German exclamatory sentences are used to express strong emotions, surprise, admiration, or any kind of exclamatory statement. They are characterized by an exclamation mark at the end of the sentence and often involve the use of certain sentence structures and specific vocabulary. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the features of German exclamatory sentences, provide examples to illustrate their usage, and offer some tips for constructing your own exclamatory sentences.
Basic Structure of Exclamatory Sentences:
In German, the basic structure of exclamatory sentences is similar to that of declarative sentences. They typically follow the subject-verb-object (SVO) word order, where the subject comes first, followed by the verb and then the object. For example:
“Die Blumen sind wunderschön!” (The flowers are beautiful!)
“Das Essen schmeckt fantastisch!” (The food tastes fantastic!)
Intensifiers and Exclamatory Adverbs:
To convey strong emotions or emphasize the intensity of the exclamation, German exclamatory sentences often include intensifiers or exclamatory adverbs. These words add emphasis and intensity to the sentence. Here are some common examples:
“Sehr” (very): “Das Buch ist sehr interessant!” (The book is very interesting!)
“Wirklich” (really): “Du hast wirklich gut gesungen!” (You sang really well!)
“Absolut” (absolutely): “Das ist absolut unglaublich!” (That is absolutely incredible!)
Adjective-Based Exclamatory Sentences:
German exclamatory sentences frequently use adjectives to express admiration, surprise, or other strong emotions. In these cases, the adjective is placed before the noun. Here are some examples:
“Was für ein schöner Tag!” (What a beautiful day!)
“Welch tolles Geschenk!” (What a great gift!)
“Du bist ein fantastischer Koch!” (You are a fantastic cook!)
Verb-Based Exclamatory Sentences:
Exclamatory sentences can also be constructed using verbs. In these cases, the verb is usually placed at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the subject. Here are a few examples:
“Komm schnell!” (Come quickly!)
“Hilf mir!” (Help me!)
“Schau mal!” (Look!)
Noun-Based Exclamatory Sentences:
Nouns can also be used to construct exclamatory sentences in German. The noun is placed at the beginning of the sentence, followed by a verb and the subject. Here are a few examples:
“Der Himmel!” (The sky!)
“Der Kuchen!” (The cake!)
“Die Musik!” (The music!)
Interjections:
Interjections are frequently used in exclamatory sentences to express emotions or reactions. They are standalone words or phrases that add intensity to the sentence. Some common interjections in German include:
“Oh!” (Oh!)
“Wow!” (Wow!)
“Ach!” (Ah!)
“Super!” (Great!)
Exclamatory Sentences with “Wie” (How):
The interrogative word “wie” (how) can be used to form exclamatory sentences in German. In these cases, “wie” is followed by an adjective or adverb to express surprise or admiration. For example:
“Wie schön!” (How beautiful!)
“Wie fantastisch!” (How fantastic!)
“Wie lecker!” (How delicious!)
Tips for Constructing Exclamatory Sentences in German:
Pay attention to the use of exclamation marks at the end of the sentence to indicate the exclamatory tone.
Remember to use intensifiers, adjectives, adverbs, or interjections to add emphasis and express strong emotions.
Experiment with different word orders and sentence structures to create variety in your exclamatory sentences.
Practice reading and listening to German exclamatory sentences to familiarize yourself with their patterns and intonation.
In conclusion, German exclamatory sentences are a powerful tool to express strong emotions, surprise, or admiration. By using the appropriate word order, intensifiers, adjectives, adverbs, and interjections, you can effectively convey your feelings in German. With practice and exposure to German materials, you will become more comfortable constructing and understanding exclamatory sentences in the language.
Quick quiz
Exercise 1:
Choose the correct intensifier to complete the exclamatory sentence.
Example sentence: __ schönes Haus!
A) Sehr
B) Wirklich
C) Absolut
Answer: A) Sehr
Explanation: The correct intensifier to complete the sentence is “sehr” because it expresses a high degree of admiration or surprise. The sentence should read “Sehr schönes Haus!” (Very beautiful house!)
Exercise 2:
Select the appropriate exclamation word to complete the sentence.
Example sentence: __ lecker!
A) Wie
B) Welch
C) Super
Answer: C) Super
Explanation: The correct choice is “Super” as it is an interjection used to express excitement or approval. The sentence should read “Super lecker!” (Super delicious!)
Exercise 3:
Choose the correct word order for the exclamatory sentence.
Example sentence: __ schön die Blumen sind!
A) Wie
B) Die Blumen
C) Sind
Answer: B) Die Blumen
Explanation: The correct word order for the sentence is “Die Blumen” as it follows the pattern of noun-based exclamatory sentences. The sentence should read “Die Blumen sind schön!” (The flowers are beautiful!)
Exercise 4:
Select the appropriate interjection to express surprise.
Example sentence: __, das ist erstaunlich!
A) Oh
B) Ach
C) Wow
Answer: C) Wow
Explanation: The correct interjection to express surprise is “Wow.” It is commonly used to show astonishment or admiration. The sentence should read “Wow, das ist erstaunlich!” (Wow, that is amazing!)
Exercise 5:
Choose the correct sentence structure for the exclamatory sentence.
Example sentence: __ schnell!
A) Schnell komm
B) Komm schnell
C) Schnell hilf
Answer: B) Komm schnell
Explanation: The correct sentence structure for the given sentence is “Komm schnell,” with the verb placed at the beginning. It means “Come quickly!”
Exercise 6:
Select the appropriate adjective to complete the exclamatory sentence.
Example sentence: __ tolles Auto!
A) Was für ein
B) Welch
C) Du bist ein
Answer: A) Was für ein
Explanation: The correct choice is “Was für ein” to complete the sentence. It is used to express admiration or surprise. The sentence should read “Was für ein tolles Auto!” (What a great car!)
Exercise 7:
Choose the correct exclamatory adverb to complete the sentence.
Example sentence: __ wunderschön!
A) Sehr
B) Wirklich
C) Absolut
Answer: B) Wirklich
Explanation: The correct choice is “Wirklich” as it intensifies the adjective and expresses a high level of admiration. The sentence should read “Wirklich wunderschön!” (Truly beautiful!)
Exercise 8:
Select the correct interrogative word to form an exclamatory sentence.
Example sentence: __ interessant!
A) Wie
B) Welch
C) Ach
Answer: A) Wie
Explanation: The correct interrogative word to form an exclamatory sentence in this case is “Wie.” It expresses surprise or admiration. The sentence should read “Wie interessant!” (How interesting!)
Exercise 9:
Choose the correct interjection to express excitement.
Example sentence: __, das ist fantastisch!
A) Ach
B) Super
C) Oh
Answer: B) Super
Explanation: The correct choice is “Super” as it is used to express excitement or enthusiasm. The sentence should read “Super, das ist fantastisch!” (Great, that is fantastic!)
Exercise 10:
Select the appropriate word order for the exclamatory sentence.
Example sentence: __ das Essen schmeckt!
A) Wie
B) Das Essen
C) Schmeckt
Answer: B) Das Essen
Explanation: The correct word order for the sentence is “Das Essen” as it follows the pattern of noun-based exclamatory sentences. The sentence should read “Das Essen schmeckt!” (The food tastes!)
Originally posted 2023-07-19 04:34:42.