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Vocab: Plants — B1
Plants vocabulary at B1 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
der Anbau — cultivation; extension, addition; extension, addition to a building
In agriculture, Anbau means growing crops and is often used with von. In building contexts, the plural Anbauten means extensions or additions to an existing building.
Der Anbau von Gemüse braucht viel Wasser.
Growing vegetables requires a lot of water.
Gemüse means vegetables, and brauchen means to need. Der Anbau is nominative because it is the subject; von Gemüse uses von with the dative, and the finite verb braucht is in position two.
Die Bauern planen den Anbau von Mais.
The farmers are planning the cultivation of maize.
die Bauern are the farmers, planen means to plan, and Mais means maize. Den Anbau is accusative because it is the object of planen; the finite verb stands in position two.
Mit dem Anbau beginnen wir im April.
We begin cultivation in April.
beginnen means to begin and im April means in April. Mit always takes the dative, so dem Anbau is dative; because the sentence starts with this phrase, beginnen still comes in position two.
Die Kosten des Anbaus sind gestiegen.
The costs of cultivation have risen.
die Kosten means the costs and gestiegen means risen. Des Anbaus is genitive and identifies which costs; the finite verb sind is in position two, while gestiegen goes to the end.
Neue Anbauten verändern das Gebäude.
New extensions change the building.
neu means new, verändern means to change, and das Gebäude means the building. Anbauten is plural nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb verändern stands in position two.
Wir bauen einen Anbau an das Haus.
We are building an extension onto the house.
bauen means to build, das Haus means the house, and an means onto here. Einen Anbau is accusative because it is the object of bauen; an das Haus is accusative because it expresses movement or direction toward the house.
Im neuen Anbau gibt es ein Büro.
There is an office in the new extension.
neu means new, es gibt means there is or there are, and ein Büro means an office. Im Anbau means in dem Anbau and is dative because it describes a fixed location; gibt is in position two and ein Büro is accusative after es gibt.
die Baumwolle — cotton
Baumwolle is a material and is normally used as a singular-only mass noun. It is often used with aus plus the dative to describe what something is made of.
Baumwolle ist weich und angenehm auf der Haut.
Cotton is soft and pleasant against the skin.
weich means soft, angenehm means pleasant, and die Haut means the skin. Baumwolle is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Viele Menschen tragen im Sommer gern Baumwolle.
Many people like wearing cotton in summer.
Viele Menschen means many people, im Sommer means in summer, and gern means gladly or like to. Baumwolle is accusative because tragen takes a direct object; the finite verb tragen is in position two.
Das Hemd besteht aus Baumwolle.
The shirt is made of cotton.
das Hemd is the shirt and bestehen aus means to be made of. The preposition aus always takes the dative, so the phrase is aus Baumwolle.
Die Qualität der Baumwolle ist sehr gut.
The quality of the cotton is very good.
die Qualität means the quality and sehr gut means very good. der Baumwolle is genitive because it identifies whose quality is meant; the finite verb ist is in position two.
die Eiche — oak
The plural Eichen is regular and means oak trees. An Eiche is often associated with acorns and can live for a very long time.
Die Eiche steht seit hundert Jahren im Park.
The oak has stood in the park for a hundred years.
seit hundert Jahren means for a hundred years, and der Park is a public green area. Die Eiche is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb steht is in position two; seit takes the dative hundert Jahren.
Wir fotografieren die alte Eiche.
We are photographing the old oak.
fotografieren means to photograph, and alt means old. Die Eiche is accusative because it is the direct object of fotografieren; the finite verb fotografieren stands in position two.
Unter der Eiche finden die Kinder viele Eicheln.
The children find many acorns under the oak.
unter means under, die Kinder means the children, and die Eicheln are acorns. Unter der Eiche is dative because it describes a fixed location, and the finite verb finden is in position two.
Die Blätter der Eiche werden im Herbst braun.
