#botchannel

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wind stream
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yes u are. 🙂

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oki

tender trellis
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faq Relativsätze

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

tender trellis
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faq relative clause

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

tender trellis
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faq all

lean flickerBOT
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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

tender trellis
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faq Best way to learn

lean flickerBOT
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Factors that influence learning a language

The following factors (and many others) can influence how easily or quickly you learn German. Remember that everyone is different and these factors will influence different people in different ways.

Native language

As an example, if your native language is English, you may need more time than someone who speaks Dutch.

Previous language learning

Some learners find it easier to learn German if they have already learned a foreign language, or if they have a natural ability to learn languages.

Methods

Some are able to identify what type of learner they are, and leverage that to their benefit.

Discipline and Motivation

Learning a language is fun and exciting at first, but it can be easy to lose motivation and become less disciplined very quickly.

Consistency

Learning a little bit each day every week is generally considered better than studying for several hours, one day per week.

Grammar

The time needed to acquire grammar passively is quite large, so German learners who actively study grammar typically make less grammar mistakes as they progress.

Exposure and immersion

Interacting with native speakers and consuming native content such as the news, magazines, books, movies, podcasts, etc. can help tremendously with achieving an idiomatic usage of the language.

Training each ability equally

Listening, reading, speaking, writing, translating and interpreting are all various abilities associated with language learning. Training these abilities equally is important to ensure that a person can not only pass a language test, but also have the ability to use the language in various contexts while demonstrating great control over grammar.

tender trellis
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faq

lean flickerBOT
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:x: The required argument name is missing.

tender trellis
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faq all

lean flickerBOT
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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Weak Nouns

Aliases: N-Declension, N-Deklination, Weak noun

:small_blue_diamond: Weil, denn, da

:small_blue_diamond: What does GLaD mean

Aliases: GLaD

:small_blue_diamond: What does this word mean

Aliases: Duden, Meaning, Dict, Dictionary, Definition

:small_blue_diamond: Wissen and kennen

Aliases: Kennen vs. wissen, Wissen vs. kennen

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Nouns & Pronouns

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Verbs

Aliases: Word order verbs, Word order of verbs

tender trellis
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faq

lean flickerBOT
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:x: The required argument name is missing.

tender trellis
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faq Nico

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. I found the following similar entry: Nicos (1)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

tender trellis
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faq NIcos

lean flickerBOT
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Nicos

Nicos Weg is a free online program aimed at helping people learn German. It includes video, audio, text, grammar explanations, notes, vocabulary, and exercises. It also includes very useful cultural and bureaucratic information, such as how to open a bank account, while teaching you the relevant grammar and vocabulary.

It’s fairly popular and well-recommended, but keep in mind that you can’t learn a language with only one resource, even if it’s a good one!

You can find the courses here: https://learngerman.dw.com/en/overview/

You can also see various other courses for learners by dw.com here: https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469/

chilly topaz
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faq anki

lean flickerBOT
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Anki
What is Anki?

Anki is a free and very versatile flashcard program that is often used for learning new vocabulary. You can import spreadsheets to quickly create your own flashcards, and you can add your own images and audio for highly custom flashcard decks. You can also access and use a wide range of community created and shared flashcard decks all for free*.

Note: Anki uses a method of learning called spaced repetition. Flashcards and spaced repetition are one of many techniques used for language learning. However, we all learn differently and while these methods work for many people, they may not necessarily work for you. Give it a try, but don’t be disheartened if these methods aren’t right for you. Even if flashcards and spaced repetition work for you, don’t forget to incorporate other forms of practice. E.g. try using your new vocabulary to write your own practice sentences.

Where To Get It

It is available here on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, and Android. You can also find the browser AnkiWeb version here.

Manually adding basic cards is quite simple, but making custom templates is a bit more complex. Basementality has put together this handy guide for making custom card types and decks. You can also find Anki’s documentation / instruction guide here.

*The iPhone app AnkiMobile costs $24.99 USD on the iTunes store. The Android app and all other platforms are completely free. The mobile browser version of AnkiWeb is still available for free on iPhones.

See the next page for some helpful tips on creating your flashcards.

chilly topaz
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faq Best way to learn

lean flickerBOT
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Best way to learn German
Should I study all these skills every day?

If you want to study them all every day, you can, but some people may find it easier to focus on particular skills on particular days. For example, on Monday you might choose to do a lot of writing practice, and then on Tuesday you might plan some conversation practice with some speaking partners.

