Bare infinitives
The bareGerman prefixes
This is a general view of the most important German prefixes. The example is "legen" (to lay)Inseparable prefixes
There are some verbs which have a permanent prefix at their beginning. These prefixes are never stressed. The most common permanent prefixes found in German are ''ver-'', ''ge-'', ''be-'', ''er-'', ''ent-'' (or ''emp-''), and ''zer-''. :''brauchen'', "to need" – ''ver-brauchen'', "to consume" or "to use up" :''raten'', "to advise", "to guess" – ''ver-raten'', "to betray" :''fallen'', "to fall" – ''ge-fallen'' "to be pleasing" :''hören'', "to hear" – ''ge-hören (zu)'' "to belong (to)" :''brennen'', "to burn" (intransitive), to be burning ( stative verb) – ''ver-brennen (etwas)'', "to burn (something)" (transitive) ( action verb), ''to burn completely'' :''be-ginnen'', "to begin" (no form without the prefix) – ''*ginnen'' (doesn't exist) The meaning of the permanent prefixes does not have a real system; the alteration in meaning can be subtle or drastic. The prefixes ''ver-'', ''be-'' and ''ge-'' have several different meanings, although ''ge-'' is uncommon and often the root verb is no longer in existence. ''be-'' often makes aSeparable prefixes
Many verbs have a separable prefix that changes the meaning of the root verb, but that does not always remain attached to the root verb. When attached, these prefixes are always stressed. German sentence structure normally places verbs in second position or final position. For separable prefix verbs, the prefix always appears in final position. If a particular sentence's structure places the entire verb in final position then the prefix and root verb appear together. If a sentence places the verb in second position then only the root verb will appear in second position. The separated prefix remains at the end of the sentence. :''an-fangen'' ("to start") :* Root verb in second position: ''Ich fange mit der Arbeit an.'' ("I start work.") :* Root verb in final position: ''Morgens trinke ich Schokolade, weil ich dann mit der Arbeit an-fange.'' ("In the mornings I drink hot chocolate, because afterwards I begin work.") Rarely a separable prefix may actually be two (or more) words: :''wieder-gut-machen'' ("to rectify, make up", literally "to make good again") :* Root verb in second position: ''Sie machte das Unrecht wieder gut.'' ("She rectified the injustice.") :* Root verb in final position: ''Ich hoffe, dass du es bei ihm wieder-gut-machst.'' ("I hope that you're making it up to him.") A small number of verbs have a prefix that is separable in some uses and inseparable in others. :''um-fahren'' :* ("to drive into omething) – (stress on ''um-'') :::''Ich fahre das Verkehrszeichen um.'' "I drive into the traffic sign, knocking it over (''um'') in the process." :* ("to drive around") – (stress on ''fahr'') :::''Ich um-fahre das Verkehrszeichen.'' "I drive around the traffic sign." If one of the two meanings is figurative, the inseparable version stands for this figurative meaning: :''über-setzen'' :* Literal ("to ferry") – (stress on ''über-'') :::''Ich setze morgen auf die Insel über.'' "I'll ferry over to the island tomorrow." :* Figurative ("to translate") – (stress on ''setzen'') :::''Ich über-setze die Geschichte morgen.'' "I'll translate the story tomorrow."Complex infinitives
Components and word order
Complex infinitives can be built, consisting of more than the original infinitive. They include objects, predicative nouns and adverbial information. These are packed before the original infinitive, if used isolated. (elliptical) If one wants to express that they suddenly see a bird (not an airplane); :NOT ''einen Vogel am Himmel plötzlich sehen'' ("suddenly see a bird in the sky," as opposed to seeing it slowly – "plötzlich" is stressed) :BUT ''plötzlich einen Vogel am Himmel sehen'' ("suddenly see a bird in the sky," as opposed to seeing a plane – "Vogel" is stressed) Both sentences are correct