Posts in July 2009

The Accusative

Posted by Yohann
Jul
29
2009

The accusative case marks the direct object in a sentence. The direct object is the person or thing doing the receiving.

Here are the accusative forms for the definite article:

Masculine  (den)

Feminine (die)

Neuter (das)

Plural (die)

Here are the indefinite forms:

masculine (einen)

feminine (eine)

neuter (ein)

plural (keine)

You might see some interrogative pronouns in the accusative. In English, this would be ‘whom’?

masculine (wen)

feminine (wen)

neuter (wen)

plural (wen)

Yay! All the forms are the same for the interrogative pronouns! Too bad that’s not the case for the indefinite and definite forms.

 
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Answers to Recognition Game

Posted by Yohann
Jul
26
2009

1) This is the catch phrase of this German company: Vorsprung durch Technik (Audi)

2) The initials are used to refer to this company: Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW)

3) This company’s name literally means ‘German Bank’ (Deutsche Bank)

4) She is a famous Modedesignerin that has a business containing her name. Her initials are: JS (Jill Sander)

5) An airline that contains the German word for air (Lufthansa)

6) Is a famous Pharmazeutikum and Chemikalie company. The company begins with an M. (Merck)

7) Makes Sportschuhe. This company has a fast running animal as its logo. (Puma)

8) This company’s logo is based upon the Volksstaat Württemberg coat of arms. (Porsche)

9) Is a famous Bleistift company with it’s origins in Germany. (Eberhard Faber)

10) The founder of this piano company had the name Steinweg before it was anglicized. (Steinway & Sons)

11) This company’s name means ‘People’s Car” in German (Volkswagen)

12) This shoe company’s logo is three parallel bars. (Adidas)

13) This company is known for its aspirin and begins with a B. (Bayer)

14) This company makes clogs and Sandale. (Birkenstock)

How many of you were surprised that these companies had German origins?

 
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Recognition Game

Posted by Yohann
Jul
23
2009

The following companies have their origins in Germany. Do you recognize some of them?

1) This is the catch phrase of this German company: Vorsprung durch Technik

2) The initials are used to refer to this company: Bayerische Motoren Werke

3) This company’s name literally means ‘German Bank’

4) She is a famous Modedesignerin that has a business containing her name. Her initials are: JS

5) An airline that contains the German word for air

6) Is a famous Pharmazeutikum and Chemikalie company. The company begins with an M

7) Makes Sportschuhe. This company has a fast running animal as its logo.

8) This company’s logo is based upon the Volksstaat Württemberg coat of arms.

9) Is a famous Bleistift company with it’s origins in Germany.

10) The founder of this piano company had the name Steinweg before it was anglicized.

11) This company’s name means ‘People’s Car” in German

12) This shoe company’s logo is three parallel bars.

13) This company is known for its aspirin and begins with a B.

14) This company makes clogs and Sandale.

 
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The Nominative Case

Posted by Yohann
Jul
20
2009

Today’s post is on the dreaded cases. For the German newbies, a case is a term used to describe the role a noun plays in a sentence.

There are four cases:

1) der Nominativ (the nominative) : is where the noun is the subject of the sentence. Let’s look at the nominative forms for the definite article in German.

1a) the nominative Männlich (masculine): der.

1b) the nominative Weiblich (feminine): die.

1c) the nominative Sächlich (neuter): das.

1d) the nominative Mehrzahl (plural): die.

2) The nominative indefinite articles have their endings as well:

2a) mas : ein

2b) fem : eine

2c) neu : ein

2d) plur : - (there is no plural in the indefinite form because ‘a/an’ by its very nature refers to singular things. That being said, you could use keine, which is the negative of eine to indicate the plural. An example of this is the sentence, He has no cars (Er hat keine Autos).

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National German Anthem

Posted by Yohann
Jul
17
2009

The German anthem, sung at international soccer events and other public events, is actually three stanzas long. However, only the third stanza is sung, so that is the version I’m displaying today. The title of the song is: Das Lied der Deutschen or the Song of the Germans

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

Unity, and law (justice) and freedom

Für das deutsche Vaterland

For the German fatherland

Danach lasst uns alle streben

Let us strive for that

Brüderlich mit Herz und Hand

Brotherly, with heart and hand

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

Unity and law and freedom

Sind des Glückes Unterpfand

Are the pledge of fortune

Blüh’ im Glanze dieses Glückes

Bloom in this fortune’s blessing

Blühe, deutsches Vaterland

Bloom, German fatherland

 
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