If you try to cover too many different things in one day, then you might be jumping around all over the place and not able to focus on each individual task. It’s also a really good idea to have a different schedule or set of tasks each day to keep things from getting boring. So setting a special schedule or set of tasks for each day of the week - like the Monday writing day, or every Friday you do some grammar exercises followed by watching TV shows, or any other combination you like – is a really good way to go.

How much time should I dedicate to studying?

Everyone has a different schedule and everyone learns at a different pace. It is recommended to study every day, preferably for 30 minutes or more, but taking 1-2 days off is okay. More important is how many hours you study in a week.

A casual pace will be roughly around 5-8 hours a week, a steady pace would be around 10-14 hours a week, and a fast pace (around the same pace as a university subject) will be 15-20 hours a week.

Anything less than 5 hours and you may find it hard to keep improving steadily (but feel free to try it and see how it works for you), while studying one subject for over 25 hours a week may quickly lead to burnout.

How you choose to spread those hours out over the week is not that important; for example, if you have a lot of time on the weekend but not during the week, it’s fine to do short study sessions on weekdays and then dedicate a bunch of time on Saturday and Sunday.

On the next page

• Factors that influence learning a language.

chilly topaz
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
chilly topaz
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
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How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
chilly topaz
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help

lean flickerBOT
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Stargazing commands
:small_blue_diamond: **📒 star**

Provides stargazing functionality for the server. The stargazing system highlights memorable moments from the server. The starboard can be configured dynamically, temporarily locked and posts from it can be displayed.

winged sedge
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@mint willow

mint willow
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noun genders

lean flickerBOT
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:tools: An error happened. This has been logged and reported.

mint willow
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faq noun genders

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faq noun genders

lean flickerBOT
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Grammatical gender

German nouns are sorted in three different genders: masculine, neuter and feminine. These have nothing to do with sex or social gender.
The first thing genders will influence are articles like der, das, die. Each word has its own and you better get it right: some words that look identical can have different meanings depending on the gender they're used with. For example:
die Band = the (musical) band,
der Band = the (book) volume,
das Band = the tape.

Some words, mainly trademarks and loanwords, have multiple acceptable genders while having no change in meaning:
der Jogurt = das Jogurt
das Virus = der Virus
These may vary by region or colloquiality.

💢 But WHY, German, WHY
Gender is actually quite useful! Since sentence structure is less rigid than in English, grammatical case helps you tell the various elements apart (with some practice), and that works through genders: each gender has its own forms, which makes everything a little less ambiguous. Besides, as you've seen with Band above, it allows us to make up words with different meanings that look the same but are not ambiguous, and if that's not magic, I don't know what is. ✨

🙀 But how am I supposed to tell them apart? 🙀
Check out >explain gender patterns. 😉

winged sedge
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help

lean flickerBOT
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Reminders commands
:small_blue_diamond: **📒 remind** <time> <message>

Has the bot remind you about things. You can specify a time in a short time format (e.g., 1y, 7w, 2mo, 1h30m) or a long format (e.g, 2020-12-31 23:59 CET) and a message for your reminder text.

winged sedge
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faq list

lean flickerBOT
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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Imperative

Aliases: imperativ

:small_blue_diamond: Impersonal Verbs

Aliases: Unpersönliche Verben, Impersonal es

:small_blue_diamond: IPA

Aliases: Pronunciation, Sound transcription, International Phonetic Alphabet

:small_blue_diamond: Languages in <#221708975698083841>

Aliases: English in #general, Why English, Why is everyone speaking English in #general?

:small_blue_diamond: Lessons

Aliases: Sessions, Activities

:small_blue_diamond: Looking for information

Aliases: correct channel, information, right place to ask, right channel

:small_blue_diamond: Negation

Aliases: Nicht, Kein

:small_blue_diamond: Nicos

Aliases: Nicos Weg

:small_blue_diamond: Nominative

Aliases: Nominativ

:small_blue_diamond: Omission of movement verbs

:small_blue_diamond: Other languages

Aliases: languages

:small_blue_diamond: Passive

Aliases: Passiv

:small_blue_diamond: Past Tense

Aliases: perfekt, präteritum, praeteritum, present perfect, simple past

:small_blue_diamond: Prepositions of Place Part 1

Aliases: Nach-In-Auf-Zu

:small_blue_diamond: Resources

Aliases: Resource list

winged sedge
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faq past tense

lean flickerBOT
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Past Tense

German has two basic past tenses: Perfekt and Präteritum.

