German declarative sentences are simple statements that convey information or make statements about a subject. They are the most common type of sentence used in everyday communication. In this guide, we will provide a comprehensive introduction to German declarative sentences for beginners, including an explanation of their structure, word order, and common examples.
I. Structure of German Declarative Sentences
German declarative sentences consist of a subject, a verb, and an object (if applicable). The subject is the entity performing the action, the verb indicates the action or state, and the object is the entity receiving the action. The basic structure of a declarative sentence in German is:
Subject + Verb + Object
II. Word Order in German Declarative Sentences
Unlike English, German has a more flexible word order due to its case system, which indicates the role of each word in a sentence. However, the standard word order in a declarative sentence is subject-verb-object (SVO). Let’s explore some examples:
Ich esse einen Apfel. (I am eating an apple.)
Subject: Ich (I)
Verb: esse (am eating)
Object: einen Apfel (an apple)
Er liest ein Buch. (He is reading a book.)
Subject: Er (He)
Verb: liest (is reading)
Object: ein Buch (a book)
It is important to note that the verb always occupies the second position in a declarative sentence, regardless of the subject or object.
III. Subject-Verb Agreement in German
In German, the verb must agree with the subject in terms of person (first, second, third) and number (singular, plural). Let’s examine some examples:
Ich bin müde. (I am tired.)
Verb: bin (am)
Subject: Ich (I)
Du bist großartig. (You are great.)
Verb: bist (are)
Subject: Du (You)
Er/sie/es ist intelligent. (He/she/it is intelligent.)
Verb: ist (is)
Subject: Er/sie/es (He/she/it)
IV. Negation in German Declarative Sentences
To form a negative declarative sentence in German, the word “nicht” (not) is usually placed after the verb. Let’s see some examples:
Ich esse nicht. (I am not eating.)
Subject: Ich (I)
Verb: esse (am eating)
Negation: nicht (not)
Er liest nicht. (He is not reading.)
Subject: Er (He)
Verb: liest (is reading)
Negation: nicht (not)
V. Position of Adverbs in German Declarative Sentences
Adverbs, which describe how an action is performed, are usually placed after the verb in German declarative sentences. Let’s consider some examples:
Ich esse oft einen Apfel. (I often eat an apple.)
Subject: Ich (I)
Verb: esse (eat)
Adverb: oft (often)
Object: einen Apfel (an apple)
Er liest schnell ein Buch. (He quickly reads a book.)
Subject: Er (He)
Verb: liest (reads)
Adverb: schnell (quickly)
Object: ein Buch (a book)
VI. Verb Placement in Subordinate Clauses
In German, when a declarative sentence includes a subordinate clause, the conjugated verb is moved to the end of the clause. Let’s see an example:
Ich denke, dass er morgen kommt. (I think he is coming tomorrow.)
Main Clause: Ich denke (I think)
Subordinate Clause: dass er morgen kommt (that he is coming tomorrow)
In the subordinate clause, the conjugated verb “kommt” (is coming) is placed at the end.
VII. Inversion in Questions
In German, declarative sentences can be transformed into questions by inverting the subject and verb. Let’s examine some examples:
Du liest ein Buch. (You are reading a book.)
Declarative Sentence: Du liest ein Buch.
Question: Liest du ein Buch? (Are you reading a book?)
Sie trinkt Kaffee. (She drinks coffee.)
Declarative Sentence: Sie trinkt Kaffee.
Question: Trinkt sie Kaffee? (Does she drink coffee?)
In questions, the verb is placed before the subject.
In conclusion, German declarative sentences follow a subject-verb-object (SVO) structure, with the verb occupying the second position. The word order in German is more flexible than in English due to the case system. It is important to pay attention to subject-verb agreement, the placement of adverbs, and the use of inversion in questions. By understanding the basic principles outlined in this guide, beginners can start constructing and understanding German declarative sentences with confidence.
Quick quiz
Exercise 1:
Choose the correct word order for the following German declarative sentence:
“Sie einen Film sieht.” (She is watching a movie.)
