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Vocab: Time — A1 (2)
Time vocabulary at A1 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
kurz — short; brief, concise
kurz describes something with little length, distance, or duration. It can also mean brief, as in eine kurze Antwort.
Der Weg ist kurz.
The way is short.
der Weg means the way or route. kurz follows ist as a predicative adjective and therefore has no ending.
Sie trägt einen kurzen Rock.
She is wearing a short skirt.
sie trägt means she is wearing and der Rock is the skirt. einen kurzen Rock is accusative because tragen takes an accusative object; after einen, the masculine adjective has the ending -en.
Der neue Weg ist kürzer als der alte.
The new way is shorter than the old one.
neu means new and alt means old; der alte stands for the old way. kürzer compares two things and is followed by als; as a predicative adjective it has no ending.
Das ist der kürzeste Weg zum Bahnhof.
That is the shortest way to the station.
der Bahnhof means the station and zum means to the. der kürzeste Weg is a superlative noun phrase; after the masculine article der, the adjective has the ending -e.
Bitte sag es kurz.
Please say it briefly.
bitte means please, sag means say, and es means it. Here kurz is used adverbially, so it describes how someone should speak and has no adjective ending.
Ich schreibe eine kurze E-Mail.
I am writing a short email.
schreiben means write and die E-Mail is the email. eine kurze E-Mail is accusative because schreiben takes an accusative object; after eine, the feminine adjective has the ending -e.
lang — long; lengthy
The opposite is kurz, meaning short. For duration, lang often occurs with sein or dauern; the adverb lange is also common for ‘for a long time’.
Der Weg ist lang.
The way is long.
der Weg means the way or route. lang follows ist as a predicative adjective, so it has no ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir gehen einen langen Weg.
We are walking a long way.
gehen means to go or walk, and einen Weg means a route. einen langen Weg is accusative because gehen takes this direct object; after einen, the adjective takes the ending -en.
Der neue Weg ist länger als der alte.
The new route is longer than the old one.
neu means new and alt means old. länger als compares two routes; because länger follows ist, it is predicative and has no adjective ending.
Das ist der längste Weg im Park.
That is the longest route in the park.
der Weg means the route and im Park means in the park. der längste Weg is a superlative noun phrase in the nominative; after der, the masculine adjective takes -e.
lang — long; for long
As an adverb, lang often describes a measurement or how long an action lasts. For the meaning ‘for a long time’, learners also frequently meet lange.
Der Tisch ist zwei Meter lang.
The table is two metres long.
der Tisch means the table and zwei Meter means two metres. lang gives the measurement after ist; although it looks like an adjective, it is used adverbially here and has no ending.
Warte nicht lang auf mich.
Do not wait long for me.
warte means wait, nicht means not, and auf mich means for me. auf takes the accusative here, shown by mich; lang modifies the duration of warte, and the imperative verb comes first.
lange — for a long time; how long
lange is the common adverb for duration, especially in wie lange and lange warten. Before a noun, use the adjective lang with an ending, as in ein langer Film.
Ich habe lange gewartet.
I waited for a long time.
ich means I and gewartet means waited. lange modifies the duration, while the perfect places gewartet at the end after habe; do not translate it as the adjective ‘long’ before a noun.
Wie lange bleibst du hier?
How long are you staying here?
wie means how, bleibst means stay, and hier means here. wie lange asks about duration; in this question the finite verb bleibst comes directly after the question phrase.
der Mai — May
For dates and ordinary calendar expressions, Mai is used without an article, for example im Mai. The plural Maie is rare; the genitive may be des Mai or des Mais, with des Mais common in general use.
Der Mai ist oft warm und sonnig.
May is often warm and sunny.
oft means often, warm means warm, and sonnig means sunny. Der Mai is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir freuen uns auf den Mai.
We are looking forward to May.
freuen uns means are looking forward, and auf means to or towards here. Den Mai is accusative because the fixed expression sich freuen auf takes auf plus accusative; freuen is in position two.
Im Mai blühen viele Blumen.
Many flowers bloom in May.
blühen means bloom and viele Blumen means many flowers. Im Mai is dative because in describes a time period here; im is short for in dem, and blühen is in position two.
Das Wetter des Mais gefällt mir.
I like the weather in May.
Wetter means weather and gefällt mir means pleases me, or I like it. Des Mais is genitive because it identifies the weather's time; mir is dative because gefallen takes the person who likes something in the dative.
Die Maie sind in verschiedenen Gedichten erwähnt.
The months of May are mentioned in various poems.
verschiedenen means various and Gedichten means poems. Maie is the uncommon plural of Mai; it is the nominative subject of sind erwähnt, while in verschiedenen Gedichten is dative because in describes a fixed context.
mal — just, for a moment (informal particle); once, sometime, previously (informal)
As a particle, mal is an informal shortened form of einmal and often softens a request. Do not confuse lowercase mal with the noun das Mal, meaning an occasion or mark.
Warte mal!
Just wait a moment!
warte means wait; mal makes the imperative sound less sharp and means just or for a moment. The finite verb warte stands first because this is an imperative; mal is an unstressed particle and does not change the word order.
Komm mal her!
Come here for a moment!
komm means come and her means here or towards the speaker; mal softens the command. The imperative komm stands first, while her is an adverb showing direction.
Ich war mal in Berlin.
I was once in Berlin.
war means was, and in Berlin means in Berlin; mal means once or at some time in the past. The verb war is in position two, and mal is an informal adverb placed after the verb here.
Das machen wir mal am Wochenende.
We will do that sometime at the weekend.
das means that, machen means do, and am Wochenende means at the weekend; mal means sometime. The finite verb machen is in position two, while mal adds an indefinite, informal time meaning.
das Mal — time, occasion; mark; mark, spot, stain
The noun das Mal is capitalised and is different from lowercase mal. In time expressions such as zum ersten Mal, it means an occasion or time; in another sense it can mean a visible mark.
Das ist mein erstes Mal.
This is my first time.
mein erstes means my first, and erstes means first; the sentence says this is the speaker’s first occasion of doing something. Mal is nominative because it is the subject after ist, and the neuter adjective ending is -es after mein.
Ich sehe ihn zum ersten Mal.
I am seeing him for the first time.
sehe means see, ihn means him, and zum ersten Mal means for the first time. ihn is accusative because sehen takes an accusative object; zum is zu dem and forces the dative in the fixed phrase.