The oak’s leaves turn brown in autumn.
die Blätter are leaves, werden means become, and im Herbst means in autumn. Der Eiche is genitive because it shows possession: the leaves belong to the oak; the finite verb werden is in position two.
Im Wald wachsen viele Eichen.
Many oaks grow in the forest.
im Wald means in the forest, and viele means many. Eichen is the plural of Eiche and has no plural ending other than -n; the finite verb wachsen is in position two.
die Gladiole — gladiolus
Die Gladiole blüht im August.
The gladiolus blooms in August.
blüht means blooms and im August means in August. Die Gladiole is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb blüht stands in position two.
Ich stelle eine Gladiole in die Vase.
I put a gladiolus in the vase.
stelle means put or place, in die Vase means into the vase, and Vase is vase. Eine Gladiole is accusative as the direct object, and in die Vase is accusative because it expresses movement into a place.
Ich gebe meiner Mutter eine Gladiole.
I give my mother a gladiolus.
gebe means give and meiner Mutter means to my mother. Meiner Mutter is dative because it is the recipient, while eine Gladiole is accusative as the thing given.
Die Farbe der Gladiole ist ungewöhnlich.
The colour of the gladiolus is unusual.
Die Farbe means the colour and ungewöhnlich means unusual. Der Gladiole is genitive because it identifies whose colour is meant.
Auf dem Tisch stehen frische Gladiolen.
Fresh gladioli are standing on the table.
frische means fresh, auf dem Tisch means on the table, and stehen means stand. Gladiolen is plural, while auf dem Tisch is dative because it describes a fixed location.
Im Garten wachsen Gladiolen.
Gladioli grow in the garden.
Im Garten means in the garden and wachsen means grow. The plural Gladiolen is the subject, so it is nominative, and the finite verb wachsen is in position two.
der Samen — seed; semen
Samen most commonly means a plant seed. The singular and plural have the same noun form: der Samen, die Samen; the article or determiner shows the difference.
Der Samen keimt im Frühling.
The seed germinates in spring.
keimen means to germinate or sprout, and im Frühling means in spring. Der Samen is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb keimt stands in position two.
Ich pflanze den Samen in einen Topf.
I plant the seed in a pot.
pflanzen means to plant, and der Topf is the pot. Den Samen is accusative because it is the direct object; in einen Topf is also accusative because it expresses movement into the pot.
Die Gärtnerin gibt dem Samen genug Wasser.
The gardener gives the seed enough water.
die Gärtnerin is the female gardener, genug Wasser means enough water, and geben means to give. Dem Samen is dative because it is the recipient of geben, while genug Wasser is the accusative object.
Die Farbe des Samens ist dunkel.
The colour of the seed is dark.
die Farbe means the colour and dunkel means dark. Des Samens is genitive because it means of the seed; this noun adds -s in the genitive singular.
Die Vögel fressen viele Samen.
The birds eat many seeds.
die Vögel are the birds, fressen means eat for animals, and viele means many. Samen is plural after viele, but its form does not change; it is also accusative as the direct object of fressen.
Im Beutel sind verschiedene Samen.
There are different seeds in the bag.
der Beutel is the bag and verschiedene means different. Samen is plural after verschiedene; im Beutel is a fixed-location phrase with dative.
Die Ärztin untersucht eine Probe des Samens.
The doctor examines a semen sample.
die Ärztin is the female doctor, untersuchen means to examine, and eine Probe is a sample. Des Samens is genitive because it specifies what the sample contains; eine Probe is accusative as the object of untersucht.
Die Klinik bewahrt den Samen sicher auf.
The clinic stores the semen safely.
die Klinik is the clinic, bewahren ... auf means store or keep, and sicher means safely. Den Samen is accusative as the direct object, and the separable prefix auf goes to the end of the main clause.
die Schwertlilie — iris
This is the name of a flowering garden plant. The first part refers to its long, sword-like leaves.
Die Schwertlilie blüht im Juni.
The iris blooms in June.
blühen means bloom, and im Juni means in June. Die Schwertlilie is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb blüht stands in position two.
