does a pound cost?
wie viel means how much and kostet means costs. Ein Pfund is the subject in this question, so it is nominative; the finite verb kostet comes before the subject because a question word occupies the first position.
die Portion — portion, serving
Portion is used for a measured or served amount of food. It is feminine, and its plural is Portionen.
Die Portion ist sehr groß.
The portion is very large.
sehr groß means very large. Die Portion is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich bestelle eine Portion Salat.
I am ordering a portion of salad.
bestellen means to order, and Salat means salad. Eine Portion is accusative because bestellen takes a direct object; the finite verb bestelle is in position two.
Er gibt dem Kind eine Portion Reis.
He gives the child a portion of rice.
gibt means gives, dem Kind means to the child, and Reis means rice. Eine Portion is accusative as the thing given, while dem Kind is dative as the recipient.
Der Preis der Portion steht auf der Speisekarte.
The price of the portion is on the menu.
der Preis means the price, steht means is written or stands, and die Speisekarte means the menu. Der Portion is genitive because it shows whose price it is; the feminine genitive article is der.
Zwei Portionen Pommes, bitte!
Two portions of chips, please!
zwei means two, Pommes means chips or French fries, and bitte means please. Portionen is the plural form; in a restaurant order, the omitted verb would make the portions the requested accusative object.
das Produkt — product, goods; result, product
The plural Produkte usually means manufactured goods, while the word can also mean a service or commercial offering. It is a normal neuter noun with das in the singular and die in the plural.
Das Produkt ist sehr beliebt.
The product is very popular.
beliebt means popular. Das Produkt is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich kaufe das Produkt.
I am buying the product.
kaufe means am buying. Das Produkt is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object, and the finite verb kaufe is in position two.
Ich vertraue dem Produkt.
I trust the product.
vertraue means trust. Dem Produkt is dative because vertrauen takes a dative object; the finite verb vertraue stands in position two.
Die Qualität des Produkts ist ausgezeichnet.
The quality of the product is excellent.
Die Qualität means the quality, and ausgezeichnet means excellent. Des Produkts is genitive because it shows whose quality is meant; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Die Produkte stehen im Regal.
The products are on the shelf.
stehen means are standing, and das Regal is a shelf. Die Produkte is plural and is the subject; im Regal means in the shelf area and uses dative after the location meaning of in.
Das Produkt aus drei und vier ist zwölf.
The product of three and four is twelve.
aus drei und vier means of three and four, and zwölf means twelve. Das Produkt is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Dieses Produkt entsteht durch eine chemische Reaktion.
This product is created by a chemical reaction.
Dieses means this, entsteht means is created or arises, and eine chemische Reaktion is a chemical reaction. Durch takes the accusative, while the passive-style verb entsteht remains in position two.
rechnen — to calculate, to do arithmetic
Rechnen usually takes an accusative object when someone calculates something. With mit plus dative, mit etwas rechnen means to expect something or take it into account.
Ich rechne die Kosten zusammen.
I add up the costs.
die Kosten means the costs, and zusammen means together or up. Die Kosten is accusative because it is the object of rechnen; the finite verb rechne stands in position two, while zusammen belongs to the separable expression zusammenrechnen and comes at the end.
Wir haben die Summe schnell gerechnet.
We calculated the total quickly.
die Summe means the total, and schnell means quickly. Die Summe is accusative because it is the object, and gerechnet combines with haben and goes to the end of the perfect clause.
Früher rechnete er alles auf Papier.
He used to calculate everything on paper.
früher means in the past, alles means everything, and auf Papier means on paper. Rechnete is the weak-verb preterite in position two; alles is accusative as the object of the verb.
Rechne bitte noch einmal!
Please calculate it one more time!
bitte means please, and noch einmal means once again. The informal singular imperative is rechne; the subject du is omitted and the verb stands first.
Wenn ich richtig rechnete, wäre das Ergebnis anders.
If I calculated correctly, the result would be different.
richtig means correctly, das Ergebnis means the result, and anders means different. In the wenn-clause, rechnete stands at the end; the conditional meaning is supplied by the context and wäre in the main clause.
Morgen werde ich die Kosten rechnen.
Tomorrow I will calculate the costs.
morgen means tomorrow, and die Kosten means the costs. Die Kosten is accusative, while werde stands in position two and the infinitive rechnen goes to the end.
die Rechnung — bill, invoice; calculation, arithmetic problem
Die Rechnung usually means a bill or invoice. In mathematics, it can also mean a calculation or arithmetic problem; the plural Rechnungen is used for both meanings.
Die Rechnung kommt heute.
The bill is coming today.
kommt means comes or arrives, and heute means today. Die Rechnung is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb kommt stands in position two.
Ich bezahle die Rechnung.
I am paying the bill.
bezahle means pay. Die Rechnung is accusative because bezahlen takes a direct object; with a feminine noun, the article looks the same in nominative and accusative.
Ich gebe dem Kellner die Rechnung.
I give the bill to the waiter.
gebe means give, and der Kellner means the waiter. Dem Kellner is dative because it is the recipient, while die Rechnung is accusative as the thing given.
Die Höhe der Rechnung überrascht mich.
The amount of the bill surprises me.
die Höhe means the amount, überrascht means surprises, and mich means me. Der Rechnung is genitive because it specifies whose amount; mich is accusative as the person affected.
Die Rechnungen liegen auf dem Tisch.
The bills are lying on the table.
liegen means are lying, auf dem Tisch means on the table. Die Rechnungen is plural nominative as the subject; auf takes dative here because the bills are already in a location, not moving onto it.
Diese Rechnung ist schwierig.
This calculation is difficult.
diese means this, and schwierig means difficult. Diese Rechnung is nominative because it is the subject, and ist stands in position two.
Die Kinder lösen mehrere Rechnungen.
The children solve several calculations.
die Kinder means the children, lösen means solve, and mehrere means several. Mehrere Rechnungen is accusative because it is the object of lösen; the plural ending is -en.