Beim nächsten Mal nehme ich den Bus.
Next time I will take the bus.
beim nächsten Mal means next time, nehme means take, and den Bus means the bus. beim is bei dem and forces the dative, while the finite verb nehme is in position two.
Die Freude des ersten Mals bleibt lange.
The joy of the first time lasts a long time.
die Freude means the joy, des ersten Mals means of the first time, and bleibt lange means lasts a long time. des ersten Mals is genitive because it specifies which joy; the genitive noun ends in -s.
Drei Male pro Woche trainiert sie.
She trains three times a week.
drei means three, pro Woche means per week, and trainiert means trains. Male is plural after drei; the finite verb trainiert stands in position two even though the time phrase comes first.
Auf dem Tisch ist ein Mal.
There is a mark on the table.
auf dem Tisch means on the table, and ist means is; ein Mal is a mark. dem Tisch is dative because auf describes a fixed location here, while ein Mal is nominative after ist.
Das Mal auf ihrer Hand ist neu.
The mark on her hand is new.
auf ihrer Hand means on her hand, neu means new, and ihrer means her; Mal is a mark. The noun phrase das Mal auf ihrer Hand is nominative because it is the subject, and auf takes the dative for a location.
manchmal — sometimes, occasionally
manchmal is an adverb and does not change its form. It usually means less often than oft, meaning often, and it can stand at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence.
Manchmal trinke ich Tee am Abend.
Sometimes I drink tea in the evening.
trinken means drink, der Tee is tea, and am Abend means in the evening. manchmal is at the beginning, so the finite verb trinke comes next in position two and the subject ich follows it.
Wir gehen manchmal ins Kino.
We sometimes go to the cinema.
gehen means go, ins Kino means to the cinema, and das Kino is the cinema. manchmal is an adverb in the middle of the sentence; ins is in das, and in takes the accusative here because it expresses movement towards a place.
meistens — usually, mostly
Meistens is the common everyday adverb for “usually” and is interchangeable with meist in many sentences. It has no comparative or other inflected forms.
Ich koche meistens am Abend.
I usually cook in the evening.
koche means “cook”, and am Abend means “in the evening”. Meistens is an unchanging adverb, and the finite verb koche stands in position two; am Abend is a time expression.
Wir sehen uns meistens am Samstag.
We usually see each other on Saturday.
sehen means “see”, uns means “each other” here, and am Samstag means “on Saturday”. Meistens does not change, and sehen is in position two; uns is the accusative reflexive pronoun referring to wir.
die Minute — minute
Die Minute is sixty seconds. German uses the same word in clock times and for a short wait; after a number, the plural is Minuten, as in fünf Minuten.
Eine Minute hat sechzig Sekunden.
One minute has sixty seconds.
hat means has, and sechzig Sekunden means sixty seconds. Eine Minute is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb hat is in position two.
Ich warte eine Minute.
I am waiting for one minute.
warte means wait, and the sentence describes a duration. Eine Minute is accusative because a time duration can be used with warten; the finite verb warte is in position two.
In einer Minute bin ich zurück.
I will be back in one minute.
zurück means back, and in einer Minute means in one minute. Einer Minute is dative because in expresses a time when something will happen; the opening phrase places bin in position two.
Das Ende der Minute kommt schnell.
The end of the minute comes quickly.
das Ende means the end, and schnell means quickly. Der Minute is genitive because it identifies which end is meant; the feminine genitive article is der.
Die Minuten vergehen langsam.
The minutes pass slowly.
vergehen means pass, and langsam means slowly. Minuten is plural and has the ending -n; the plural subject takes the verb vergehen.
der Mittag — noon, midday; middle part of a period
Mittag usually means the middle of the day, especially around twelve o’clock. The common time expression is am Mittag, not a direct translation of “at the noon.”
Der Mittag ist heute sehr warm.
The midday is very warm today.
heute means today and warm means warm. Der Mittag is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist is in position two.
Wir treffen uns am Mittag im Park.
We are meeting in the park at noon.
wir treffen uns means we are meeting, and im Park means in the park. The time phrase am Mittag uses an with the dative, while im Park also contains a dative location; the finite verb treffen is in position two.
Am Mittag bringt mein Bruder das Essen.
At noon my brother brings the food.
bringt means brings, mein Bruder means my brother, and das Essen means the food. Am Mittag is dative because an means a fixed time here, and the finite verb bringt stands in position two.
Die Hitze des Mittags war kaum auszuhalten.
The heat of midday was hardly bearable.
die Hitze is the heat and kaum auszuhalten means hardly bearable. Des Mittags is genitive because it describes whose heat it is; the masculine noun has des and -s in the genitive.
Im Sommer sind die Mittage besonders lang.
In summer the days around midday are especially long.
im Sommer means in summer and besonders lang means especially long. Die Mittage is plural and nominative because it is the subject, and the adjective has the plural ending -e after sind.
In der Mitte des Mittags begann es zu regnen.
In the middle of the afternoon it began to rain.
begann means began and zu regnen means to rain. Des Mittags is genitive after in der Mitte, and the finite verb begann comes at the end of the subordinate clause introduced by es? Actually this is a main clause, so begann is in position two after the fronted phrase.
Gegen Ende des Mittags wurde die Straße ruhiger.
Towards the end of midday, the street became quieter.
gegen Ende means towards the end, die Straße means the street, and ruhiger means quieter. Des Mittags is genitive after Ende, and the finite verb wurde remains in position two after the fronted time phrase.
mittags — at noon, at lunchtime
Mittags means at midday, often as a repeated routine, while am Mittag usually refers to a particular noon. It is an adverb, so it has no article and does not take a case ending.
Ich esse mittags in der Kantine.
I eat lunch in the cafeteria at noon.
esse means eat, in der Kantine means in the cafeteria. Mittags is an adverb of regular time and does not change form; the finite verb esse is in position two.
Mittags ist es im Büro sehr ruhig.
At lunchtime it is very quiet in the office.
im Büro means in the office and sehr ruhig means very quiet. When mittags comes first, the finite verb ist still stays in position two, so the subject es follows it.
die Mittagspause — lunch break
Mittagspause is the usual word for a break around midday at work or school. Do not confuse it with Pause, which can be a break at any time.
Die Mittagspause beginnt um zwölf Uhr.
The lunch break starts at twelve o’clock.
beginnt means starts and um zwölf Uhr means at twelve o’clock. Die Mittagspause is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb beginnt is in position two.