but they have different focus. Pronoun objects are usually mentioned before nominal phrase objects; dative nominal objects before accusative nominal objects; and accusative pronoun objects before dative pronouns. Order may change upon emphasis on the object, the first being more important. This can be viewed as a table: ;normal :''Ich gebe meinem Vater das Geld'' ("I give my father the money") :''Ich gebe es ihm'' ("I give it to him") :''Ich gebe ihm das Geld'' ("I give him the money") :''Ich gebe es meinem Vater'' ("I give it to my father") ;unusual :''Ich gebe das Geld meinem Vater'' ("I give the money to my father") :''Ich gebe das Geld ihm'' ("I give the money to him") ;very strange (but still correct) :''Ich gebe ihm es'' ("I give him it") :''Ich gebe meinem Vater es'' ("I give my father it") Native adverbs, like ''nicht'', ''leider'' or ''gerne'', are placed before the innermost verb (see Compound infinitives).Predicative nouns and predicative adjectives
A predicative adjective can be the positive,Adverbs
One can use any kind of adverbial phrase or native adverb mentioned above. But beware of modal verbs, they change the meaning and phrase of the sentence.Compound infinitives
Compound infinitives can be constructed by the usage of modal verbs or auxiliary verbs. One places a new infinitive behind the main infinitive. Then this ''outer'' infinitive will be conjugated instead of the old ''inner'' infinitive. Sometimes one must turn the old infinitive into a passive participle.Passive infinitive
There are two types of passive forms: static passive and dynamic passive. They differ by their auxiliary words. The static passive uses ''sein'', the dynamic passive is formed with ''werden'' (which has a slightly different conjugation from its siblings). In both cases, the old infinitive is turned into its passive participle form. :''sehen'' – ''gesehen sein'' – ''gesehen werden'' ("see – be seen") :''plötzlich am Himmel gesehen sein/werden'' ("suddenly be seen in the sky") : A complex infinitive cannot be turned into passive form, with an accusative object, for obvious reasons. This restriction does not hold for dative objects. : ''mir den Schlüssel geben'' ("to give me the key") : NOT ''mir den Schlüssel gegeben werden'' : ''mir gegeben werden'' ("have been given to me") The only exceptions are verbs with two accusative objects. In older forms of German, one of these accusative objects was a dative object. This ''dative object'' is removed, whereas the ''real'' accusative object stays. : ''Die Schüler die Vokabeln abfragen'' ("test the students on their vocab") : NOT ''Die Schüler abgefragt werden'' : ''Die Vokabeln abgefragt werden '' ("the vocab be tested")Perfect infinitives
The perfect infinitive is constructed by turning the old infinitive into the passive participle form and attaching the auxiliary verbs ''haben'' or ''sein'' after the verb. * ''sehen'' – ''gesehen haben'' (transitive) ("see" – "saw/have seen") * ''einen Vogel sehen'' – ''einen Vogel gesehen haben'' (transitive) ("see a bird –" "saw/have seen a bird") * ''laufen'' – ''gelaufen sein'' (intransitive) ("walk – walked/have walked") * ''einen schnellen Schritt laufen'' – ''einen schnellen Schritt gelaufen sein/haben'' ("walk at a fast pace" – "walked/have walked at a fast pace") Note that the perfect infinitive of an intransitive verb is created the same way as the static passive infinitive of a transitive verb. One can also build perfect infinitives of passive infinitives, both static and dynamic. Since the passive is intransitive, having no accusative object, one must use the auxiliary ''sein'': * ''sehen'' ("to see") * ''gesehen worden sein'' ("to have been seen") * ''gesehen geworden sein'' ("to have been being seen") ''sein'' is used as an auxiliary verb, when the verb is: * intransitive, * indicates a movement from one place to another, or * describes the alteration of a state ''haben'' is used, when * actually any other case, but could be described more specifically The use of haben and sein may depend on a sentence's meaning. ''I have driven the car'' (''Ich habe das Auto gefahren.'') is transitive and takes ''haben'', but ''I have driven to Germany'' (''Ich bin nach Deutschland gefahren.'') is intransitive and takes ''sein'' because of the position change, even though the verb, ''fahren'', is identical.Future infinitives