Ich kaufe eine Schwertlilie für den Garten.
I am buying an iris for the garden.
kaufen means buy, für means for, and der Garten is the garden. Eine Schwertlilie is accusative because it is the object of kaufe; für den Garten also uses the accusative because für always takes that case.
Ich gebe der Schwertlilie mehr Wasser.
I give the iris more water.
geben means give, mehr means more, and das Wasser is water. Der Schwertlilie is dative because it is the recipient, while mehr Wasser is the accusative thing being given.
Die Farbe der Schwertlilie ist wunderschön.
The color of the iris is wonderful.
die Farbe is the color, and wunderschön means wonderful or beautiful. Der Schwertlilie is genitive because it tells us whose color it is; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Im Park wachsen viele Schwertlilien.
Many irises grow in the park.
im Park means in the park, wachsen means grow, and viele means many. Viele Schwertlilien is plural nominative because it is the subject, and the plural ends in -n.
Die Gärtnerin pflanzt Schwertlilien am Teich.
The gardener plants irises by the pond.
die Gärtnerin is the female gardener, pflanzen means plant, and der Teich is the pond. Schwertlilien is an unmarked plural accusative object after pflanzt; am Teich means at the pond.
der Stamm — trunk, stem; tribe, lineage
For a tree, der Stamm is the trunk. The word can also mean a tribe, a family line or the stem of a word; these meanings are listed separately.
Der Stamm des Baumes ist sehr dick.
The trunk of the tree is very thick.
des Baumes means of the tree, and dick means thick. Der Stamm is nominative because it is the subject, while des Baumes is genitive because it shows which tree the trunk belongs to; ist stands in position two.
Der Sturm beschädigt den Stamm.
The storm damages the trunk.
der Sturm means the storm, and beschädigt means damages. Den Stamm is accusative because it is the direct object of beschädigen; the finite verb beschädigt is in position two.
Ein Vogel sitzt auf dem Stamm.
A bird is sitting on the trunk.
ein Vogel means a bird, and sitzt means is sitting. Auf dem Stamm is dative because auf describes a fixed location; the finite verb sitzt stands in position two.
Die Farbe des Stammes ist dunkel.
The colour of the trunk is dark.
die Farbe means the colour, and dunkel means dark. Des Stammes is genitive because it identifies whose colour is meant; ist is in position two.
Die Stämme liegen im Wald.
The trunks are lying in the forest.
liegen means are lying, and im Wald means in the forest. Stämme is the plural subject, so the verb is liegen; the umlaut changes Stamm to Stämme.
Der Stamm lebt seit Jahrhunderten in dieser Region.
The tribe has lived in this region for centuries.
seit Jahrhunderten means for centuries, and diese Region means this region. Der Stamm is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb lebt stands in position two.
Sie gehört zu dem Stamm.
She belongs to the tribe.
sie means she, and gehört zu means belongs to. Zu dem Stamm is dative because zu always takes the dative; the finite verb gehört is in position two.
der Strauß — bouquet; ostrich; ostrich
Der Strauß has two common meanings: a bouquet of flowers, with plural Sträuße, and an ostrich, with plural Strauße. The umlaut is therefore meaningful, not optional.
Der Strauß steht auf dem Tisch.
The bouquet is standing on the table.
steht means “is standing,” and auf dem Tisch means “on the table.” Der Strauß is nominative because it is the subject; dem Tisch is dative because auf describes a fixed location.
Ich kaufe einen Strauß für meine Mutter.
I am buying a bouquet for my mother.
kaufe means “am buying,” and für meine Mutter means “for my mother.” Einen Strauß is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object, while für always takes accusative.
Ich schenke meiner Schwester dem Strauß?
I give my sister the bouquet?
This sentence is incorrect as written: meiner Schwester is the dative recipient, but the bouquet must be accusative, den Strauß. The correct sentence is “Ich schenke meiner Schwester den Strauß”; do not use dative for the thing that is given.
Die Farben des Straußes sind wunderschön.