Ich brauche eine Mittagspause.
I need a lunch break.
ich brauche means I need. Eine Mittagspause is accusative because brauchen takes a direct object; with a feminine noun, the indefinite article is eine in both nominative and accusative.
In der Mittagspause trinken wir Kaffee.
During the lunch break we drink coffee.
trinken means drink and Kaffee means coffee. In der Mittagspause is dative because in describes a time period here, and the finite verb trinken follows the fronted phrase in position two.
Die Länge der Mittagspause hängt vom Arbeitstag ab.
The length of the lunch break depends on the working day.
die Länge means the length, hängt ... ab means depends, and der Arbeitstag means the working day. Der Mittagspause is genitive because it says whose length it is; the separable verb abhängen splits, with ab at the end.
Die Mittagspausen sind in dieser Firma kurz.
The lunch breaks are short in this company.
in dieser Firma means in this company and kurz means short. Die Mittagspausen is plural and nominative because it is the subject, and the plural ending is -n.
der Mittwoch — Wednesday
For a regular weekly appointment, German normally uses am Mittwoch, meaning on Wednesday. The plural Mittwoche is used for several Wednesdays, while mittwochs means every Wednesday or on Wednesdays generally.
Mittwoch ist mein freier Tag.
Wednesday is my day off.
mein freier Tag means my day off. Mittwoch is the nominative subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich mag Mittwoch.
I like Wednesday.
mag means like. Mittwoch is an accusative object because mögen takes an accusative object; the finite verb mag stands in position two.
Am Mittwoch arbeite ich lange.
I work late on Wednesday.
arbeiten means to work, and lange means for a long time or late in this context. am is an dem, and an takes the dative for a fixed time, so Mittwoch is dative; the verb arbeite is in position two.
Die Mitte der Woche ist der Mittwoch.
The middle of the week is Wednesday.
die Mitte means the middle, and die Woche means the week. der Woche is genitive because it says of the week; der Mittwoch is the nominative complement after ist.
Die Mittwoche im Mai sind oft warm.
The Wednesdays in May are often warm.
im Mai means in May, oft means often, and warm means warm. Mittwoche is the plural subject, and the finite verb sind stands in position two.
mittwochs — on Wednesdays, every Wednesday
mittwochs is an adverb, not a plural noun: it means regularly on Wednesdays. For one particular Wednesday, use am Mittwoch instead.
Mittwochs spiele ich Fußball.
I play football on Wednesdays.
Fußball means football or soccer, and spielen means to play. Mittwochs is an adverb of regular time in the first position, so the finite verb spiele comes in position two.
Wir haben mittwochs keinen Unterricht.
We do not have classes on Wednesdays.
keinen Unterricht means no classes or lessons, and haben means have. mittwochs gives the regular time; Unterricht is an accusative object after haben, and haben stands in position two.
der Monat — month
A year has twelve Monate. With dates and time expressions, German often uses im Monat, diesen Monat, or nächsten Monat; the case depends on the expression.
Der Monat beginnt am Montag.
The month begins on Monday.
beginnen means begin, and am Montag means on Monday. Der Monat is the nominative subject; am Montag is dative because am means an dem and names a point in time.
Ich plane den Monat gut.
I plan the month well.
planen means plan, and gut means well. Den Monat is accusative because planen takes a direct object; the finite verb plane is in position two.
Im Monat Mai haben wir Urlaub.
In the month of May, we are on holiday.
Mai is May, and Urlaub haben means be on holiday. Monat is dative after in because this is a time expression; haben is in position two and gehabt is understood in the fixed phrase Urlaub haben.
Das Ende des Monats ist stressig.
The end of the month is stressful.
Ende means end, and stressig means stressful. Monats is genitive after das Ende, showing which month is meant; the masculine noun takes -s in the genitive singular.
Zwei Monate sind schnell vergangen.
Two months have passed quickly.
zwei means two, schnell means quickly, and vergangen means passed. Monate is the plural subject, so the auxiliary is sind; the participle vergangen goes to the end in the perfect.
der Montag — Monday
For a specific day, use am Montag, with dative after an. To mean every Monday, use the adverb montags or jeden Montag.
Montag ist mein erster Arbeitstag.
Monday is my first working day.
mein erster Arbeitstag means my first working day. Montag is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich mag den Montag nicht.
I do not like Monday.
mag means like and nicht means not. Den Montag is accusative because mögen takes a direct object; nicht negates the verb phrase.
Am Montag habe ich einen Termin.
I have an appointment on Monday.
am means on and der Termin means appointment. Am Montag is dative because an contracts with dem here; the time phrase is in position one, so habe comes in position two.
Die Planung des Montags ist schwierig.
Planning for Monday is difficult.
die Planung means planning and schwierig means difficult. Des Montags is genitive because it specifies which day's planning is meant, and Montag takes -s.
Die Montage sind bei uns sehr stressig.
Mondays are very stressful for us.
bei uns means for us or at our place, and stressig means stressful. Montage is plural, so it takes sind, the plural form of sein.
montags — on Mondays, every Monday
montags is an adverb meaning every Monday or on Mondays. It is written with a small letter and is different from am Montag, which refers to one particular Monday.
Montags gehe ich zum Schwimmen.
On Mondays I go swimming.
gehe means go, zum Schwimmen means swimming, and Schwimmen is used as a noun here. Montags is a time adverb; because it stands in position one, the finite verb gehe comes directly after it.
Unser Café ist montags geschlossen.
Our café is closed on Mondays.
unser Café means our café and geschlossen means closed. Montags gives the time, while geschlossen is a predicative adjective after ist; the adverb does not take a case ending.
morgen — tomorrow
The lowercase adverb morgen means tomorrow. The capitalized noun der Morgen means morning, so capitalization changes the word and its meaning.
Morgen fahre ich nach Berlin.
Tomorrow I am going to Berlin.
fahre means go or travel, and nach Berlin means to Berlin. Morgen is a time adverb at the start, so the finite verb fahre comes in position two; do not write the noun Morgen with a capital letter here.
Wir sehen uns morgen.
We will see each other tomorrow.
wir sehen uns means we will see each other, and sehen means see. Morgen is an adverb of time and often stands at the end; the lowercase spelling distinguishes it from der Morgen, meaning morning.
der Morgen — morning
der Morgen is the noun for the early part of the day. Do not confuse it with lowercase morgen, the adverb meaning tomorrow.