The future infinitive is more theoretical, because this infinite is only used in finite form. One keeps the old infinitive and appends the verb ''werden'', which in the present tense means 'to become'. :''nach Italien fahren'' ‘to drive to Italy’ – ''nach Italien fahren werden'' ‘to be about to drive to Italy’ The future infinitive can also be built by a perfect infinitive, which is used in the future perfect. :''den Baum gefällt haben'' ‘to have felled the tree’ – ''den Baum gefällt haben werden'' ‘to be about having felled the tree’ (not necessarily soon).Infinitives with modal verbs
Modal verbs are verbs that modify other verbs, and as such, are never found alone. Examples may include the following: "may", "must", "should", "want", or "can". Such verbs are utilized by placing the modal infinitive behind the old (passive or perfect) infinitive, without changing any other word. Some modal verbs in German are: können, dürfen, müssen, brauchen, wollen, mögen, lassen. :''dorthin fahren können'' ("to be able to drive there") :''nach Rom fahren lassen'' ("let someone drive to Rome") A common misunderstanding among English-speakers learning German is caused by a divergence in meaning between English ''must'' and German ''müssen''. :''Ich muss:'' "I must" :''Ich muss nicht:'' "I don't have to". The meaning of ''must not'' is conveyed in German with the verb ''dürfen''; "I must not" is therefore translated as ''ich darf nicht''.''Accusativus cum infinitivo''
Like Latin, an '' accusativus cum infinitivo'' (ACI) construction is possible. The ACI is formed by placing a bare infinitive after the main verb, and then inserting an accusative object between them. This can be done in two ways: * Simple ACI ** Subject – Main verb – Object – Infinitive: ''Ich sehe dich stolzieren'' ‘I see you strutting’ * Complex ACI ** Subject – Main verb – Multiple objects – Infinitive: ''Ich lasse dich ein Haus bauen'' ‘I let you build a house’The ''zu''-infinitive
The ''zu''-infinitive has nothing to do with the gerundive, although it is created in a similar way. One simply puts the preposition ''zu'' before the bare infinitive, before the permanent prefix, but after the separable prefix. :''zu lesen'' ‘to read’ :''Ich lerne zu lesen'' ‘I learn to read’ :''zu verlassen'' ‘to leave’ :''Ich habe beschlossen, dich zu verlassen'' ‘I've decided to leave you’ :''wegzuwerfen'' ‘to throw away’ :''Ich habe beschlossen, das Buch wegzuwerfen'' ‘I've decided to throw away the book’ The ''zu''-infinitive extended with ''um'' expresses purpose (in order to, for the purpose of). The subject of the main clause and the infinitive must be identical. :''Ich habe ein Meer überquert, um dich zu treffen'' – "I have crossed an ocean to meet you."Conjugation
There are threeAuxiliary verbs
''werden'' "to become" (strong, irregular) * Past participle: ''geworden'' ''haben'' "to have" (mostly weak, irregular) Compare the archaic English conjugation: * Past participle: ''gehabt'' ''sein'' "to be" ( suppletive, irregular) * Past participle: ''gewesen''Modal verbs
* ''dürfen'' "to be allowed; may" * ''können'' "to be able; can; to be possible" * ''mögen'' "to like; to want; may" * ''müssen'' "to be required; must" * ''sollen'' "to be supposed to; should" * ''wollen'' "to want (with resolve)" Modal verbs are inflected irregularly. In the present tense, they use the ''preterite'' endings of the strong verbs. In the past tense, they use the preterite endings of the weak verbs. In addition, most modal verbs have a change of vowel in the singular. When a modal verb is in use, the main verb is moved to the end of the sentence. For example: * Ich kann das Auto fahren. ("I can drive the car.") * Ich soll die Karten kaufen. ("I'm supposed to buy the cards.") * Er muss der Mutter danken. ("He must thank the mother.")Dative verbs