What’s the difference? Which one should I use?

To put it simply: Perfekt is used for spoken and casual German, and Präteritum is used for formal writing such as novels. For anything in between or if you’re unsure, it’s best to simply ask a native speaker. But most of the time, you will be using Perfekt, so it’s recommended that you learn that first!

However, even when you are using the Perfekt tense, a few verbs are often still used in Präteritum. This varies by region! Some native speakers use 100% Perfekt tense when they speak, but most people use at least a few words with Präteritum in their speech.

The main verbs commonly used in Präteritum form even when using Perfekt are:
• haben (e.g. ich hatte instead of ich habe gehabt)
• sein (e.g. ich war instead of ich bin gewesen)
• modal verbs
• wissen, denken (e.g. ich wusste, ich dachte)

The following are sometimes also used in Präteritum form but not as pervasively:
• bleiben, brauchen, finden, geben, gehen, laufen, liegen, rufen, sehen, sitzen, stehen, tun

mint willow
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faq list

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faq list

lean flickerBOT
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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Weak Nouns

Aliases: N-Declension, N-Deklination, Weak noun

:small_blue_diamond: Weil, denn, da

:small_blue_diamond: What does GLaD mean

Aliases: GLaD

:small_blue_diamond: What does this word mean

Aliases: Duden, Meaning, Dict, Dictionary, Definition

:small_blue_diamond: Wissen and kennen

Aliases: Kennen vs. wissen, Wissen vs. kennen

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Nouns & Pronouns

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Verbs

Aliases: Word order verbs, Word order of verbs

pastel umbra
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
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How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
pastel umbra
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
twin agate
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
tender trellis
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faq all

lean flickerBOT
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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

tender trellis
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faq all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

tender trellis
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faq all

lean flickerBOT
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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Duolingo

Aliases: Duo

:small_blue_diamond: Eszett

Aliases: Scharfes S, ẞ, ß

:small_blue_diamond: FAQ

:small_blue_diamond: Formal and informal speech

Aliases: Sie, Du vs. Sie, Formal, Du, Siezen, Duzen vs. siezen, Du vs. sie, Informal

:small_blue_diamond: Gender patterns

:small_blue_diamond: Genitive

Aliases: Genitiv

:small_blue_diamond: German letters

Aliases: German keyboard, Keyboard

:small_blue_diamond: Grammar terms

Aliases: Glossary, Grammatical terms

:small_blue_diamond: Grammatical gender

Aliases: der-die-das, Genders, Gender

:small_blue_diamond: Help

:small_blue_diamond: How long does it take to learn German

Aliases: Time required, How long to learn

:small_blue_diamond: How to ask a question

Aliases: Translation, Homework, hw, questions

:small_blue_diamond: How to get started

Aliases: Starting out, Beginner

:small_blue_diamond: How to join Voice Chat

Aliases: VC-pending, VC pending, Limited Permissions, VC

:small_blue_diamond: How to use writing

tender trellis
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faq Genitive

lean flickerBOT
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When do I use the genitive case?

The genitive case is mainly used:

- to link nouns, especially when showing possession

Dies ist der größte Bahnhof der Welt.
Die Hälfte des Kuchens gehört mir.
Es gibt noch einen Strahl der Hoffnung.

For proper names, the order is reversed and an 's' is attached to the proper name as long as it does not end with an 's' sound.

Deutschlands längster Fluss ist der Rhein.

- to mark the object of very few transitive verbs

Empfindliche Haut bedarf besonderer Pflege.
Heute gedenkt die Nation des Jahrestages der Verfassung.
Wir harren einer Antwort.

- after some prepositions

The following prepositions are commonly followed by the genitive case in written German, but usually with the dative case in spoken German:

(an)statt, trotz, während, wegen

Prepositions denoting position are usually followed by the genitive case:

außerhalb, innerhalb, oberhalb, unterhalb, jenseits

A great number of prepositions that are only used in formal German, such as:

angesichts, bezüglich, einschließlich, fernab, infolge, namens, seitens, zugunsten

- by adverbials of indefinite time

Eines Tages werde ich Deutsch beherrschen.
Sonntags sind wir meist unterwegs.
Eines Nachts hörte ihr Vater sie weinen.