Der Morgen ist ruhig.
The morning is quiet.
ruhig means quiet or peaceful. Der Morgen is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich genieße den Morgen.
I enjoy the morning.
ich means I, and genieße means enjoy. Den Morgen is accusative because genießen takes a direct object; the masculine article changes from der to den.
Am Morgen trinke ich Kaffee.
In the morning I drink coffee.
am means at or in the and trinke means drink; Kaffee is coffee. Am Morgen is short for an dem Morgen, and an takes the dative here because it describes a time rather than movement.
Die Ruhe des Morgens gefällt mir.
I like the quiet of the morning.
die Ruhe means the quiet, and gefällt mir means pleases me or I like it. Des Morgens is genitive because it identifies whose quiet it is; mir is dative because gefallen takes the person who likes something in the dative.
Die Morgen im Urlaub waren wunderschön.
The mornings on holiday were wonderful.
im Urlaub means on holiday, and wunderschön means wonderful or beautiful. Morgen is the plural of der Morgen and has no ending change; waren agrees with the plural subject.
morgens — in the mornings
morgens means every morning or regularly in the morning. It is an adverb formed from Morgen with -s, and it is not the same as morgen, which means tomorrow.
Morgens lese ich die Zeitung.
I read the newspaper in the mornings.
lese means read, and die Zeitung is the newspaper. Morgens is an adverb of regular time at the start, so the finite verb lese comes in position two.
Wir arbeiten morgens im Büro.
We work in the office in the mornings.
arbeiten means work, and im Büro means in the office. Morgens normally stays lowercase because it is an adverb, and it can stand after the verb or later in the sentence.
der März — March
Month names are masculine: der März. With a month, German usually uses im März for “in March”, not a bare preposition plus the month.
Der März ist der dritte Monat.
March is the third month.
der dritte Monat means the third month. Der März is nominative because it is the subject, and ist is the finite verb in position two.
Wir beginnen den März mit einem Fest.
We begin March with a celebration.
beginnen means begin, and ein Fest means a celebration. Den März is accusative because it is the direct object of beginnen; the article changes from der to den.
Im März fahre ich nach Berlin.
In March I travel to Berlin.
im means in the, fahre means travel, and nach Berlin means to Berlin. Im März is dative because in refers to a fixed time here; the finite verb fahre is in position two.
Das Wetter des März ist oft wechselhaft.
The weather in March is often changeable.
das Wetter means the weather, oft means often, and wechselhaft means changeable. Des März is genitive and describes the weather belonging to March.
Die Märze waren damals sehr kalt.
The March months were very cold then.
damals means then or at that time, and kalt means cold. Märze is plural and nominative because it is the subject; the plural verb is waren.
nachher — later, afterwards
Nachher means later or afterwards and usually refers to a time after the present activity. Do not confuse it with vorher, which means earlier or beforehand.
Ich mache jetzt meine Hausaufgaben und spiele nachher.
I’m doing my homework now and will play later.
jetzt means now, meine Hausaufgaben means my homework, and spielen means to play. The adverb nachher comes after the verb here and refers to a later time; the finite verb mache is in position two.
Wir sehen uns nachher vor dem Kino.
We’ll see each other later in front of the cinema.
wir sehen uns means we see each other, and vor dem Kino means in front of the cinema. Nachher is an adverb of time; vor takes the dative for a fixed location, so dem Kino is dative.
der Nachmittag — afternoon
The usual time expression is am Nachmittag, meaning in the afternoon. Heute Nachmittag means this afternoon and normally has no article.
Der Nachmittag ist heute warm und sonnig.
The afternoon is warm and sunny today.
heute means today, warm means warm, and sonnig means sunny. Der Nachmittag is nominative because it is the subject; the verb ist stands in position two.
Ich verbringe den Nachmittag im Park.
I spend the afternoon in the park.
verbringe means spend, and im Park means in the park. Den Nachmittag is accusative because verbringen takes a direct object; im is short for in dem and marks a fixed location.
Am Nachmittag trinke ich Kaffee mit Freunden.
In the afternoon I drink coffee with friends.
trinke means drink, Kaffee means coffee, and mit Freunden means with friends. Am Nachmittag is short for an dem Nachmittag, with dative after an in this time expression; the opening phrase sends trinke to position two.
Die Ruhe des Nachmittags gefällt mir.
I like the quiet of the afternoon.
die Ruhe means the quiet, and gefällt mir means pleases me or I like it. Des Nachmittags is genitive and shows which quiet is meant; mir is dative because gefallen takes the person who likes something in the dative.
Die langen Nachmittage im Sommer sind schön.
The long afternoons in summer are lovely.
lang means long, im Sommer means in summer, and schön means lovely or nice. Nachmittage is plural and is the subject; the adjective ending in langen follows the definite article die, and sind agrees with the plural.
nachmittags — in the afternoon(s), in the afternoons
Nachmittags is the adverb for a repeated or general afternoon time, while am Nachmittag usually refers to one particular afternoon. Do not use the plural noun ending: nachmittags is an adverb and is written with a lowercase letter.
Ich arbeite nachmittags in einem Café.
I work in a café in the afternoons.
arbeite means work, and in einem Café means in a café. Nachmittags is a time adverb describing when the work happens; the finite verb arbeite remains in position two.
Nachmittags spiele ich oft mit meinen Kindern.
In the afternoons I often play with my children.
spiele means play, oft means often, and mit meinen Kindern means with my children. When nachmittags comes first, it occupies position one, so the finite verb spiele must come directly after it in position two; mit takes the dative.
die Nacht — night
die Nacht is used for the whole period from evening to morning. For a greeting before sleeping, Germans say Gute Nacht, while guten Abend is used when meeting someone in the evening.
Die Nacht ist heute sehr ruhig.
The night is very quiet tonight.
heute means today or tonight, and sehr ruhig means very quiet. Die Nacht is nominative because it is the subject, and ist stands in position two.
Ich mag die Nacht nicht.
I do not like the night.
mögen means to like and nicht means not. die Nacht is accusative because it is the direct object of mag; nicht negates the liking.
In der Nacht höre ich manchmal ein Geräusch.
At night I sometimes hear a noise.
manchmal means sometimes and ein Geräusch means a noise. der Nacht is dative because in describes a time when no movement is involved; because the prepositional phrase comes first, the finite verb höre is still in position two and the subject follows it.
Die Ruhe der Nacht tut mir gut.
