German lll.pdf

74. Colloquial Expressions and Idioms

In informal speech and writing, es is commonly contracted with the preceding word by 's . Geht es =

geht 's

Es is also used as an impersonal pronoun (es regnet, it's raining), but it can also be used as an

introductory word for emphasis or stylistic reasons. Es begins the sentence, and the true subject

follows the verb.

Es ist niemand zu Hause. No one is at home.

Es kommen heute drei Kinder. Three children are coming today.

Es can also be used to anticipate a dependent clause or infinitive phrase. This is almost like in English

when we say I hate it when that happens instead of I hate when that happens . "It" has no real

meaning in the first sentence, but it is not incorrect to say it.

Ich kann es nicht glauben, daß er sich vor nichts fürchtet. I can't believe that he's not afraid of

anything.

Er haßt es , nichts davon zu wissen. He hates not knowing anything about it.

Other idioms:

Sie ist mit ihrem Urteil immer sehr schnell bei der Hand . She makes her judgments rather quickly.

(Literally: She is quick at hand with her judgments.)

Alles ist in Butter. Everything is fine. (Literally: Everything is in butter.)

Er geht mit dem kopf durch die Wand. He does as he pleases. (Literally: He goes with his head

through the wall.)

75. Word Formation

Noun compounds

German uses compounds more often than English and they are formed by simply putting the two

words together (sometimes adding an -n or -s in between), and using the gender of the last word. Die

Woche (week) + der Tag (day) = der Wochentag (Days of the week)

The prefix un-

As in English, the prefix un- gives a word a negative or opposite meaning. klar (clear) - unklar

(unclear)

The suffix -los

This suffix is often the equivalent of the English suffix -less, and is used to form adjectives and adverbs

from nouns. das Ende (the end) - endlos (endless)

The suffix -haft

The suffix -haft is used to form adjectives from nouns so as to designate related qualities. das Kind

(the child) - kindhaft (childlike)

The suffix -ung

This suffix may be added to the stem of a verb to form a noun. All nouns ending in -ung are feminine.

wandern (to hike) - die Wanderung (the hike)

The suffix -er

This suffix designates a person is from a certain place. Frankfurt (a city) - Frankfurter (a person from

Frankfurt)

The suffix -in

This suffix designates a female person and is added to the male counterpart. Architekt (male

architect) - Architektin (female architect)

76. Adjectival Nouns

When referring to people, adjectives can sometimes be used as nouns. The definite article precedes

the adjective, which is now capitalized because it is functioning as a noun. The adjectival nouns take

the regular adjective endings for adjectives preceded by a der word as well.

der Alte - the old man

die Alte - the old woman

das Alte - everything that is old

die Alten - the old people

77. Ordinal Numbers

To form the ordinal numbers, just add -te to the cardinal numbers for 1-19, and -ste for 20 and up. The

exceptions are erste, dritte, siebte, and achte.

first erste eleventh elfte

second zweite twelfth zwölfte

third dritte thirteenth dreizehnte

fourth vierte fourteenth vierzehnte

fifth fünfte fifteenth fünfzehnte

sixth sechste sixteenth sechzehnte

seventh siebte seventeenth siebzehnte

eighth achte eighteenth achtzehnte

ninth neunte

nineteenth neunzehnte

tenth zehnte

twentieth

zwanzigste

In writing dates, German uses the number followed by a period. On February 2nd would be am 2.

Februar. However, when saying this out loud, you would say am zweiten Februar. You must use the

construction am + -en to answer a question beginning with Wann? But you use the construction der +

-e to answer the question Welches Datum?

Wann sind Sie geboren? When were you born?

Am achzehnte n Mai. On May 18th.

Welches Datum is heute? What is today's date?

Heute ist der neunt e Oktober. Today is October ninth.

78. Passive Voice

To change a sentence from the active to the passive, change three things:

1. accusative object of active sentence to nominative subject of passive sentence

2. active verb to a tense of werden plus the past participle of verb in active sentence

3. subject to von + dative object in the passive sentence, if agent is mentioned

Present Tense

Viele Studenten lesen diesen Roman. = Dieser Roman wird von vielen Studenten gelesen.

Many students read this novel. = This novel is read by many students.

Imperfect Tense

Viele Studenten lasen diesen Roman. = Dieser Roman wurde von vielen Studenten gelesen .

Many students read this novel. = This novel was read by many students.

Future Tense

Viele Studenten werden diesen Roman lesen. = Dieser Roman wird von vielen Studenten gelesen

werden .

Many students will read this novel. = This novel will be read by many students.