Most verbs go with an object inReflexive verbs
Some verbs require the use of aImperative conjugation
There is an imperative for second person singular and second person plural, as well as for third person singular and third person plural, as well as for first person plural and second person formal. The endings for second person singular informal are: ''-(e)'', ''-el'' or ''-le'', and ''-er(e)''. The endings for second person plural informal are: ''-(e)t'', ''-elt'', and ''-ert''. :''Fahren (wir/Sie)!'' – ''Fahr(e)!'' – ''Fahrt!'' The imperative of first person plural and second person formal is identical to the infinitive. This subtopic is strongly related to the construction of German sentences.Participles and verbal nouns
This section details the construction ofPast participle
There are some irregularities when creating the past participle form. Weak verbs form their past participles with ''ge-'' plus the third person singular form of the verb. * ''fragen'' (er fragt) → ''gefragt'' * ''passen'' (es passt) → ''gepasst'' * ''antworten'' (er antwortet) → ''geantwortet'' * ''hören'' (er hört) → ''gehört'' * ''fühlen'' (er fühlt) → ''gefühlt'' Verbs with non-initial stress (practically always the result of an unstressed inseparable prefix, or foreign words ending in stressed ''-ieren'' or ''-eien'') do not have ''ge-'' added to the verb. * ''verführen'' (er verführt) → ''verführt'' * ''miauen'' (er miaut) → ''miaut'' * ''probieren'' (er probiert) → ''probiert'' * ''prophezeien'' (er prophezeit) → ''prophezeit'' For irregular verbs, the infinitive ending ''-en'' remains. * ''gelaufen'' * ''gegeben'' * ''gegangen'' * ''geworfen'' The separable prefix remains in place. * ''weggetragen'' * ''umverteilt'' : Note: ''Ich habe den Baum umgefahren'' (''I drove over – crashed into – the tree'') : Note: ''Ich habe den Baum umfahren'' (''I drove around the tree'') The past participles of modal and auxiliary verbs have the same form as their infinitives. But if these verbs are used alone, without an infinitive, they have a regular participle. :''Ich habe den Chef besuchen dürfen'' (''Chef'' = boss) (''I was allowed to see the boss'') :''Ich habe zum Chef gedurft'' (unusual) (''I was allowed in to the boss'')Present participle
To create the basic form of a present participle, you attach the suffix ''-d'' to the infinitive of the verb. :''laufen'' – ''laufend'' ("walk" – "walking") :''töpfern'' – ''töpfernd'' ("make pottery" – "making pottery") :''lächeln'' – ''lächelnd'' ("smile" – "smiling") :''verraten'' – ''verratend'' ("betray" – "betraying") :''aufbauen'' – ''aufbauend'' ("establish" – "establishing")Future participle or gerundive
A gerundive-like construction is fairly complicated to use. The basic form is created by putting the word ''zu'' before the infinitive. This is also the adverb. :''zu suchen'' ("to be looked for") :''Der Schlüssel ist zu suchen'' ("the key needs to be looked for") :''zu verzeichnen'' ("to be recorded") :''Ein Trend ist zu verzeichnen'' ("A trend is to be recorded") The adjective is more complicated. Instead of the infinitive, one uses the present participle, and then declines it corresponding to gender, number, case and article of the nominal phrase. (Compare the German declension of adjectives.) :''Der zu suchende Schlüssel'' ("the key to be looked for") :''Ein zu lüftendes Geheimnis'' ("a secret to be revealed")Agent nouns
Verbal nouns and deverbatives
Verbal nouns