The quiet of the night does me good.
die Ruhe means the quiet, tut ... gut means does good, and mir means to me. der Nacht is genitive because it identifies whose quiet it is; mir is dative with the expression jemandem guttun.
Drei Nächte lang waren wir unterwegs.
We were on the road for three nights.
drei means three, lang means for or long, and unterwegs means on the road or away from home. Nächte is plural after drei; drei Nächte lang is a time expression, and waren is the plural past form of sein.
nachts — at night, by night
Nachts is the adverb meaning “at night,” often for a repeated or usual time. It is related to die Nacht, but it is not used with an article; compare in der Nacht for one particular night.
Ich schlafe nachts gut.
I sleep well at night.
schlafe means sleep and gut means well. Nachts is an adverb of time and does not change its form; the finite verb schlafe stands in position two.
Nachts ist die Straße ganz leer.
At night, the street is completely empty.
die Straße means the street and ganz leer means completely empty. Because nachts is in first position, the finite verb ist comes next in position two; die Straße is nominative as the subject.
das Neujahr — New Year
Neujahr refers to the New Year as a holiday or period, while Neujahrstag specifically means New Year's Day. It is normally used only in the singular; the common greeting is Frohes Neujahr!.
Neujahr ist am ersten Januar.
New Year's Day is on the first of January.
am ersten Januar means on the first of January. Neujahr is nominative because it is the subject, and ist is the finite verb in position two.
Wir feiern Neujahr mit Freunden.
We celebrate New Year with friends.
feiern means celebrate and mit Freunden means with friends. Neujahr is accusative because feiern takes a direct object, while mit takes the dative.
Zu Neujahr wünschen wir allen viel Glück.
At New Year, we wish everyone lots of luck.
wünschen means wish, allen means everyone, and viel Glück means lots of luck. Zu always takes the dative, and the finite verb wünschen is in position two after the opening phrase.
Die Bräuche des Neujahrs sind in jedem Land anders.
The customs of New Year are different in every country.
die Bräuche means the customs, in jedem Land means in every country, and anders means different. des Neujahrs is genitive to show possession, while sind stands in position two.
der Neujahrstag — New Year's Day
Neujahrstag means specifically 1 January, whereas Neujahr can refer more generally to the New Year period or celebration. The usual phrase for on New Year's Day is am Neujahrstag, with dative after an for a time or location.
Der Neujahrstag ist ein Feiertag.
New Year's Day is a public holiday.
ein Feiertag means a public holiday. Neujahrstag is nominative because it is the subject, and ist is in position two.
Wir verbringen den Neujahrstag zu Hause.
We spend New Year's Day at home.
verbringen means spend, and zu Hause means at home. den Neujahrstag is accusative because verbringen takes a direct object; the finite verb verbringen is in position two.
Am Neujahrstag besuchen wir meine Großeltern.
On New Year's Day, we visit my grandparents.
besuchen means visit and meine Großeltern means my grandparents. Am is an dem, and an takes the dative here because it describes when something happens; besuchen is in position two.
Die Traditionen des Neujahrstags sind sehr verschieden.
The traditions of New Year's Day are very different.
die Traditionen means the traditions and sehr verschieden means very different. des Neujahrstags is genitive because it identifies which day's traditions are meant; sind is in position two.
Die Neujahrstage waren ruhig und sonnig.
The New Year's Days were quiet and sunny.
ruhig means quiet and sonnig means sunny. Neujahrstage is plural, so the verb is waren, the plural past form of sein.
nie — never
nie means never and already expresses negation, so standard German does not normally add nicht in the same clause. It usually stands before the part of the sentence it negates, often before the main verb or another adverbial phrase.
Ich esse nie Fleisch.
I never eat meat.
essen means to eat, and Fleisch means meat. nie is a time adverb with a negative meaning; the finite verb esse stays in position two, and Fleisch is accusative after essen.
Sie kommt nie zu spät.
She is never late.
kommen means to come, and zu spät means late. nie negates the time or frequency of kommt; the phrase zu spät is a fixed adverbial expression, not an accusative object.
niemals — never
niemals is a strong form of nie, meaning never. It normally comes before the main information it negates; do not use it together with another negative such as nicht for the same meaning.
Ich werde das niemals vergessen.
I will never forget that.
werde ... vergessen means will forget, and das means that. Niemals means never and comes before the infinitive vergessen at the end of this future construction; werde is the finite verb in position two.
Er kommt niemals zu spät.
He is never late.
kommt means comes, and zu spät means late. Niemals usually stands after the finite verb in a simple main clause; kommt is in position two, and the adverb does not change form.
der November — November
German month names are masculine and are usually used without an article after im, for example im November. The plural November is uncommon and mainly refers to Novembers in different years.
Der November ist oft grau.
November is often grey.
oft means often, and grau means grey or dull. Der November is the nominative subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich mag den November nicht.
I do not like November.
ich mag means I like, and nicht means not. den November is accusative because mögen takes a direct object; nicht comes after the object here to negate the liking.
Im November wird es früh dunkel.
It gets dark early in November.
früh means early, and dunkel means dark. im is in dem, and in takes the dative here because it gives a time or location; es wird dunkel is an impersonal expression meaning it gets dark.
Die Tage des Novembers sind kurz.
The days of November are short.
Tage means days, kurz means short, and sind means are. des Novembers is genitive and means of November; the finite verb sind is in position two.
Die November der letzten Jahre waren ungewöhnlich mild.
The Novembers of the last few years were unusually mild.
der letzten Jahre means of the last few years, and ungewöhnlich mild means unusually mild. November has the same form in the plural, but die and waren show that several Novembers are meant; der letzten Jahre is genitive plural.
nächst — next, nearest; nearest, next available
nächst is normally seen in inflected forms such as nächste and nächsten. It can mean next in time or order, or nearest in expressions such as die nächste Apotheke; it is not normally compared as an adjective.
Die nächste Haltestelle ist am Bahnhof.
The next stop is at the train station.
die Haltestelle means the stop, and am Bahnhof means at the train station. nächste comes before the feminine noun Haltestelle and takes the ending -e; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir sehen uns nächste Woche.
We will see each other next week.
sehen uns means see each other, and Woche means week. nächste Woche is a time expression; the adjective takes -e before the feminine noun, and nächste does not mean “more next” here.
Die nächste Haltestelle ist näher als die vorige.