Note the declension in the last sentence. Although it is die Nacht, it assumes a similar form as the rest.

tender trellis
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faq all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Imperative

Aliases: imperativ

:small_blue_diamond: Impersonal Verbs

Aliases: Unpersönliche Verben, Impersonal es

:small_blue_diamond: IPA

Aliases: Pronunciation, Sound transcription, International Phonetic Alphabet

:small_blue_diamond: Languages in <#221708975698083841>

Aliases: English in #general, Why English, Why is everyone speaking English in #general?

:small_blue_diamond: Lessons

Aliases: Sessions, Activities

:small_blue_diamond: Looking for information

Aliases: correct channel, information, right place to ask, right channel

:small_blue_diamond: Negation

Aliases: Nicht, Kein

:small_blue_diamond: Nicos

Aliases: Nicos Weg

:small_blue_diamond: Nominative

Aliases: Nominativ

:small_blue_diamond: Omission of movement verbs

:small_blue_diamond: Other languages

Aliases: languages

:small_blue_diamond: Passive

Aliases: Passiv

:small_blue_diamond: Past Tense

Aliases: perfekt, präteritum, praeteritum, present perfect, simple past

:small_blue_diamond: Prepositions of Place Part 1

Aliases: Nach-In-Auf-Zu

:small_blue_diamond: Resources

Aliases: Resource list

junior leaf
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faq gender

#

faq gender

lean flickerBOT
#
Grammatical gender

German nouns are sorted in three different genders: masculine, neuter and feminine. These have nothing to do with sex or social gender.
The first thing genders will influence are articles like der, das, die. Each word has its own and you better get it right: some words that look identical can have different meanings depending on the gender they're used with. For example:
die Band = the (musical) band,
der Band = the (book) volume,
das Band = the tape.

Some words, mainly trademarks and loanwords, have multiple acceptable genders while having no change in meaning:
der Jogurt = das Jogurt
das Virus = der Virus
These may vary by region or colloquiality.

💢 But WHY, German, WHY
Gender is actually quite useful! Since sentence structure is less rigid than in English, grammatical case helps you tell the various elements apart (with some practice), and that works through genders: each gender has its own forms, which makes everything a little less ambiguous. Besides, as you've seen with Band above, it allows us to make up words with different meanings that look the same but are not ambiguous, and if that's not magic, I don't know what is. ✨

🙀 But how am I supposed to tell them apart? 🙀
Check out >explain gender patterns. 😉

junior leaf
#

explain gender patterns

lean flickerBOT
#
Gender patterns

Unfortunately, many German words don't have immediately clear clues that reveal it, but thankfully, many common words do follow patterns that reveal their gender.
In general, you are advised to learn the article together with the word (and its plural!).
Plural forms always use die and follow plural declension rules, which are the same for all genders (yay 🎉).
For compound words, remember that only the last word matters.
Type >explain grammatical gender for an explanation on grammatical gender.

Here's a list of patterns to recognise word gender.
Note that exceptions may apply.

zealous isle
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
tender trellis
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
spark aurora
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faq word order

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entries: Word Order for Verbs (1), Word order of verbs (2), Word Order for Nouns & Pronouns (3), Word order verbs (4)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

spark aurora
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faq word order for verbs

lean flickerBOT
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Word Order for Verbs

Word Order - Verbs

The placement of the finite verb (or conjugated verb) is very important to the structure of a German sentence. While most other elements in a sentence can be moved, the position of the finite verb is fixed.

🔸 Main clause
A main clause is an independent clause that makes sense by itself. Here the finite verb is always the second element.

Der Mann gibt der Frau das Buch.

An auxiliary/modal verb (e.g. müssen) replaces the original verb (called the main verb) as the finite verb and results in the main verb being placed at the end of the clause. Additionally, the main verb is returned to its infinitive or past participle form, depending on the tense.

Der Mann muss der Frau das Buch geben.

🔸 Questions & Statements
The finite verb is always the first element.

Siehst du den Ausgang?

Interrogative words (or w-words) are considered to be in the zeroth position.

Worauf wartet ihr?

Auxiliary/modal verbs have the same effect as before:

Kannst du den Ausgang sehen?
Worauf habt ihr gewartet?

🔸 Subordinate clause
A subordinate clause depends on a main clause to make sense. It is often introduced by a conjunction as the first element and the finite verb is usually the last element.

Ich bin nicht zur Arbeit gefahren, weil ich krank war.
Du könntest ihm helfen, statt dich nur zu beschweren!

When a single auxiliary modal verb is introduced, it becomes the finite verb and the main verb is placed before it::

Er ist sich immer noch nicht sicher, ob er ihr alles erzählen soll.

