GermanLesson 2 of 3 in the course German noun and case system

German Nouns: Case, Declension, Compounds, and Plurals

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 4 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Every German noun has one of three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, or neuter. Gender does not always match an object's apparent characteristics. For example, a word for an inanimate object such as a bridge or rock can have any grammatical gender.

Nouns are declined: their forms may change depending on case and whether they are singular or plural. The accompanying articles also help identify case and gender.

All flashcards

What is grammatical case?
A grammatical feature that indicates a noun's function in a sentence; German has nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive cases.
What is a weak noun, or n-noun?
A noun whose genitive singular and nominative plural end in -(e)n; masculine weak nouns usually take -(e)n outside the nominative singular.
How is the gender of a German compound noun determined?
It follows the gender of the compound's final component, also called its head.
What are singularia tantum?
Nouns normally used only in the singular.
How do Wörter and Worte differ as plurals of Wort?
Wörter refers to individual words; Worte refers to connected, meaningful words.

Quiz questions

  1. What are the three grammatical genders of German nouns?Answer: Masculine, feminine, and neuter.
  2. What determines the grammatical gender of a German compound noun?Answer: The gender of its final component.
  3. How are most German compound nouns written?Answer: As one word, usually without spaces.
  4. What is true of the linking Fugen-s in German compounds?Answer: Its use cannot always be predicted by a general rule.
  5. When does a dative plural noun generally take an added -n?Answer: When its plural form does not already end in -n or -s.

Based on the Wikipedia article German nouns, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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