The colours of the bouquet are wonderful.
die Farben means “the colours,” and wunderschön means “wonderful.” Des Straußes is genitive because it means “of the bouquet”; the plural subject die Farben makes the verb sind plural.
Auf dem Markt verkaufen sie viele Sträuße.
They sell many bouquets at the market.
auf dem Markt means “at the market,” verkaufen means “sell,” and viele means “many.” Sträuße is the bouquet plural and is accusative because verkaufen takes a direct object; Strauße without the umlaut means ostriches.
Der Strauß kann nicht fliegen.
The ostrich cannot fly.
kann nicht fliegen means “cannot fly.” Here der Strauß means “the ostrich”; the modal verb kann is in position two and the infinitive fliegen goes to the end.
Im Zoo sehen wir zwei Strauße.
At the zoo, we see two ostriches.
im Zoo means “at the zoo,” sehen means “see,” and zwei means “two.” Strauße is the ostrich plural and is accusative because sehen takes a direct object; the bouquet plural would be Sträuße.
stutzen — to trim, to clip; to hesitate, to be taken aback
This regular verb takes haben in the perfect: hat gestutzt. Do not confuse stutzen with stützen, which means to support.
Der Gärtner stutzt die Hecke.
The gardener trims the hedge.
Der Gärtner is the gardener and die Hecke is the hedge. Die Hecke is accusative because stutzen takes the thing being trimmed as an accusative object; the finite verb stutzt stands in position two.
Der Gärtner hat die Hecke gestutzt.
The gardener has trimmed the hedge.
Der Gärtner means the gardener and die Hecke means the hedge. The perfect uses hat plus gestutzt, with the Partizip II at the end; die Hecke is accusative because it is the object of stutzen.
Der Gärtner stutzte die Hecke im Frühjahr.
The gardener trimmed the hedge in spring.
Der Gärtner is the gardener, die Hecke is the hedge, and im Frühjahr means in spring. Die Hecke is accusative as the object, and the weak preterite stutzte stands in position two.
Stutz bitte die Hecke vorsichtig.
Please trim the hedge carefully.
Bitte means please, die Hecke is the hedge, and vorsichtig means carefully. Stutz is the du imperative and comes first; die Hecke is accusative because it is the object being trimmed.
Wenn er mehr Zeit hätte, stutzte er die Hecke selbst.
If he had more time, he would trim the hedge himself.
Wenn means if, mehr Zeit means more time, and selbst means himself. Here stutzte is the Konjunktiv II form, with the conditional verb at the end of the subordinate clause; die Hecke is accusative.
Morgen wird der Gärtner die Hecke stutzen.
Tomorrow the gardener will trim the hedge.
Morgen means tomorrow, der Gärtner is the gardener, and die Hecke is the hedge. Future uses wird in position two and the infinitive stutzen at the end; die Hecke is accusative.
Bei seiner Antwort stutzte ich.
I was taken aback by his answer.
Bei seiner Antwort means at his answer, and ich means I. Bei takes the dative, shown by seiner Antwort; the preterite stutzte stands in position two, while the speaker is the subject.
Sie stutzte, als sie die Zahl hörte.
She hesitated when she heard the number.
Sie means she, als means when, and die Zahl is the number. The main-clause verb stutzte stands in position two, while hörte moves to the end of the subordinate clause introduced by als.
säen — to sow, to plant seeds
säen is a regular verb and takes haben in the perfect: hat gesät. It is mainly used for seeds or plants, not for putting already grown plants into the ground.
Im Frühling säe ich Blumen.
In spring I sow flowers.
im Frühling means in spring, and Blumen means flowers. Blumen is accusative because säen takes the plants or seeds as a direct object; the finite verb säe is in position two.
Wir haben gestern Salat gesät.
Yesterday we sowed lettuce.
gestern means yesterday and Salat means lettuce. The perfect uses haben plus gesät, with the Partizip II at the end; Salat is an accusative object.
Früher säte mein Großvater Gemüse.