If a double infintive is present, it is placed at the end and the finite verb comes before it.

Das ist das Haus, das ich hätte verkaufen sollen.

worldly wave
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faq beginner

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faq beginner

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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
long stag
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
worldly wave
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
weary seal
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faq all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Weak Nouns

Aliases: N-Declension, N-Deklination, Weak noun

:small_blue_diamond: Weil, denn, da

:small_blue_diamond: What does GLaD mean

Aliases: GLaD

:small_blue_diamond: What does this word mean

Aliases: Duden, Meaning, Dict, Dictionary, Definition

:small_blue_diamond: Wissen and kennen

Aliases: Kennen vs. wissen, Wissen vs. kennen

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Nouns & Pronouns

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Verbs

Aliases: Word order verbs, Word order of verbs

deft flicker
winged oak
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nicos

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nicos

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faq nicos

lean flickerBOT
#
Nicos

Nicos Weg is a free online program aimed at helping people learn German. It includes video, audio, text, grammar explanations, notes, vocabulary, and exercises. It also includes very useful cultural and bureaucratic information, such as how to open a bank account, while teaching you the relevant grammar and vocabulary.

It’s fairly popular and well-recommended, but keep in mind that you can’t learn a language with only one resource, even if it’s a good one!

You can find the courses here: https://learngerman.dw.com/en/overview/

You can also see various other courses for learners by dw.com here: https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469/

fluid flower
#

faq begginer

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
winged sedge
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faq vocative

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

elder geode
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faq cefr

static valve
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sessions

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There are no sessions currently scheduled.

still spoke
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
south zealot
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
south zealot
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woah that's so neat i might just go through that whole list

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faq Learn efficiently

lean flickerBOT
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Best way to learn German
Should I study all these skills every day?

If you want to study them all every day, you can, but some people may find it easier to focus on particular skills on particular days. For example, on Monday you might choose to do a lot of writing practice, and then on Tuesday you might plan some conversation practice with some speaking partners.

If you try to cover too many different things in one day, then you might be jumping around all over the place and not able to focus on each individual task. It’s also a really good idea to have a different schedule or set of tasks each day to keep things from getting boring. So setting a special schedule or set of tasks for each day of the week - like the Monday writing day, or every Friday you do some grammar exercises followed by watching TV shows, or any other combination you like – is a really good way to go.

How much time should I dedicate to studying?

Everyone has a different schedule and everyone learns at a different pace. It is recommended to study every day, preferably for 30 minutes or more, but taking 1-2 days off is okay. More important is how many hours you study in a week.

A casual pace will be roughly around 5-8 hours a week, a steady pace would be around 10-14 hours a week, and a fast pace (around the same pace as a university subject) will be 15-20 hours a week.

Anything less than 5 hours and you may find it hard to keep improving steadily (but feel free to try it and see how it works for you), while studying one subject for over 25 hours a week may quickly lead to burnout.

How you choose to spread those hours out over the week is not that important; for example, if you have a lot of time on the weekend but not during the week, it’s fine to do short study sessions on weekdays and then dedicate a bunch of time on Saturday and Sunday.

On the next page

• Factors that influence learning a language.

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faq Learn efficiently

lean flickerBOT
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Factors that influence learning a language

The following factors (and many others) can influence how easily or quickly you learn German. Remember that everyone is different and these factors will influence different people in different ways.

Native language

As an example, if your native language is English, you may need more time than someone who speaks Dutch.

Previous language learning

Some learners find it easier to learn German if they have already learned a foreign language, or if they have a natural ability to learn languages.

Methods

Some are able to identify what type of learner they are, and leverage that to their benefit.

Discipline and Motivation

Learning a language is fun and exciting at first, but it can be easy to lose motivation and become less disciplined very quickly.

Consistency

Learning a little bit each day every week is generally considered better than studying for several hours, one day per week.

Grammar

The time needed to acquire grammar passively is quite large, so German learners who actively study grammar typically make less grammar mistakes as they progress.

Exposure and immersion

Interacting with native speakers and consuming native content such as the news, magazines, books, movies, podcasts, etc. can help tremendously with achieving an idiomatic usage of the language.

