All Questions
38
votes
11answers
986 views
How can a native English speaker know when it is appropriate to use the polite (Sie) or the familiar (Du)?
In a language such as English, where there are no "built-in" (so to say) polite and familiar forms, what are some simple tips or guidelines for when to use the polite or the familiar forms? Are there ...
12
votes
1answer
293 views
Gibt es Rotwelsch mittlerweile auch in der gehobenen Sprache?
Als Rotwelsch wird schon im Mittelalter die Geheimsprache der Gauner und Bettler bezeichnet. Mittlerweile sind viele Ausdrücke des Rotwelschen fester Bestandteil der deutschen Umgangssprache geworden:
...
53
votes
12answers
2k views
How can I learn noun genders better?
One of the things that I really liked about German, as I was studying it in college was the very orderly grammar, which actually helped me to understand my native English better.
As a non-native ...
19
votes
11answers
704 views
How is the ending -ig pronounced, and where?
I've heard the following alternatives for pronouncing the ending -ig of words like fertig and lustig:
/ɪç/ (as in mich)
/ɪʃ/ (as in Fisch)
/ɪg/
/ɪk/
Where are the different pronunciations used? ...
13
votes
10answers
473 views
In welchen Regionen ist die dem-sein Form gebräuchlich?
Als Alternative zur Form des Genitivs gibt es das dem-sein Konstrukt. (Keine Ahnung, wie man es sonst nennen sollte):
Der Frau ihre Handtasche. Dem Fritz sein Schwager.
Wo ist diese Form ...
29
votes
32answers
8k views
Simple but interesting German literature
This question is present as a matter of historical interest. While you are encouraged to help maintain its answers, please understand that "big list" questions are not generally allowed on German ...
14
votes
3answers
695 views
Why no perfect participle? “Sie hat sich scheiden lassen”
Sie hat sich gestern von ihm scheiden lassen.
This sentence uses the infinitive lassen instead of the perfect participle gelassen. Which grammatical rule causes this?
13
votes
1answer
273 views
Beugt man jemand oder niemand mit Endung?
Diese Wörter und ihre Varianten findet man ja in vielen Büchern endungslos gebeugt, zum Beispiel:
Ich habe jemand gesehen. Ist das niemand aufgefallen?
Dies ist absolut korrekt, klingt für mich ...
30
votes
19answers
812 views
What are good online dictionaries for translation between German and English?
What are good online dictionaries for translation between German and English?
19
votes
3answers
649 views
Free online resources for beginner course
Along the lines of the same question on French Language & Usage, what are good, free online resources for an English-speaker to learn German properly from scratch?
Ideally, important areas such ...
6
votes
10answers
1k views
What is a good way to start learning German?
There is already a question that asks for free resource for learning German. However, I would like to know what resources are good for learning German regardless of their cost.
The online sources ...
5
votes
5answers
2k views
German dictionary with detailed declensions, audio pronunciations, and IPA
I'm looking for a German dictionary that'll give me the following things for, of course, as many words as possible:
Audio files of pronunciation.
IPA.
All declensions.
The definition of the word in ...
3
votes
1answer
269 views
Audio Aussprachewörterbuch für “offline usage” für das iPad?
Ich brauche akustische Ausspracheangaben (audio pronunciations) fürs iPad; auch für "offline usage". Chats zum Thema hier und hier.
Wo finde ich solche?
P.s. Ich versuche auch ein ...
31
votes
8answers
855 views
Wonach richtet sich das Geschlecht eines Anglizismus?
Wenn ich das Geschlecht eines Anglizismus bestimmen muss orientiere ich mich an 3 Gegebenheiten:
Hat das Wort ein echtes Geschlecht (the mare, die Stute)?
Welches Geschlecht hat die Übersetzung im ...
17
votes
5answers
1k views
What is the correct way to denote a quotation in German?
In English quoted text is normally written in speech marks, "like this," or occasionally 'like this.'
However on this site I have seen people writing German quotes like »this« and „this”
What is the ...
20
votes
4answers
5k views
When to use Perfekt and Präteritum?
What's the guideline as to when to use Perfekt and Präteritum?
I was always taught that the simplest rule is Präteritum (mostly) for written forms, and Perfekt is most common in spoken language.
But ...
12
votes
3answers
248 views
Schibboleths für verschiedene norddeutsche Regionen?
Schibboleths sind Wörter, anhand deren Aussprache man die Herkunft des Sprechers zuordnen kann. Ganz allgemeines Beispiel für Muttersprachler vs. Ausländer: "Streichholzschächtelchen".