The next stop is closer than the previous one.
näher means closer, als means than, and vorige means previous. nächste still means next and is not itself a comparative; the comparison is expressed by näher, while nächste Haltestelle is feminine nominative.
Von allen Haltestellen ist die nächste am nächsten.
Of all the stops, the next one is the nearest.
von allen Haltestellen means of all the stops, and am nächsten means the nearest. von takes the dative, and nächste means the next or nearest stop; the superlative is expressed by am nächsten, not by changing nächste.
Die nächste Prüfung findet im Juni statt.
The next exam takes place in June.
die Prüfung means the exam, im Juni means in June, and findet ... statt means takes place. nächste Prüfung is feminine nominative with the ending -e; the separable verb splits, with statt at the end.
Bitte steigen Sie an der nächsten Station aus.
Please get off at the next station.
steigen Sie aus means get off in the formal imperative, and Station means station. an der nächsten Station is dative because an describes a fixed location here; the separable prefix aus goes to the end.
Die nächste Apotheke ist gleich um die Ecke.
The nearest pharmacy is just around the corner.
die Apotheke means the pharmacy, and gleich um die Ecke means just around the corner. nächste comes before the feminine nominative noun Apotheke and takes -e; ist is in position two.
Bitte fragen Sie die nächste Person.
Please ask the nearest person.
fragen Sie means ask in the formal imperative, and Person means person. die nächste Person is accusative because fragen takes a direct object; the adjective has the ending -e after die.
oft — often
oft tells how frequently something happens and is often used with sehr, meaning very, or in the question Wie oft?, meaning how often. It is an adverb, so it never receives an adjective ending.
Ich oft?
I often?
ich means I, but this short example is not a complete natural statement on its own; oft means often. In a normal sentence, oft usually modifies a finite verb, for example Ich komme oft; the adverb does not take an ending.
Wie oft gehst du ins Kino?
How often do you go to the cinema?
wie means how, gehst means go, and ins Kino means to the cinema. wie oft asks about frequency, and in this question the finite verb gehst follows the question phrase; learners should not translate oft as oftenly.
der Oktober — October
Month names are masculine in German and are normally used without an article after im, meaning in the. German writes month names with a capital letter.
Der Oktober ist oft kühl.
October is often cool.
oft means often, and kühl means cool. Der Oktober is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir mögen den Oktober.
We like October.
mögen means like, and wir means we. Den Oktober is accusative because it is the object of mögen; the finite verb mögen stands in position two.
Im Oktober fahre ich nach Berlin.
In October I travel to Berlin.
im means in the and nach Berlin means to Berlin. Im Oktober is dative because in takes the dative for a time when there is no movement into a place; the finite verb fahre remains in position two.
Die Tage des Oktobers werden kürzer.
The days of October become shorter.
die Tage means the days, and kürzer means shorter. Des Oktobers is genitive because it identifies which days; the finite verb werden stands in position two.
Im Oktober fallen viele Blätter.
Many leaves fall in October.
fallen means fall, and viele Blätter means many leaves. This sentence has no plural form of Oktober: month names are normally used only in the singular, and im Oktober is a dative time phrase.
die Pause — break, pause; pause, interruption
The common expression eine Pause machen means “to take a break”; German does not normally use a direct translation of “take” here. Pause is feminine, and its plural is formed with -n: die Pausen.
Die Pause beginnt um zehn Uhr.
The break starts at ten o’clock.
beginnt means starts and zehn Uhr means ten o’clock. Die Pause is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb beginnt stands in position two.
Wir machen eine Pause.
We are taking a break.
wir means we and machen means make or take in this expression. eine Pause is accusative because machen takes an accusative object, and the finite verb machen is in position two.
Nach der Pause arbeiten wir weiter.
After the break, we continue working.
nach means after and weiterarbeiten means continue working. The preposition nach always takes the dative, so der Pause is dative; the verb arbeiten is in position two after the opening phrase.
Die Länge der Pause ist auf dem Plan markiert.
The length of the break is marked on the schedule.
die Länge means the length, der Plan means the schedule, and markiert means marked. der Pause is genitive because it shows whose length it is, while the finite verb ist stands in position two.
In den Pausen spielen die Kinder draußen.
During the breaks, the children play outside.
in den Pausen means during the breaks, die Kinder means the children, and draußen means outside. Here in takes the dative because it describes a time or location without movement, so the plural is den Pausen; spielen is in position two.
Der Film ist kurz auf Pause.
The film is briefly paused.
der Film means the film, kurz means briefly, and auf Pause means paused. auf Pause is a fixed expression used with sein; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Kannst du die Musik auf Pause stellen?
Can you pause the music?
die Musik means the music and stellen means put or set. die Musik is accusative because stellen takes an accusative object, while the modal verb kannst is in position two and the infinitive stellen goes to the end.
pünktlich — punctual, on time
Pünktlich describes someone or something that arrives or happens at the expected time. With sein, it is normally predicative and has no ending, but before a noun it takes an adjective ending, as in der pünktliche Zug.
Der Zug ist pünktlich.
The train is on time.
Der Zug means the train, and ist means is. Pünktlich is predicative after sein, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Wir nehmen den pünktlichen Bus.
We are taking the punctual bus.
nehmen means take, and der Bus means the bus. Pünktlichen stands before the noun and takes -en because den Bus is masculine accusative after nehmen.
Marias Zug ist pünktlicher als meiner.
Maria's train is more punctual than mine.
Marias Zug means Maria's train, and meiner means mine. Pünktlicher is the comparative with -er, and als introduces the thing used for comparison; after ist, the adjective is predicative and has no ending.
Unser Bus ist am pünktlichsten.
Our bus is the most punctual.
unser Bus means our bus, and am pünktlichsten means the most punctual. This is the predicative superlative with am; it does not take a noun ending because it follows ist.
der Samstag — Saturday
For a particular Saturday, use am Samstag. For a repeated habit, samstags or jeden Samstag means on Saturdays or every Saturday.
Samstag ist mein Lieblingstag.
Saturday is my favourite day.
mein Lieblingstag means my favourite day. Samstag is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich mag den Samstag.
I like Saturday.
mag means like. den Samstag is accusative because mögen takes a direct object; the masculine article changes from der to den.
Am Samstag besuchen wir meine Eltern.
On Saturday we visit my parents.
besuchen means visit, and meine Eltern means my parents. Am Samstag is short for an dem Samstag; an takes the dative for a fixed time, and the verb besuchen is in position two after the opening time phrase.