Training each ability equally

Listening, reading, speaking, writing, translating and interpreting are all various abilities associated with language learning. Training these abilities equally is important to ensure that a person can not only pass a language test, but also have the ability to use the language in various contexts while demonstrating great control over grammar.

rigid flare
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
rigid flare
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
ember herald
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
elder widget
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shootdog help

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:x: Member 'help' not found.

elder widget
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shootdog -help

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:x: Member '-help' not found.

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shootdog --help

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:x: Member '--help' not found.

elder widget
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help shootdog

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shootdog <member>

Shoot the given member's dog, like the monster you are.

elder widget
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help shootcat

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shootcat <member>

Shoot the given member's cat, like the monster you are.

tender trellis
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help

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Meme 2/2 commands
:small_blue_diamond: **patcow** <member>

Pats the given member's cow.

:small_blue_diamond: **petdog** <member>

Pets the given member's dog.

:small_blue_diamond: **shootcat** <member>

Shoot the given member's cat, like the monster you are.

:small_blue_diamond: **shootdog** <member>

Shoot the given member's dog, like the monster you are.

tender trellis
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help

lean flickerBOT
#
Bans commands
:small_blue_diamond: **isbanned** <user>

Checks whether the given user is banned.

gaunt wigeon
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faq past tense

lean flickerBOT
#
Perfekt
How to form the Perfekt tense

The Perfekt tense is formed by combining an auxiliary verb (haben or sein) with the past participle form of the main verb.

For example, if I want to write the past tense of “essen”/“to eat”, such as in the English sentence “I ate”, I first need to know the auxiliary verb that goes with essen (which happens to be haben), and the past participle form of essen (which is gegessen).

I can then combine them with the usual verb conjugation and word order rules, as such:
Ich habe gegessen. -> I ate. / I have eaten.
Ich habe das Brot gegessen. -> I ate the bread. / I have eaten the bread.

How to determine the past participle?

Just look it up in the dictionary! There are a few general patterns you can also learn about, but a dictionary will pretty much always list the past participle somewhere near the verb itself.

When to use haben and when to use sein as the auxiliary verb?

The basic rules are:
• Transitive verbs (verbs which take an accusative object) use haben
• Intransitive verbs which describe a change of location or change of state use sein
• Other intransitive verbs use haben

This may not be a 100% reliable set of rules, so if in doubt, you can always use a dictionary to verify the correct auxiliary. Also note that there are a few regional variations.

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faq Dativ

lean flickerBOT
#
When do I use the dative case?

The dative case has a great number of usages, many of which are idiomatic, but is mainly used:

- to mark the indirect object of many transitive verbs (the indirect objectis that which receives the result of an action)

Ich habe dir ein Bier gekauft.
Sie gibt dem Mann das Buch.
Er zeigte ihm seinen Führerschein.

- to mark the object of some transitive verbs:

Dir fehlen die richtigen Materialien.
Es fällt mir bestimmt gleich wieder ein.
Das gefällt ihr gar nicht.

- after some prepositions:

Ich komme aus den USA.
Komm mit mir.
Ich lerne seit vielen Jahren Deutsch.

The following prepositions are always followed by the dative case:

aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu

- after two-way prepositions when they do not indicate movement:

Das Bild hängt jetzt an der Wand.
Er joggt im Wald. (he is jogging in the woods)
Sie steht vor mir.

- to show possession, mainly of clothing or body parts:

Ich habe mir in die Finger geschnitten.
Er hat ihr die Nase gebrochen.
Die Mütze fiel mir vom Kopf.

- with many adjectives:

Ich war mir nicht sicher.
Ist dir kalt? (See >ex impersonal verbs for why there is no subject here.)
Er ist seinem Bruder sehr ähnlich.

hollow summit
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help

lean flickerBOT
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Groups commands
:small_blue_diamond: **📒 group**

Commands for the bot's group system. You can use these to join and leave groups.
Group moderators can also start sessions, ping members and manage group membership.

hollow summit
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verb haben

lean flickerBOT
hollow summit
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verb haben präsens

lean flickerBOT
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:x: Infinitives only contain letters!

hollow summit
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faq imperativ

lean flickerBOT
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Imperative
Overview

The imperative is one of the three grammatical moods in German (the other two being the indicative and the subjunctive) and is used to express commands and requests.

Usage
Since commands are given directly to other people, the imperative is used only in the second person.
Examples:
du kommst -> Komm! (2nd person singular)
ihr kommt -> Kommt! (2nd person plural)
Sie kommen -> Kommen Sie! (formal, singular or plural)

A request can be made more polite by adding bitte
Examples:
Mach bitte die Tür zu!
Bitte hilf mir!

