Declension of articles. Articles in German German language declension of articles to cases

How often have you promised yourself to start doing something next Monday, next month... next year? But then either they didn’t even try to get down to business, or they soon abandoned everything. It’s the same with learning a foreign language: at first we are full of enthusiasm, and then the first difficulties begin to arise - and we begin to look for an excuse for ourselves not to do anything.

And if many people learned the English language with grief, then the cases in the German language scare away almost everyone at the very beginning of learning. However, if you think about it, everything is not so scary at all. After all, our native language is Russian. And it has as many as six cases and three singular genders. Besides, forget about her. And in German everything is the same, but there are only four cases, how can you not cope? So let's start figuring it out right now.

Unlike Russian, cases in German are expressed using articles, and not As for adjectives and pronouns, their endings are consistent across cases, but priority in their expression is still given to articles. The endings rather reflect the noun being defined. So, there are the following cases of the German language:

As mentioned above, cases in German are expressed through articles, so for ease of understanding I offer you a table with the change of articles by case.

* - the ending -s is also added to the noun;

** - the ending -n is added to the noun.

Now that we have dealt with the basic questions regarding how cases are used in the German language, it’s time to get down to the most interesting part - prepositions. After all, they are often the ones who influence the use of one case or another. And they are not difficult to learn!

As you can see, cases in German can still be studied, and their use is even more logical than in Russian. So go for it - and remember that everything here depends only on you.

Articles in German have important grammatical functions. They express gender, number, case and the category of definiteness and indeterminacy of the noun they precede.

Types of articles

German language articles divides in three categories: singular der or ein- for the masculine gender, das or ein– for average, die or eine– for feminine and for plural – article die.

Articles der, das, die – certain And ein, eine – uncertain. The category of certainty says that the subject being discussed is isolated from many similar things and is known to the interlocutors, i.e. contextual or unique.

The indefinite article in German carries novelty information about an object in a given context, introduces interlocutors to a new object that has appeared in the field of communication and is replaced in repeated use by a definite article. For example:

Ich sehe da ein Mädchen. Das Mädchen weint.
I see (some) girl there. She's crying.

It is easy to see what shades of information both articles convey: in the first case, the girl has just appeared in our context, we do not know her yet, she is one of many for us, some kind of girl in other words. In the second sentence we already use definite article in German, because We continue to talk about that girl, the specific girl who is standing there, so in the translation we can easily replace the word “das Mädchen” simply with the word “she”, since it is already clear who we are talking about.

German article table

It is very important to understand the logic when the subject is not yet defined and when it already becomes defined, i.e. acquaintances, in each specific situation, otherwise even misunderstandings may arise in communicating with Germans. You cannot use only definite or indefinite articles, both of them carry their own grammatical and semantic functions and loads in the language system. Therefore, for clarity, below German article table to begin with, in the nominative case (who? what?).

Declension of articles in German by case

We use the nominative case when we answer the question “who?”, “what?”, i.e. we call an object, in other words, it itself produces an action, being a subject. If the action is directed at an object, and it acts as the object of this action, then the noun begins to change according to cases. Declension of articles in German is unthinkable without the participation of the article, unlike in Russian, where the very form of the word changes due to the ending or other methods of word formation. Therefore, as “Our Father” you need to know the following tables of declination of articles:

Declension of the definite article

Declension of the indefinite article

* Since the indefinite article ein came from the numeral eins= one, then in the plural ein is inappropriate, but according to a similar pattern the negative is declined kein= none, for plural – keine= none.

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Lecture notes on the discipline

for all directions

Murmansk

Compiled by: senior lecturer

The lecture notes are compiled on the basis of information sources No. 1 - 3 indicated in the file “List of information sources_German.language.doc”

Lecture notes on the discipline were reviewed at a meeting of the Department of Social and Natural Sciences of MAEU. Protocol No. 1 dated March 05, 2014

 Murmansk Academy

Economics and Management, 2014

Chapter I. Article. Cases of the German language. Declension of the definite and indefinite articles into singular units. number 5

1.1. Article 5

1.2. Cases of the German language. Declension of the definite and indefinite articles in the singular 5

EXERCISE 7

Chapter II. Declension of personal pronouns. Demonstrative pronoun dieser (this). Possessive pronouns mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, ihr, Ihr 7