Die Geschäfte des Samstags sind geschlossen.
The Saturday shops are closed.
die Geschäfte are the shops, and geschlossen means closed. des Samstags is genitive because it specifies which shops are meant; des and the ending -s mark the masculine genitive, while sind is in position two.
Die Samstage im Sommer sind lang.
The Saturdays in summer are long.
im Sommer means in summer, and lang means long. Samstage is plural with -e, and it is nominative because it is the subject of sind.
samstags — on Saturdays; every Saturday
samstags describes a regular habit or opening time and is usually translated as on Saturdays or every Saturday. It is different from am Samstag, which normally refers to one particular Saturday.
Ich arbeite samstags nicht.
I do not work on Saturdays.
arbeite means work, and nicht means not. samstags is a time adverb and does not change form; the finite verb arbeite stands in position two, before the negation.
Der Laden ist samstags geschlossen.
The shop is closed on Saturdays.
der Laden means the shop, and geschlossen means closed. samstags states when this is true and stays unchanged; ist is the finite verb in position two, followed by the predicate adjective geschlossen.
der Schluss — end; conclusion
Der Schluss usually means the end, but it can also mean a conclusion drawn from information. The fixed phrase zum Schluss means finally or at the end.
Der Schluss des Films ist traurig.
The end of the film is sad.
des Films means of the film, and traurig means sad. Der Schluss is nominative because it is the subject; des Films is genitive because it identifies which end, and the finite verb ist is in position two.
Wir hören den Schluss der Geschichte.
We hear the end of the story.
hören means hear, and der Geschichte means of the story. Den Schluss is accusative because hören takes a direct object; der Geschichte is genitive and shows which story has this ending.
Zum Schluss trinken wir Kaffee.
At the end, we drink coffee.
zum Schluss means at the end, and trinken means drink. Zu takes the dative, so zum is zu dem; because the first element is the time phrase, the finite verb trinken still comes in position two.
Die Bedeutung des Schlusses ist klar.
The meaning of the conclusion is clear.
die Bedeutung means the meaning, and klar means clear. Des Schlusses is genitive because it shows which meaning is meant; the neuter-like genitive ending -es belongs to this masculine noun here.
Die beiden Schlüsse sind überraschend.
Both conclusions are surprising.
beiden means both, and überraschend means surprising. Schlüsse is the plural subject, so it is nominative; the finite verb sind agrees with the plural.
Der Unterricht ist zu Schluss.
The lesson is over.
der Unterricht means the lesson, and zu Schluss in this sentence means over or finished. This is a fixed expression with zu; the verb ist stands in position two, and learners should not translate the phrase word for word.
schon — already; indeed; all right
Schon usually means already, but its exact position can change the emphasis of the sentence.
Bist du schon fertig?
Are you already finished?
bist du fertig means are you finished. Schon means already and comes before fertig here; in a yes-or-no question, the finite verb bist stands in position one.
Der Zug ist schon abgefahren.
The train has already left.
der Zug means the train and abgefahren means left or departed. Schon means already; in the perfect, ist is the finite verb in position two and abgefahren goes to the end.
Das ist schon richtig.
That is indeed correct.
richtig means correct or right. Here schon does not mean “already”; it adds reassurance, and the finite verb ist remains in position two.
Schon gut, ich mache es.
All right, I will do it.
gut means good or all right, and mache es means will do it. At the beginning of Schon gut, schon is a conversational particle meaning “all right”; in the second clause, mache is in position two.
die Sekunde — second
A Sekunde is a very short unit of time: sixty Sekunden make one minute. In everyday speech, eine Sekunde can also mean “a moment,” as in asking someone to wait briefly.
Die Sekunde ist sehr kurz.
The second is very short.
sehr kurz means very short. Die Sekunde is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich brauche eine Sekunde.
I need a second.
brauchen means to need. Eine Sekunde is accusative because brauchen takes an accusative object; the finite verb brauche is in position two.
Warte eine Sekunde, bitte.
Wait a second, please.
warte means wait and bitte means please. Eine Sekunde is accusative as a short duration of waiting, not dative; the imperative Warte comes first.
Das Ende der Sekunde ist erreicht.
The end of the second has been reached.
das Ende means the end and erreicht means reached. Der Sekunde is genitive because it means “of the second”; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Zehn Sekunden sind nicht lang.
Ten seconds are not long.
zehn means ten and nicht lang means not long. Sekunden is the plural subject, so the verb is plural: sind, not ist.
selten — rare
As an adjective, selten describes a noun and takes an ending, as in ein seltener Vogel. It can also describe how often an action happens; that use is listed under the adverb entry.
Solche Vögel sind selten.
Birds like that are rare.
solche Vögel means birds like that, and sind means are. Selten is predicative after sind, so it has no ending; solche Vögel is nominative plural because it is the subject.
Wir suchen seltene Pflanzen.
We are looking for rare plants.
suchen means look for and Pflanzen means plants. Seltene describes the accusative object Pflanzen after suchen; the plural adjective ending is -e because there is no article before the noun.
Im Winter sieht man hier seltenere Vögel als im Sommer.
In winter you see rarer birds here than in summer.
im Winter means in winter, sieht man means one sees or you see, and im Sommer means in summer. Seltenere Vögel is the accusative object of sieht; als introduces the comparison, and the comparative adjective takes the plural ending -e after no article.
Im Januar sieht man hier die seltensten Vögel.
In January you see the rarest birds here.
im Januar means in January, sieht man means one sees, and die Vögel means the birds. Die seltensten Vögel is accusative plural because it is the object of sieht; with the definite article die, the superlative adjective takes the ending -sten.
selten — rarely, seldom
The adverb selten tells how often something happens and does not take an adjective ending. Do not confuse it with the adjective use, where an ending may appear before a noun, as in ein seltener Besuch.
Ich esse selten Fleisch.
I rarely eat meat.
esse means eat and Fleisch means meat. Selten is an adverb, so it does not take an ending; the finite verb esse stands in position two, and Fleisch is accusative as the object of essen.
Er kommt selten zu spät.
He is rarely late.
kommt means comes and zu spät means late. Selten modifies the frequency of kommt and stays unchanged; the finite verb kommt is in position two, while zu spät is an adverbial phrase, not an object.
der September — September
Month names are masculine: der September. They are commonly used with im, short for in dem, when saying when something happens; the plural is unchanged: die September.