Sometimes modal particles (especially mal and doch) may also be used to make a request sound less harsh
Examples:
Kommen Sie doch bitte herein!
Bring mal die Stühle in den Garten!

On the next page: Structure of the imperative

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faq Akkusativ

lean flickerBOT
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When do I use the accusative case?

The accusative case is mainly used:

- to mark the direct object of many transitive verbs

Ich lese einen Roman.
Er hat die schöne Frau ermordet.
Sie besitzen kein Auto.

- after some prepositions

Danke für deine Hilfe!
Ohne dich kann ich nicht leben.
Sie hatten keine Einwände gegen den Plan.

The following prepositions are always followed by the accusative case:

bis, durch, für, gegen, ohne, um

- to indicate movement in a particular direction in two-way prepositions

Er steigt auf den Gipfel.
Sie hängt das Bild an die Wand.
Ich gehe gleich ins Bett. (ins = in das)

- by adverbials of time and measurement

A definite length or point in time:
Ich habe den ganzen Tag geschlafen.
Sie kommt nächste Woche zurück.

A measurement:
Das Kind ist vier Jahre alt.
Das Tier ist einen Meter groß.

Expressing distance with verbs of motion:
Ich ging die Treppe hinauf.
Ich lief den ganzen Weg zu Fuß.

- in common greetings and wishes

Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend!
Gute Besserung!
Herzlichen Glückwunsch!

Here there is an implicit verb such as 'wünschen', where the greeting/wish is the direct object.

tender trellis
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
nimble merlin
#

faq cefr

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#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

static valve
#

sessions

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#

There are no sessions currently scheduled.

grim carbon
#

faq Nicos Weg

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#
Nicos

Nicos Weg is a free online program aimed at helping people learn German. It includes video, audio, text, grammar explanations, notes, vocabulary, and exercises. It also includes very useful cultural and bureaucratic information, such as how to open a bank account, while teaching you the relevant grammar and vocabulary.

It’s fairly popular and well-recommended, but keep in mind that you can’t learn a language with only one resource, even if it’s a good one!

You can find the courses here: https://learngerman.dw.com/en/overview/

You can also see various other courses for learners by dw.com here: https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469/

rotund osprey
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
robust gulch
#

faq gender patterns

lean flickerBOT
#
**Neuter words (das)**
  • nominalised verbs (das Leben, das Lesen)
  • metals (das Gold, das Kupfer)
  • babies and cubs (das Baby, das Lamm)
  • diminutives in -chen/-lein (das Hündchen)
  • words ending in:
    -- -ment das Experiment, das Sakrament
    -- -ma (usually of Greek origin) das Komma, das Thema
coarse spindle
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faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

static valve
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
hollow summit
#

verb Sieben

lean flickerBOT
hollow summit
#

verb seit

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: All infinitives end with 'n'!

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verb sein

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faq anki

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faq cefr

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CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

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faq beginner

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How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
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faq getting started

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FAQ not found. I found the following similar entry: How to get started (1)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

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faq how to get started

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
silver solstice
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explain all

lean flickerBOT
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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Roles

:small_blue_diamond: Seeing verbs

Aliases: Sehen, Schauen

:small_blue_diamond: So and also

:small_blue_diamond: Stative Passive

Aliases: Zustandspassiv, Statal passive

:small_blue_diamond: Structure of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 2

:small_blue_diamond: Study Vocabulary

Aliases: Unterrichten, Studieren, Lernen, Beibringen

:small_blue_diamond: Swiss German

Aliases: gsw

:small_blue_diamond: Switzerland

Aliases: Schweiz, CH

:small_blue_diamond: Two-way prepositions

Aliases: Two way prepositions, Dual prepositions

:small_blue_diamond: Umlauts

Aliases: Umlaute, Umlaut, ä, ö, ü

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Freund and Freundin

Aliases: Freundin, Friend, Friend vs. Boyfriend, Friend vs. Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Freund

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 1

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of zu

Aliases: Um zu

:small_blue_diamond: Verbs with prepositions

Aliases: Verb prepositions, Pferd's verb list

:small_blue_diamond: Vorgangspassiv

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explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

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explain Dativ

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When do I use the dative case?

The dative case has a great number of usages, many of which are idiomatic, but is mainly used:

- to mark the indirect object of many transitive verbs (the indirect objectis that which receives the result of an action)

Ich habe dir ein Bier gekauft.
Sie gibt dem Mann das Buch.
Er zeigte ihm seinen Führerschein.