The two most common forms of verbal nouns are infinitives and gerunds. The bare infinitive, when used as a noun, has no plural (or if it does it is invariable, i.e. identical to the singular), and its gender is neuter. :''arbeiten'' ‘to work’ – ''das Arbeiten'' ‘working’ ::Note: ''die Arbeiten'' is not the plural of the verbal noun ''Arbeiten'', it is the plural of the feminine noun ''die Arbeit''. ;Example for the plural :''„Das Verlegen“ kann verschiedene Bedeutungen haben: Das Verlegen einer Sache (die man dann nicht mehr findet); das Verlegen eines Veranstaltungsortes; das Verlegen einer Zeitung; etc. Diese verschiedenen „Verlegen“ sind ein gutes Beispiel für den Plural des Gerunds.'' :“''Das Verlegen'' can have different meanings: the misplacing of a thing (which you'll never find later), the moving of an event location, the editing of a newspaper, etc. These different ''Verlegen'' form a good example of the verbal noun's plural.” Gerunds in -''ung'' are feminine and have regular plurals in -''en''. They are formed as in English, only the ending is -''ung''; e.g., ''ableiten'' ‘to derive’ – ''Ableitung'' ‘derivative (ling.)’; ''fordern'' ‘to demand; claim’ – ''Forderung'' ‘credit; claim’. While German gerunds formerly served the same function as they do in English, they now have concrete, usually technical meanings. Sometimes the German infinitive and gerund convey the same meaning, but this is rare (e.g. ''das Laugen'' – ''die Laugung'', both ‘ leaching, lixiviation’; ''das Kleben'' – ''die Klebung'', both ‘chemically bonding, adhering’); usually only the infinitive carries the same meaning as an English gerund. Compare: :''handeln'' ‘to act; do business, deal with’ – ''das Handeln'' ‘an act, action; dealing’ (in general) – ''die Handlung'' ‘physical act; deed; operation’ :''kochen'' ‘to cook’ – ''das Kochen'' ‘cooking’ (in general) – ''die Kochung'' ‘boiling of the boiling scheme’ (technical) :''schwächen'' ‘to weaken’ – ''das Schwächen'' ‘weakening’ (in general) – ''die Schwächung'' ‘attenuation; debilitation, enfeeblement’Deverbatives
One type of deverbative noun is formed by adding ''-erei'' ''(-lerei'' or ''-(er)ei)'' and (sometimes) has a slightly derogatory meaning. The grammatically dependent implication (i.e. independent of context, speech, and syntax) of disapproval for this type of deverbative is rather weak, though present. It must be supported either by context or speech. On the other hand, any positive implication from the context or speech will free the deverbative from any disapproval. Its plural ends in ''-en'', and its gender is feminine. :''arbeiten'' ‘to work’ – ''die Arbeiterei'' ‘silly working’ :''laufen'' ‘to run’ – ''die Lauferei'' ‘running around’ :''streiten'' ‘to argue’ – ''die Streiterei(en)'' ‘tiff, squabble’ :''schlemmen'' ‘to feast’ – ''die Schlemmerei(en)'' ‘gormandizing; gluttony’ :''malen'' ‘to paint’ – ''die Malerei(en)'' ‘doodle(s), goofy portrait’ The above form means a loose, vague abstractum of the verb's meaning. It is also often used to designate a whole trade, discipline or industry, or a single business/enterprise: :''die Meierei'' ‘dairy farm’ :''malen'' ‘to paint’ – ''die Malerei'' ‘a painting’ (work of art), or ‘painters’ business’ In this form the plural is used just as with any other noun. Cf. also ''Metzgerei'', ''Fleischerei'' ‘butcher’s shop’, ''Malerei'' (a business of professional painters (of rooms and buildings)) are not derived from verbs. Similar to the form presented above, one may place the prefix ''ge-'' (after the separable prefix), if the verb doesn't have a permanent prefix, and then attach the ending ''-e'' ( ''-el'', ''-er'' ). Most times, this noun indicates slightly more disapproval than the other one (depending in the same way on context, speech etc.). Its gender is neuter. :''fahren'' ‘to drive’ – ''das Gefahre'' ‘silly driving’ :''laufen'' ‘to run’ – ''das Gelaufe'' ‘running around (like a child at play)’ A plural form does not exist. To indicate the reference to all instances the pronoun/numeral ''all'' can be added, as in the following example: * Mother to child: ''Hör mit dem Geschaukel auf!'' ("Stop that rocking!") * Child rocks in a different