The glossary, A to Z.
A
Adjektive
A word that describes a noun. It takes an ending when it stands directly before the noun.
Read the full guideWord classAdverbien
A word that describes a verb, an adjective, or a whole sentence. It never takes an ending.
Read the full guideCaseAkkusativ
The case of the direct object, the thing or person the action is done to. It is the default case when no other applies.
Read the full guideWord classArtikel
The small word before a noun that shows its gender and case. It is either definite (the) or indefinite (a).
Read the full guideD
F
Futur
The future tense, built with a helping verb and the base form. Spoken German often uses the present tense instead.
Read the full guideTense and verb formFutur II
The future perfect. It is mostly used for a confident guess about what will already be true by a certain point.
Read the full guideG
I
Infinitiv
The base form of a verb, the one you find in the dictionary. After a modal verb it goes to the end of the sentence.
Read the full guideWord classInterjektionen
A short reaction to pain, surprise, or a realization, or a greeting. It stands alone, outside the sentence.
Read the full guideK
Konjunktionen
A word that connects two clauses. Some keep the verb in second position, others send it to the end.
Read the full guideTense and verb formKonjunktiv
The mood for the unreal and the reported. One form expresses wishes and what-ifs, the other reports someone else's words without vouching for them.
Read the full guideN
Nomen
A word for a person, thing, or idea. It is always capitalized and has one of three genders, which decides its article.
Read the full guideCaseNominativ
The case of the subject, the one who does the action. Every other case is defined against it.
Read the full guideWord classNumerale
A number word. Cardinal numbers count and take no ending. Ordinal numbers rank things and behave like adjectives.
Read the full guideP
Passiv
The passive voice. The thing acted on becomes the subject, and the doer, if named at all, moves into a phrase with by.
Read the full guideTense and verb formPerfekt
The spoken past tense, built with a helping verb and a past participle. It is what Germans use in conversation.
Read the full guideTense and verb formPlusquamperfekt
The past before the past. It shows that one past event was already finished before another began.
Read the full guideWord classPronomen
A word that stands in for a noun. It changes with the case and keeps the noun's gender and number.
Read the full guideWord classPräpositionen
A small word that fixes the case of what follows it. Some always take accusative, some always dative, some leave it to the verb.
Read the full guideTense and verb formPräsens
The present tense. It is also the normal way to talk about the near future.
Read the full guideTense and verb formPräteritum
The written past tense, used in narration. In speech it survives mostly for a few very common verbs.
Read the full guideV
W
wann?
The question word for a point in time. It is never used to mean if.
Read the full guideQuestion wordWas? Was?
The question word for what. It works for both the subject and the direct object, and the word itself never changes.
Read the full guideQuestion wordWem?
The question word that finds the dative, the recipient. It means to or for whom.
Read the full guideQuestion wordWen?
The question word that finds the accusative, the direct object. It means whom.
Read the full guideQuestion wordwenn vs. wann.
English when does two jobs, German splits them. One asks about time, the other links two clauses and also means if.
Read the full guideQuestion wordWer?
The question word that finds the nominative, the subject. It means who.
Read the full guideQuestion wordWessen?
The question word that finds the genitive, possession. It means whose.
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