A) Sie einen Film sieht.
B) Einen Film sie sieht.
C) Sie sieht einen Film.
Answer: C) Sie sieht einen Film.
Explanation: In German declarative sentences, the standard word order is subject-verb-object (SVO). Therefore, the correct word order for this sentence is “Sie sieht einen Film.”
Exercise 2:
Select the appropriate subject-verb agreement for the following sentence:
“Ich _ gerne Pizza.” (I like pizza.)
A) isst
B) essen
C) esse
Answer: C) esse
Explanation: The subject “Ich” (I) is in the first person singular, so the verb “esse” (like) agrees with it.
Exercise 3:
Choose the correct negation for the following German declarative sentence:
“Wir spielen Tennis.” (We are playing tennis.)
A) Wir nicht spielen Tennis.
B) Wir spielen nicht Tennis.
C) Nicht wir spielen Tennis.
Answer: B) Wir spielen nicht Tennis.
Explanation: In German, the word “nicht” (not) is placed after the verb to form the negation. Therefore, the correct negation for this sentence is “Wir spielen nicht Tennis.”
Exercise 4:
Select the appropriate adverb placement for the following sentence:
“Er singt _ im Chor.” (He sings beautifully in the choir.)
A) im Chor schön
B) schön im Chor
C) im Chor singt schön
Answer: B) schön im Chor
Explanation: In German declarative sentences, adverbs are usually placed after the verb. Therefore, the correct adverb placement for this sentence is “schön im Chor.”
Exercise 5:
Identify the correct verb placement in the subordinate clause:
“Er sagt, dass er _ gewonnen hat.” (He says he won.)
A) hat gewonnen
B) gewonnen hat
C) gewonnen
Answer: A) hat gewonnen
Explanation: In subordinate clauses in German, the conjugated verb is moved to the end of the clause. Therefore, the correct verb placement in this sentence is “hat gewonnen.”
Exercise 6:
Transform the following declarative sentence into a question:
“Sie kauft ein Buch.” (She is buying a book.)
A) Kauft sie ein Buch?
B) Ein Buch kauft sie?
C) Sie ein Buch kauft?
Answer: A) Kauft sie ein Buch?
Explanation: In questions, the subject and verb are inverted. Therefore, the correct question form of this sentence is “Kauft sie ein Buch?”
Exercise 7:
Choose the correct word order for the following German declarative sentence:
“Mein Bruder spielt Klavier.” (My brother plays the piano.)
A) Klavier spielt mein Bruder.
B) Mein Bruder Klavier spielt.
C) Mein Bruder spielt Klavier.
Answer: C) Mein Bruder spielt Klavier.
Explanation: The correct word order for this sentence is the standard subject-verb-object (SVO) structure, which is “Mein Bruder spielt Klavier.”
Exercise 8:
Select the appropriate subject-verb agreement for the following sentence:
“Wir _ Fußball am Wochenende.” (We play soccer on the weekend.)
A) spielen
B) spielt
C) spielen
Answer: A) spielen
Explanation: The subject “Wir” (We) is in the first person plural, so the verb “spielen” (play) agrees with it.
Exercise 9:
Choose the correct negation for the following German declarative sentence:
“Du verstehst Deutsch.” (You understand German.)
A) Du verstehst Deutsch nicht.
B) Deutsch du verstehst nicht.
C) Du nicht verstehst Deutsch.
Answer: A) Du verstehst Deutsch nicht.
Explanation: The word “nicht” (not) is placed after the verb to form the negation in German. Therefore, the correct negation for this sentence is “Du verstehst Deutsch nicht.”
Exercise 10:
Select the appropriate adverb placement for the following sentence:
“Sie tanzt _ elegant.” (She dances gracefully.)
A) elegant sie tanzt
B) sie tanzt elegant
C) tanzt sie elegant
Answer: B) sie tanzt elegant
Explanation: Adverbs in German declarative sentences are usually placed after the verb. Therefore, the correct adverb placement for this sentence is “sie tanzt elegant.”
Originally posted 2023-07-19 04:18:05.