manner * Mother: ''Hör mit allem Geschaukel auf!'' ("Stop all rockings!") However, a more formal reference to all instances would be ''Hör mit jeder Form von Geschaukel auf!'' (“Stop any form of rocking!”) instead. So this use of ''all'' is merely encountered in colloquial conversations. If this type of deverbative is used to express disapproval, it is typically augmented by the prefix ''herum-'' or (short form) ''rum-'' to make it sound/look even more disapproving. For example: ''Das stundenlange Herumgefahre im Bus geht mir total auf die Nerven.'' ("The silly driving around for hours in the bus is totally getting on my nerves.") These forms are hard to build for complex infinitives; therefore they are unusual. When they occur, all object phrases and adverbial phrases are put before the verbal noun: :''von Allen gesehen werden'' "to be seen by everyone" – ''Das Von-Allen-gesehen-Werden'' "being seen by everyone"Tenses
Although there are six tenses in German, only two are simple; the others are compound and therefore build on the simple constructions. The tenses are quite similar to English constructions.Colloquial contractions between verb and personal pronoun
* Although not part of the standard language, nearly all varieties of colloquial German feature contracted forms in which a verb and a following (unstressed) personal pronoun become one word. This is frequent in the 2nd person singular, where the verb ending ''-st'' and the pronoun ''du'' ("you") are contracted into ''-ste'' . ::''bist du'' → ''biste'' ("are you") ::''hast du'' → ''haste'' ("have you") ::''glaubst du'' → ''glaubste'' ("believe you"/"do you believe") :These forms are common in informal writing. Regionally, there may be different outcomes of the contraction. In western Germany, ''-t-'' might be lost as well, resulting in ''bisse, hasse'' and the like. In Upper German regions, the phenomenon often goes so far as to delete the pronoun completely, which gives rise to the Austro-Bavarian ''bist, hast''Note: the pronoun is here not deleted but attached to the verb with whose final sound it is identical. That is not by a surprise since the very ending ''-st'' stems from the attachment of the pronoun ''du'' to the old verb ending ''-s''. For example, Old High German ''biris du'' became ''biristu'' and was then re-interpreted as ''birist du''. (The same occurred in English with the old pronoun ''thou''.) Western German dialects and accents, however, still use the original simple ''-s''. For example, ''du bist'' is often pronounced ''du bis'' in the West. and the Alemannic ''bisch, hasch''. * Similar contractions exist for the formal 2nd person and the 3rd person plural, both of which use the pronoun ''sie''/''Sie''. ::''können sie'' → ''könnse'' ("can you/they") ::''haben sie'' → ''hamse'' ("have you/they") ::''schauen sie'' → ''schaunse'' ("look you/they") :Again, shortened forms such as ''könn(en)s, hams'' are used in the South. They are often spelt ''können's, ham's'' or ''können S', ham S' ''in informal writing. * In Upper and Central German regions but only sporadically in originally Lower German areas, there are also contracted forms for the 1st person plural. They usually end in ''-mer'' . The reason is that the Upper and Central German dialects have traditionally used ''mir'' instead of ''wir'' ("we"). This form ''mir'' is itself due to an old contraction of the Middle High German verb ending ''-em'' and the following pronoun ''wir'' (e.g. ''loufem wir'' → ''loufe‿mir'') ::''sind wir'' → ''simmer'' ("are we") ::''haben wir'' → ''hammer'' ("have we") ::''glauben wir'' → ''glaub(e)mer'' ("believe we"/"do we believe") :In parts of northern Germany, less distinct contractions such as ''sindwer'', ''hamwer'' occur instead of the southern/central ''simmer'', ''hammer''.Notes
Explanatory notes
Citations
Bibliography
* Stern, Guy; and Bleiler, Everett F. ''Essential German Grammar'', Dover Publications, 1961.External links