GERMAN ON THE WEB: Reading German
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GRAMMAR 2

 

  NOUNS — Part 2

 

Word categories
grammar books

As we just mentioned, there are different categories of words. Even if you know most of them, we'll give you some definitions as a reminder.

You can find all of these definitions in the grammar glossary. If you click on a term you'll be taken to the chapter where it is introduced.

 

  Adjectives
 

An adjective describes a noun:

der neue Kanzler (the new chancellor),
die interessante Zeitung (the interesting newspaper)

Sometimes you'll also find the description in the form "sein (to be) + adjective":
Die Zeitung ist interessant (The newspaper is interesting).

 

  Adverbs
 

An adverb indicates the manner in which something is done.

It can consist of a single word or of a phrase.

Adverbs give answers to the following questions:

Q: Where (Wo)? — A: Here (Hier)!
Q: When (Wann)? — A: On the 30th of January (Am dreißigsten Januar)!
Q: How (Wie)? — A: Well (Gut)!
Q: Why (Warum)? — A: For that reason (Aus diesem Grund)!

 

  Conjunctions
 

A conjunction is a word that links clauses. Examples:

and (und)
that (dass)
because (weil)

 

  Determiners
 

A determiner is a function word preceding a noun.

Determiners include
definite articles: the (der, die, das)
indefinite articles: a / an (ein, eine, ein), not one / none (kein)
possessive adjectives: my (mein), their (ihr)
demonstratives: this (dieser), that (jener)
indefinites: some (mancher), many (viele)

  Nouns
 

A noun can be proper, i.e., be the name of:

  • a specific person: Einstein
  • a specific place: Berlin
  • a specific thing: The International Herald Tribune

Or a noun can be common, referring to:

  • a nonspecific person: scientist (Wissenschaftler)
  • a nonspecific place: capital (Hauptstadt)
  • a nonspecific thing: newspaper (Zeitung)

Common nouns may be abtract, intangible, like love (Liebe) or an idea (Idee).

 

  Prepostions
 

A preposition is a word that typically describes where things are in time or space:

in the sun (in der Sonne)
for the state (für den Staat)

 

  Pronouns
 

A pronoun is a word that stands for and refers to a noun.

There are:
personal pronouns: he, she... (er, sie...)
relative pronouns: that (der, die, das), as in: German is a language that interests me. (Deutsch ist eine Sprache, die mich interessiert. )
possessive pronouns: mine (meiner, meine, meins)
demonstrative pronouns: this (dieser, diese, dieses)

 

  Verbs
 

A verb describes an action or a state of being:

to come (kommen)
to seem (scheinen)