My grandfather used to sow vegetables.
früher means formerly, mein Großvater means my grandfather, and Gemüse means vegetables. The weak past form säte is in position two, and Gemüse is the accusative object.
Säe die Samen vorsichtig!
Sow the seeds carefully!
die Samen means the seeds and vorsichtig means carefully. Säe is the singular du imperative, with the subject omitted; die Samen is accusative as the direct object.
Ich würde im Garten Kräuter säen.
I would sow herbs in the garden.
würde means would, im Garten means in the garden, and Kräuter means herbs. The würde construction puts würde in position two and the infinitive säen at the end; Kräuter is accusative.
Nächstes Jahr werde ich Tomaten säen.
Next year I will sow tomatoes.
nächstes Jahr means next year and Tomaten means tomatoes. Future uses werden in position two and the infinitive säen at the end; Tomaten is the accusative object.
der Weizen — wheat
Der Weizen is usually a mass noun, like das Brot, so it normally has no plural. For different kinds or varieties, speakers can sometimes use Weizensorten instead.
Der Weizen wächst auf den Feldern.
The wheat is growing in the fields.
wächst means “grows”, and das Feld is a field; auf den Feldern means “in the fields”. Der Weizen is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb wächst is in position two.
Die Bäuerin erntet den Weizen.
The farmer is harvesting the wheat.
die Bäuerin is a female farmer, and ernten means “to harvest”. Den Weizen is accusative because ernten takes a direct object; the finite verb erntet stands in position two.
Der Müller arbeitet mit dem Weizen.
The miller works with the wheat.
der Müller is a miller, and arbeiten means “to work”. Mit always takes the dative, so dem Weizen is dative; the finite verb arbeitet is in position two.
Der Geruch des Weizens ist angenehm.
The smell of the wheat is pleasant.
der Geruch means “smell”, and angenehm means “pleasant”. Des Weizens is genitive because it says whose smell it is, and the genitive ending -s is added to Weizen.
Auf dem Feld wächst Weizen.
Wheat is growing in the field.
auf dem Feld means “in the field”, and wächst means “is growing”. Weizen is a mass noun here, so it has no ordinary plural; auf takes the dative in this location phrase.
züchten — to breed; to cultivate
Züchten is a regular weak verb and takes an accusative object, such as Tiere or Pflanzen. It normally suggests planned breeding or cultivation rather than simply keeping an animal or growing a plant casually.
Sie züchtet seltene Rosen im Garten.
She grows rare roses in the garden.
seltene Rosen means rare roses, and der Garten is the garden. Seltene Rosen is accusative because züchten takes a direct object; im Garten is a location phrase with dative, and züchtet stands in position two.
Mein Onkel hat früher Schafe gezüchtet.
My uncle used to breed sheep.
mein Onkel is my uncle, früher means formerly or in the past, and Schafe are sheep. Schafe is accusative as the direct object; hat is in position two and gezüchtet closes the perfect clause.
Der Bauer züchtete kräftige Pferde.
The farmer bred strong horses.
der Bauer is the farmer, and kräftige Pferde means strong horses. Kräftige Pferde is accusative as the object; züchtete is the regular weak-verb preterite in position two.
Züchte keine Tiere ohne Erfahrung!
Do not breed animals without experience!
keine Tiere means no animals, and ohne Erfahrung means without experience. Keine Tiere is accusative because züchten takes a direct object; züchte is the du imperative, with du omitted.
Wenn ich mehr Platz hätte, züchtete ich Hühner.
If I had more space, I would breed chickens.
mehr Platz means more space, and Hühner are chickens. Züchtete is the Konjunktiv II form, identical in spelling to the preterite; the wenn clause expresses an unreal condition.
Die Familie wird bald eigene Tomaten züchten.
The family will soon grow its own tomatoes.
bald means soon, and eigene Tomaten means its own tomatoes. Eigene Tomaten is accusative as the direct object; wird forms the future in position two and züchten goes to the end.