1.1. Declension of personal pronouns (Deklination der Personalpronomen) 7

1.2. Demonstrative pronoun dieser (this) 7

1.3. Possessive pronouns mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, ihr, Ihr 7

EXERCISES 8

Chapter III. Declension of nouns in singular 8

EXERCISE 9

Chapter IV. Direct and reverse word order in a common declarative sentence 9

EXERCISE 10

Chapter V. Negation of nicht in a common declarative sentence. Negative pronoun kein 10

5.1. Negation of nicht in declarative common sentence 10

5.2. Negative pronoun kein 10

EXERCISES 11

Chapter VI. Degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs (Steigerungsstufen) 11

EXERCISE 12

Chapter VII. Conjugation of verbs in the present tense (das Präsens). Complex nominal predicate 12

7.1. Conjugating verbs in the present tense (das Präsens) 12

7.2. Complex nominal predicate 12

EXERCISE 13

Chapter VIII. Present tense of reflexive verbs. Modal verbs können and dürfen. Modal verbs müssen, sollen, wollen, mögen 13

8.1. Present tense of reflexive verbs (Präsens der Reflexiwerben) 13

8.2. Modal verbs können and dürfen (to be able, to be able and to dare) 14

8.3. Present tense of modal verbs müssen, sollen, wollen, mögen 14

EXERCISES 15

Chapter IX. Simple past tense (Präteritum) 15

EXERCISE 16

Chapter X. Complex past tense (das Perfect) 16

EXERCISES 17

Chapter XI. Future tense (Futurum) 17

EXERCISE 18

Chapter XII. Pre-past tense. Subordinate clause of time 18

12.1. Pre-past tense (das Plusquamperfekt) 18

12.2. Subordinate clause of time (der Temporalsatz) 18

EXERCISE 18

Chapter XIII. Passive voice 19

EXERCISES 19

Chapter XIV. Participles (Partizipien) 20

14.1. Partizip I 20

14.2. Partizip II 20

Exercise 20

Keys to Exercises 21

Chapter I. Article. Cases of the German language. Declension of the definite and indefinite articles into singular units. number

1.1. Article

In the German language, common nouns are used, as a rule, with an article, which always stands before the noun and is not translated into Russian. The article is pronounced without stress, together with words, for example:

There are two types of articles in German - definite And uncertain. The article expresses the grammatical categories of a noun - its gender, number and case. The German language has three genders (masculine, feminine, neuter), two numbers (singular and plural), and four cases.

The gender of a noun is determined by the definite article in the nominative singular case, for example: der Vater - masculine, die Mutter - feminine das Kind - neuter gender.

Table of forms of definite and indefinite articles in the nominative singular case

Note: In the dictionary, the gender of a noun is indicated by conventional abbreviations: T (Maskulinum) - masculine, f(Femininum) - feminine gender, P(Neutrum) - neuter gender.

The definite article denotes an object famous to the interlocutor (reader), for example: der Student schreibt, das Kind sitzt da.

The indefinite article denotes an object unknown to the interlocutor (reader), for example: Das ist ein Kind. Da sitt ein Student.

The indefinite article is used only in the singular.

The gender of German and Russian nouns, as a rule, does not coincide. Therefore, nouns should be memorized With article Compare the gender of nouns in German and Russian: das Kind - child, das Foto - photograph.

The gender of nouns denoting female and male living beings is the same in Russian and German. The exception is a few words, for example: das Mädchen - girl, girl, das Fräulein - fraulein (appeal to a girl).

As mentioned above, there are two types of articles: definite and indefinite. With its help, in a statement you can highlight the new (unknown) in contrast to the old (known).

Indefinite article

The indefinite article has the following forms:

Ein - for the masculine singular - ein Hund (dog)
ein - for neuter singular - ein Loch (hole)
eine - for feminine singular - eine Maus (mouse)

In the plural, the designation of indefinite persons or objects is used without an article.
The indefinite article is used in the following cases:

1. When the subject is first mentioned:

Ich brauche einen Bleistift. - I need a pencil.
2. When referring to a person or thing for the second time, the definite article is used:

Der Bleistift liegt auf dem Tisch. - The pencil is on the table.
3. If the person or thing is unknown to the listener (reader):

Ein Schüler betritt die Klasse. - A student enters the classroom.
4. If we are talking about any person or thing:

Ein Brötchen kostet etwa 1 Euro. - A bun costs approximately 1 euro.
5. If it doesn't matter who or what we're talking about:

Da steht ein Tisch. - There is a table there.
6. For example, when comparing:

Sie ist geschmeidig wie eine Katze. - She is flexible like a cat.