Present Perfect Tense

Viele Studenten haben diesen Roman gelesen. = Dieser Roman ist von vielen Studenten gelesen

worden.

Many students have read this novel. = This novel has been read by many students.

Past Perfect Tense

Viele Studenten hatten diesen Roman gelesen. = Dieser Roman war von vielen Studenten gelesen

worden.

Many students had read this novel. = This novel had been read by many students.

*Notice that in the passive voice, the past participle of werden is worden and not geworden.

Durch can replace von when the agent is an impersonal force (fire, wind, etc.); but it cannot be used if

preceded by a limiting word (such as an article or adjective.)

Passive with modals

Shifts in tense will only affect the modal part of the sentence. The infinitive forms of the past

participles are used with modals in the passive voice as well. And where you might expect something

like Das Haus hat werden müssen verkauft , the actual construction is Das Haus hat verkauft werden

müssen because of the double infinitive construction. Double infinitives always go to the end of the

sentence, but you only need to worry about these in the present perfect and past perfect tenses.

79. Problems with the Passive

False Passive

Grammatically, the false passive is the same as sein + an adjective. This construction describes a

condition rather than an action. Das Haus ist verkauft is the false passive, while das Haus wird

verkauft is the true passive. The false passive sentence indicates that the house is already sold

(condition), while the true passive indicates the house is in the process of being sold (action).

Passive with Absentee Subjects

Passive forms may have a definite or indefinite subject, or no apparent subject at all. The accusative

object of an active sentence becomes the nominative subject of the passive sentence. But sometimes

there is no accusative object. Since a verb cannot be in the first position of sentence without turning

the sentence into a question, es is used as the subject.

Man antwortet ihnen nicht is an active sentence, but if it were turned into the passive, there would be

no accusative object. The passive would have to be es wird ihnen nicht geantwortet . (Here werden

agrees with the apparent subject, es.)

But if another element, such as a dative object or time expression, can be put in the first position, then

es is omitted. Ihnen wird nicht geantwortet can also be used as the passive. There is no apparent

subject, only an implied es , so the form of werden remains wird to agree with es.

80. Avoiding the Passive

1. The construction man + an active verb can be used instead of the passive voice. Man translates to

one, you, we, they, people and constitutes the subject.

Diese Bluse wird gereinigt. This blouse is being dry-cleaned

Man reinigt diese Bluse. They are dry-cleaning this blouse.

Der Dieb wurde gefunden. The thief was caught

Man fand den Dieb. They caught the thief.

2. Man + modal + an infinitive is frequently used with müssen or können.

Der Flecken kann nicht entfernt werden. The stain cannot be removed.

Den Flecken kann man nicht entfernen . We can't remove the stain.

3. Sein + zu + an infinitive can be used with können or müssen to express the possibility or necessity

of an action.

Das kann schnell gemacht werden. That can be done quickly.

Das ist schnell zu machen . That is quickly done.

4. Sich lassen + an infinitive can replace können and a passive infinitive.

Das kann gemacht werden. That can be done.

Das läßt sich machen . That can be done.

81. Showing Purpose

Weil ( because ) + a dependent clause shows the reason for an action; however, damit and um…zu

( so that, in order to) show the goal of an action. Damit is also followed by a dependent clause,

whereas um…zu introduces an infinitive.

Sie macht das Fenster zu, damit sie nicht friert. = Sie macht das Fenster zu, um nicht zu frieren.

She closes the window, so that she won't freeze . = She closes the window, in order to not freeze.

Commonly, you use damit when the subject of the main clause is different from the subject of the

dependent clause, and um…zu when the understood subject of the infinitive is the same as the subject

of the main clause.

82. Shopping

box die Schachtel

VCR der Videorecorder

camera die Kamera

video camera die Videokamera

film der Film

watch die Uhr

handkerchief das Taschentuch

perfume das Parfüm

wallet der Geldbeutel

radio das Radio

razor das Rasiermesser

size die Größe

department (in store) die Abteilung

greeting card

die Glückwunschkarte

83. Post Office and Bank

letter der Brief teller der Kassierer (in)

postcard die Postkarte bill der Schein

stamp die Briefmarke check der Scheck

phone booth die Telefonzelle checkbook das Scheckbuch

mailbox der Briefkasten ATM der Geldautomat

mail slot der Briefeinwurf key die Schlüssel

address die Adresse lock das Schloß

return address der Absender filing cabinet der Aktenschrank

label das Etikett safety deposit box das Bankschließfach

packing tape das Paketklebeband notepad

der Notizblock

package

das Paket

credit card

die Kreditkarte

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