Für den ...
22
votes
2answers
660 views
Where is exactly the position of “nicht” in the sentence?
A question came to my mind while I was reading a conversation in German:
Ich bin krank,
Ich kann nicht einkaufen.
Ich kann nicht mit Jonas zum Arzt gehen.
Ich kann Anna nicht in den ...
17
votes
6answers
330 views
Articles in real life
I have a question about articles in German. Is it ok to drop them from a sentence? For example, is this a weird sentence?
Ich war in Schule.
or
Ich gehe in Schule.
In Polish there is no ...
16
votes
4answers
472 views
Is there a rule that dictates whether to use the eszett (scharfes S) or double s?
It's clear in the case of compound nouns, double s should be used e.g. Bundesstraße, but with other words I cannot see a pattern.
To me it appears to be used somewhat randomly, e.g.:
besser
...
10
votes
4answers
1k views
How is “ch” pronounced correctly?
I'm interested (or rather "re-interested") in learning German. When I looked up some basic lessons to get myself started, I found this on about.com. If you click on any of those words, you can hear ...
9
votes
3answers
2k views
Sind „Ich denke, dass [Nebensatz]“ und „Ich denke, [Hauptsatz]“ auswechselbar?
Gibt es einen Unterschied zwischen den folgenden Konstruktionen?
Ich denke, dass die Katze süß ist.
Ich denke, die Katze ist süß.
Sind sie immer auswechselbar, oder hängt es vom ...
12
votes
2answers
344 views
Is there a rule which preposition to use for a place?
Is there a rule for choosing between the prepositions zu, in, bei, nach, an for a special place or does one have to memorize all of them?
For example:
Beim Arzt
An den See
Nach Berlin
Zur ...
7
votes
4answers
342 views
“ich bin der Gigili”
I was talking to a native German speaker and he tends to introduce himself like this:
Ich bin der Philipp
Why "der"?
7
votes
1answer
309 views
How to use “sich”
I get confused each time I see sich in a sentence.
I know it's used with reflexive verbs, but the problem is sometimes I cannot convince myself of the way it's used. Examples like:
In der Presse ...
16
votes
5answers
1k views
Where can I find a parsable list of German words?
I'm looking for a list of German words in a digital format that is simple and easy to parse by a computer. It should encompass almost all words, but it doesn't matter whether inflections are included. ...
18
votes
26answers
2k views
Gibt es andere Sätze wie “Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen hinterher”?
Man muss die Grammatik richtig verstanden haben, um diesen Satz zu verstehen: (zwei Varianten)
Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen hinterher.
Wenn hinter Fliegen ...
13
votes
6answers
778 views
Is there an equivalent prestige dialect of German in the same way Received Pronunciation is to English? If so, how did it come about?
Received Pronunciation has a special status in English as a prestige accent; in many contexts, it is often stereotypically noted and used as a marker of "elevated" social status and diction.
Just ...
16
votes
4answers
1k views
Was bedeutet: “Das geht sich nicht aus”?
Die Phrase "Das geht sich nicht aus" ist denke ich österreichisch? Ich bin Muttersprachler und hatte es davor noch nie gehört. Kann jemand helfen? Danke!
9
votes
1answer
491 views
Are there any rules how to build the diminutive?
We build a diminutive by adding the suffix -lein or -chen. For some nouns one is preferred over the other whereas with other nouns both may be used.
Examples:
der Tisch | das Tischlein | das ...
19
votes
1answer
500 views
How do we pronounce “China”?
In German there is some confusion on how to pronounce the letters 'ch' in "China". I heard all of following variants:
[ˈçiːnaː] - "ich"
[ˈkçiːnaː] - "Bäckchen"
[ˈkiːnaː] - "Kino"
[ʃiːnaː] - ...
14
votes
6answers
292 views
Selbständig vs. selbstständig
Selbständig and selbstständig seem to share the same meaning. What are the differences in tone and usage?
11
votes
5answers
338 views
Gibt es einen Unterschied zwischen “Haarspalterei” und “Erbsenzählerei”?
Die beiden Begiffe Haarspalterei und Erbsenzählerei lassen sich auch als Eigenschaften Personen zuschreiben.
Er ist ein Haarspalter.
Er ist ein Erbsenzähler.
Gibt es Unterschiede zwischen ...