Definite article

The definite article has the following forms:

Der - for masculine singular - der Hund (dog)
das - for neuter singular - das Loch (hole)
die - for feminine singular - die Maus (mouse)
die - for plural - die Hunde (dogs)

The definite article is used in the following cases:

1. If the subject has a general meaning:

Der Elefant ist ein von grössten Tieren der Welt.
2. If the subject is specified:
- by repeated mention:
Der Bleistift liegt auf demTisch. - The pencil is on the table.

Situation (i.e. the object is well known to the speaker and interlocutor or is one of a kind for a given situation):
Machen Sie bitte die Tür zu! - Close the door, please!
Er setzt den Hut auf. - He puts on his hat.

A definition expressed by a noun in the genitive case or in the dative case with a preposition:
Der Koffer meiner Kusine ist im Gästezimmer. - My cousin's suitcase is in the guest room.
Die Gedichte von Schiller sind sehr romantisch. - Schiller's poems are very romantic.

Prepositional definition:
Das Buch über die Katzen ist interessant. - The book about cats is interesting.

Definitive subordinate clause:
Die Pflanze, die sie gekauft hat, steht am Fenster. - The plant she bought is standing by the window.

Infinitive as a definition:
Der Versuch, die idiomatische Wendung zu verstehen, ist mir nicht gelungen. - I was unsuccessful in trying to understand the idiomatic expression.

Superlative adjective or ordinal number:
Der Mount Everest ist der höchste Berg der Erde. - Everest is the highest mountain on Earth.
Heute ist der 20. Juni. - Today is the twentieth of June.

3. If the item being named is one of a kind. This includes geographical names, names of planets, constellations, seasons, days of the week, months:

Declension of the definite article.

German articles (art.) are function words that accompany nouns (nouns). In function art. includes an indication of the certainty or uncertainty of any entity. (definite (def.) and indefinite (undefined) articles) and its grammatical categories (case, gender, number). Art. always stands only before the noun, and in the presence of one or more definitions, the article and noun. form a kind of frame structure, within which all definitions characterizing a given noun are located, for example:

• ein schicker Pelzmantel – elegant fur coat (frame design with an indefinite article),
• die gemusterten seidenmatten Tapeten – matte wallpaper with a pattern (frame design with a definite article).

Def. art. used in speech before German nouns in the following cases:

• If we are talking about a specific subject known to the speaker, for example: Die Katze sitzt schon lange vor seiner Haustür. - (This) cat has been sitting in front of his door for a long time.
• If the speech names any calendar dates (months, days of the week, seasons), for example: Tuesday - der Dienstag, August - der August, autumn - der Herbst.
• If the subject under discussion is unique, inimitable and one of a kind, for example: the only way out is der einzige Ausweg, the Black Sea is das Schwarze Meer, an unambiguous indication is der eindeutige Hinweis.
• If the subject under discussion is accompanied by definitions expressed by ordinal numbers or superlative adjectives, for example: the eleventh attempt - der elfte Versuch, the deepest place - die tiefste Stelle.

Declension def. art. as follows:

Undefined art. accompanies German nouns in speech in the following cases:

• If we are talking about a vague, previously unmentioned and unnamed object, unknown to the speaker, for example: Peter möchte eine Hängematte kaufen. – Peter wants to buy a hammock.
• If the speech makes a comparison of an object with something, for example: Du isst wie ein Hamster! – You eat like a hamster!
• If noun represents the nominal part of a compound predicate, eg: Otto ist ein beliebter Rundfunksprecher. – Otto is a popular radio announcer.
• If noun names any object from a group of similar things, for example: Die Biologie ist ein Schulfach. – Biology is a school subject.

Declension undef. art. as follows:

As can be seen from the last table, in the plural, indefinite articles correspond to zero. Zero articles may also appear in the language in the following cases:

• Before noun in the genitive case Genitiv, if they function as modifiers to another noun, for example: Das ist Karls Nichte. - This is Karl's niece.
• Before names and nouns - names of occupations, professions, for example: Dort sitzt Adam, er ist Saxophonist.
• They are also omitted if before a noun. there are their substitutes - indefinite, possessive, demonstrative pronouns and the negation of kein, for example: Keine Frau macht Pfannkuchen so gut wie unsere Oma. “No woman cooks pancakes as well as our grandmother.”