German sentence functions / parts

of speech

Basics Every part in a sentence has a grammatical function.

Some common functions are:

- Subject

- Verb

- Direct object / accusative object

- Indirect object / dative object

- … (we won’t worry about the other for now)

Basics

- Nouns and pronouns always have a certain case.

What does the term "case" mean?

It's the grammatical function of a noun or pronoun, thankfully almost extinct in the English language, but we haven't buried it yet.

Example: I see him (not “he”). > accusative case

Ich habe eine Katze.

What is the verb?Who is the subject?Who is the object?

Ich habe eine Katze.

What is the verb? - habeWho is the subject? - IchWho is the object? - eine Katze

Subject / Nominative Case

Subject / Nominative Case

A noun or pronoun is in the nominative case (the main case that you would find in a dictionary) when it is used as the subject of the sentence. It is the “acting person” which conjugates the verb.

In the following examples, nouns and pronouns in the subjective case are italicized.

Subject / Nominative Case

A noun or pronoun is in the nominative case (the main case that you would find in a dictionary) when it is used as the subject of the sentence. It is the “acting person” which conjugates the verb.

In the following examples, nouns and pronouns in the subjective case are italicized.

For example:

“Ich habe eine Katze“

“Ich" is the subject because conjugates “haben”.

“Mein Onkel hat ein großes Haus.”

Note:Sentence functions can consist of more than one word:

Mein Onkel hat ein großes Haus.”

“Meine blaue Jeans ist kaputt.”

Subject / Nominative Case

Helpful question to find the subject:

Who is doing this?

Object / Accusative Case

Object / Accusative Case

First you need to know what an object is. If the subject of a sentence is doing something to someone, that someone or something becomes the object of the sentence.

Direct Object / Accusative Case

First you need to know what an object is. If the subject of a sentence is doing something to someone, that someone or something becomes the object of the sentence.

A noun or pronoun is in the accusative case when it is used as a direct object.

A noun which is directly affected by the action of a verb is put into the accusative case. In English we call this noun the "direct object" or “accusative object” which is a little more descriptive of its function. It's the direct object of some action.

Direct Object / Accusative Case

Ich kaufe den Kuli. In the example above, the “Kuli" is in the accusative case because it's the

direct object of my purchase.

Pronouns also have an accusative case, which we will cover later in the year.

Direct Object/ Accusative Case

Helpful question to find the object:

Who or what is being seen/driven/owned…?

Practice

Mark the subject = blau, verb = grün, object = red. Anything else stays unmarked.

Ich fahre das Auto.Die wilden Katzen essen eine Banane.Meine Eltern wollen ein Haus kaufen.Danach kaufe ich den Bleistift.Warum willst du keine Hamburger essen?

Ich fahre das Auto.

2. Die wilden Katzen essen eine Banane.

1. Ich fahre das Auto.

2. Die wilden Katzen essen eine Banane.

1. Ich fahre das Auto.

3. Meine Eltern wollen das Haus kaufen.

2. Die wilden Katzen essen eine Banane.

1. Ich fahre das Auto.

4. Danach kaufe ich den Bleistift.

3. Meine Eltern wollen das Haus kaufen.

2. Die wilden Katzen essen eine Banane.

1. Ich fahre das Auto.

5. Warum willst du keinen Hamburger essen?

4. Danach kaufe ich den Bleistift.

3. Meine Eltern wollen das Haus kaufen.

Nominative vs. Accusative

Direct and indirect articles change cases, too. You only notice this in masculine words, though.

Nominative Accusative Nominative Accusative

Der Den Ein Einen

Die Die Eine Eine

Das Das Ein Ein

Nominative vs. Accusative

Direct and indirect articles change cases, too. You only notice this in masculine words, though.

Die wilden Katzen essen eine Banane.einen Hamburger.ein Eis.

Nominative Accusative Nominative Accusative

Der Den Ein Einen

Die Die Eine Eine

Das Das Ein Ein

Nominative vs. Accusative

The same goes for kein / keine / keinen

Die wilden Katzen essen keine Banane.keinen Hamburger.kein Eis.

Nominative Accusative Nominative Accusative

Der Den Kein Keinen

Die Die Keine Keine

Das Das kein kein

Choose gender and part of speech for the underlined phrases: Example: Ich habe ein Kleid an. - neuter and direct object

1. Die Hose kostet nur 20 Euro. Ich kaufe nur die Hose. 2. Am Dienstag hat Katja einen Mantel an. 3. Der rote Hut gefällt mir. 4. Die Grossmutter fährt ein blaues Auto.

Fill in the correct indefinite article (ein/eine/einen):

Ich trage _____________ Kleid. (das)Er hat _____________ Hut (der) an.Wir sehen _______________ schöne Krawatte (die).Morgen kommt ______ Lehrer (der) in die Schule. Ich muss _______ Anzug (der ) kaufen.