10
votes
2answers
127 views
Reference work on prefixes, suffixes, etc
It's not unusual for me not to be able to find some German word in any dictionary (or dictionary-like resource) I try. Since such words are often of the form PREFIX+STEM, I figure I'm not finding ...
10
votes
1answer
271 views
Warum Infinitiv anstatt Partizip-Perfekt? (“Ich habe dich gar nicht kommen gehört” vs “Ich habe dich gar nicht kommen hören”) [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why no perfect participle? “Sie hat sich scheiden lassen”
Die folgende Frage kommt von dem Einstufungstest des Goethe Instituts. Die richtige Antwort ist a) ...
10
votes
4answers
1k views
Bedeutungsunterschied zwischen “hätte machen sollen” and “sollte gemacht haben”
Ich bin in der letzten Zeit einige Male korrigiert worden, als ich die zwei Verbformen im Titel benutzt habe. Deshalb vermute ich, dass es einen Bedeutungsunterschied gibt, den ich noch nicht ...
8
votes
5answers
3k views
What are good German language programs for iPad/iPhone?
There are a number of applications relating to introductory German, dictionaries etc. available on the app store. Have people had any success with any of them and which ones are worth trying?
...
4
votes
5answers
273 views
Deutscher Konjugator / German conjugation tables
Wo kann ich, bitte, einen Deutschen Konjugator finden, bzw. ihn herunterladen?
Danke für die Antwort. :P
Where can I find German conjugation tables?
24
votes
10answers
4k views
Why is “Fräulein” considered offensive, as opposed to “Frau”?
Does Fräulein imply that the woman being addressed is not fully a Frau? Does it imply a lower class status?
15
votes
6answers
1k views
In what context do we write “Guten Tag” rather than “Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren”?
Formal letters almost always used to start with "Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren," or "Sehr geehrter Herr Maier" if the person is known. However more and more we see formal correspondence that addresses ...
14
votes
4answers
352 views
Explanation of the prefix “er”
I am finding verbs with the prefix "er" very hard to understand and remember the meaning of.
I understand how it works with verbs like ertrinken and ersticken (partly because I used erstochen once to ...
13
votes
5answers
428 views
Is it an error when I do not use ß when it is necessary?
I'm living in a German-speaking country where ß is not used at all. Therefore, I do not use ß when I write German texts. Now I'm asking myself if this is technically a spelling error? Or is the ß more ...
12
votes
3answers
815 views
What is the equivalent of “boyfriend” in German?
In English when a man is in a relationship with another man, he can say he's his boyfriend. In German, saying "Freund" when both are of the same sex is usually understood to mean the equivalent of ...
12
votes
3answers
454 views
Neuter gender for nouns referring to children
In German we say der Mann/die Frau, but then we say das Kind/das Mädchen, so I got two questions:
Are there particular historic and/or etymological reasons for this?
"Das Mädchen" refers to a ...
11
votes
10answers
7k views
Wie schreibt man Umlaute und scharfes S auf nichtdeutschen Tastaturen?
Transl: How do you write Umlauts and ß on non-German keyboards?
Wie schreibt man Umlaute und ß auf einer US-Tastatur?
10
votes
5answers
3k views
What can “passt schon” mean?
I've heard the phrase "passt schon" used to mean:
Never mind: „Ich denke... nee, passt schon.“
No problem: „Entschuldigung!“ „Passt schon.“
OK: „Wie geht's?“ „Passt schon.“
What can it mean in ...
9
votes
2answers
198 views
Is an “Internetseite” also a website?
In English we do have the distinction between a web page and a web site, the former being the HTML document visually displayed in a browser, the latter is a set of web pages from a given web address.
...
8
votes
2answers
213 views
Warum erhalten Zahlwörter manchmal das Suffix “-e”?
Es gibt seltene Varianten, in denen Zahlwörter ein Suffix "-e" erhalten:
Sie streckten alle viere von sich.
Beim Kegeln fielen alle neune.
"Ach, du grüne Neune!"
"Wir treffen uns um Zwölfe." ...
6
votes
3answers
427 views
Why isn't “Ich danke dir” “Ich danke dich?”
I believe that in the sentence
Ich danke 'du/dir/dich'
that:
ich = subject
danke = verb
du = direct object.
Wouldn't that mean that it would be "Ich danke dich"? I hear people say ...
6
votes
3answers
235 views
Hatten das runde „s“ und das lange „ſ“ die gleiche Aussprache?
Gab es einen Unterschied in der Aussprache von rundem „s“ und langem „ſ“, oder war der Unterschied nur typographisch?