Der September ist oft noch warm.
September is often still warm.
oft means often and noch means still; warm means warm. Der September is the nominative subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir fahren im September nach Italien.
We are travelling to Italy in September.
fahren means travel or go by vehicle, and nach Italien means to Italy. im September is a time expression formed from in dem September; in has a dative form here because this is a fixed time expression, not movement into a place.
Im September beginnt die Schule wieder.
School starts again in September.
beginnt means starts, die Schule means school, and wieder means again. im September is dative because im is short for in dem; the time phrase is in position one, so the finite verb beginnt comes next.
Die Farben des Septembers gefallen mir besonders gut.
I especially like the colours of September.
die Farben means the colours, gefallen means are pleasing, mir means to me, and besonders gut means especially well. des Septembers is genitive to show possession, while mir is dative because gefallen takes the person who likes something in the dative.
Die September in den letzten Jahren waren ungewöhnlich warm.
The Septembers in recent years were unusually warm.
in den letzten Jahren means in recent years, and ungewöhnlich warm means unusually warm. Die September is the plural subject; the month name does not change in the plural, while den letzten Jahren is dative after in for a location or time period.
der Silvester — New Year’s Eve
der Silvester is the name of 31 December and its celebration. It is normally singular-only; the common time expression is an Silvester, with the short form an plus the day name.
Der Silvester ist morgen.
New Year’s Eve is tomorrow.
morgen means tomorrow. Der Silvester is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir feiern den Silvester zu Hause.
We are celebrating New Year’s Eve at home.
wir means we, feiern means celebrate, and zu Hause means at home. den Silvester is accusative because feiern takes a direct object; the finite verb feiern is in position two.
An dem Silvester bleiben wir zu Hause.
On New Year’s Eve, we stay at home.
an means on, bleiben means stay, and zu Hause means at home. an takes the dative for a time when an event happens, so dem Silvester is dative; the time phrase comes first, so bleiben is still in position two.
Die Nacht des Silvesters war sehr laut.
New Year’s Eve night was very loud.
die Nacht means the night, sehr means very, and laut means loud. des Silvesters means of New Year’s Eve and is genitive because it describes which night; the finite verb war is in position two.
sofort — immediately, right away
Sofort means immediately and does not change its form. It can stand in different positions in a sentence, but learners should not add an ending to it.
Ich komme sofort.
I’m coming right away.
komme means am coming, and sofort means immediately or right away. Sofort is an adverb and does not change form; the finite verb komme stands in position two.
Bitte ruf mich sofort an!
Please call me immediately!
Bitte means please, and mich means me; anrufen means to call. In the imperative, ruf comes first and the separable prefix an goes to the end; sofort tells us when to call.
der Sommer — summer
Sommer is masculine, so use der Sommer in the singular. The plural is unchanged: die Sommer.
Der Sommer ist meine Lieblingsjahreszeit.
Summer is my favourite season.
Lieblingsjahreszeit means favourite season. Der Sommer is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich liebe den Sommer.
I love summer.
liebe means love. Den Sommer is accusative because lieben takes a direct object; the masculine article changes from der to den.
Im Sommer schwimmen wir oft im See.
In summer we often swim in the lake.
schwimmen means swim, oft means often, and der See means the lake. Im Sommer is dative because in means a time when something happens here; im combines in dem.
Die warmen Tage des Sommers sind lang.
The warm days of summer are long.
warme Tage means warm days and lang means long. Des Sommers is genitive because it expresses whose days they are; the masculine noun adds -s.
Die Sommer in Spanien sind sehr heiß.
The summers in Spain are very hot.
in Spanien means in Spain and heiß means hot. Sommer has the same spelling in the plural, but die and sind show that it is plural.
der Sonnabend — Saturday
Sonnabend and Samstag mean the same thing. Sonnabend is particularly common in northern and eastern Germany, while Samstag is used throughout the German-speaking area.
Am Sonnabend schlafe ich länger.
On Saturday I sleep longer.
schlafe means sleep and länger means longer. Am Sonnabend is dative because am is an dem, and the finite verb schlafe is in position two; this is the subject use of the day name.
Ich kaufe am Sonnabend frisches Gemüse.
I buy fresh vegetables on Saturday.
kaufe means buy and frisches Gemüse means fresh vegetables. Am Sonnabend is dative after am, while frisches Gemüse is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object; kaufe stands in position two.
Wir treffen uns am Sonnabend bei meinen Eltern.
We are meeting at my parents’ place on Saturday.
treffen uns means meet each other, and bei meinen Eltern means at my parents’ place. Am Sonnabend is dative after am; treffen is in position two and uns is the reflexive object.
Das Ende des Sonnabends war sehr ruhig.
The end of Saturday was very quiet.
das Ende means the end and ruhig means quiet. Des Sonnabends is genitive because it identifies whose end it was, and the noun adds -s; the finite verb war is in position two.
Die Sonnabende im Sommer sind besonders schön.
The Saturdays in summer are especially nice.
im Sommer means in summer and besonders schön means especially nice. Die Sonnabende is the plural subject, so the verb is sind, not singular ist; the phrase im Sommer is dative after in for a time period.
der Sonntag — Sunday
Days of the week are masculine: der Sonntag. To say on Sunday, use am Sonntag; the adverb sonntags means every Sunday or on Sundays.
Der Sonntag ist mein Lieblingstag.
Sunday is my favourite day.
mein Lieblingstag means my favourite day. Sonntag is nominative because it is the subject, and ist stands in position two.
Ich mag den Sonntag.
I like Sunday.
ich mag means I like. den Sonntag is accusative because mögen takes a direct object; the masculine article changes from der to den.
Am Sonntag besuche ich meine Eltern.
On Sunday I visit my parents.
besuche means visit and meine Eltern means my parents. am Sonntag is short for an dem Sonntag; an takes dative here because it expresses a time, and the verb besuche remains in position two.
Die Ruhe des Sonntags gefällt mir.
I like the peace and quiet of Sunday.
die Ruhe means peace and quiet, gefällt means pleases, and mir means to me. des Sonntags is genitive because it identifies whose quiet it is; mir is dative because gefallen puts the person who likes something in the dative.
Die Sonntage im Sommer sind wunderbar.
The Sundays in summer are wonderful.
im Sommer means in summer and wunderbar means wonderful. Sonntage is plural nominative because it is the subject; the plural ending is -e.