- to mark the object of some transitive verbs:

Dir fehlen die richtigen Materialien.
Es fällt mir bestimmt gleich wieder ein.
Das gefällt ihr gar nicht.

- after some prepositions:

Ich komme aus den USA.
Komm mit mir.
Ich lerne seit vielen Jahren Deutsch.

The following prepositions are always followed by the dative case:

aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu

- after two-way prepositions when they do not indicate movement:

Das Bild hängt jetzt an der Wand.
Er joggt im Wald. (he is jogging in the woods)
Sie steht vor mir.

- to show possession, mainly of clothing or body parts:

Ich habe mir in die Finger geschnitten.
Er hat ihr die Nase gebrochen.
Die Mütze fiel mir vom Kopf.

- with many adjectives:

Ich war mir nicht sicher.
Ist dir kalt? (See >ex impersonal verbs for why there is no subject here.)
Er ist seinem Bruder sehr ähnlich.

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explain KII 1

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Usage of Konjunktiv II

Konjunktiv II: Usage
Konjunktiv II is a grammatical mood that expresses irreality - it describes something that isn't guaranteed to happen.

(1) Wenn ich Millionen Dollar hätte, würde ich alle Speisen der ganzen Welt probieren. = “If I had million dollars, I would try all dishes around the world.”
(2) Wäre ich Mod, würde ich alle bannen. = “If I were a Mod, I would ban everybody.”

Konjunktiv II is also used as a form of politeness.
(3) Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen? = “Could you help me, please?”

And it also replaces Konjunktiv I (see >explain Konjunktiv I) when the conjugation of Konjunktiv I is ambiguous. For example, when it matches Präsens:
(4) Sie sagte, ich brauche sie. ➡️ Sie sagte, ich würde sie brauchen.

Now that we have explained the usage of Konjunktiv II, let’s see how it’s built!
Type >explain Structure of Konjunktiv II to read the second part.

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explain cases

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Cases

Cases
German has four grammatical cases (der Fall or der Kasus in German): nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive. A case alters a noun, pronoun, adjective, etc., in some way to mark its grammatical function in a phrase, clause, or sentence. For example, the main function of the nominative (der Nominativ) case is to mark the subject in a sentence:

Ich liebe die deutsche Sprache!

In this sentence, the pronoun ich represents the first person subject and is in the nominative case. Every noun, pronoun, adjective, etc. has form in every case and it is very important to learn all of them. For example, the accusative form of ich is mich:

Die deutsche Sprache liebt mich!

See >explain adjective declension to get started on that. Don't get discouraged by how much there is, it takes some time master.

To see an explanation of the usages of every case, see their individual articles:
>explain nominative
>explain accusative
>explain dative
>explain genitive

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faq beginner

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How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
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faq

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:x: The required argument name is missing.

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faq all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Roles

:small_blue_diamond: Seeing verbs

Aliases: Sehen, Schauen

:small_blue_diamond: So and also

:small_blue_diamond: Stative Passive

Aliases: Zustandspassiv, Statal passive

:small_blue_diamond: Structure of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 2

:small_blue_diamond: Study Vocabulary

Aliases: Unterrichten, Studieren, Lernen, Beibringen

:small_blue_diamond: Swiss German

Aliases: gsw

:small_blue_diamond: Switzerland

Aliases: Schweiz, CH

:small_blue_diamond: Two-way prepositions

Aliases: Two way prepositions, Dual prepositions

:small_blue_diamond: Umlauts

Aliases: Umlaute, Umlaut, ä, ö, ü

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Freund and Freundin

Aliases: Freundin, Friend, Friend vs. Boyfriend, Friend vs. Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Freund

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 1

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of zu

Aliases: Um zu

:small_blue_diamond: Verbs with prepositions

Aliases: Verb prepositions, Pferd's verb list

:small_blue_diamond: Vorgangspassiv

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explain Two-way prepositions

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explain genitive

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help

lean flickerBOT
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Groups commands
:small_blue_diamond: **📒 group**

Commands for the bot's group system. You can use these to join and leave groups.
Group moderators can also start sessions, ping members and manage group membership.

lunar plaza
#

explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

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explain Best way to learn German

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Factors that influence learning a language

The following factors (and many others) can influence how easily or quickly you learn German. Remember that everyone is different and these factors will influence different people in different ways.

Native language

As an example, if your native language is English, you may need more time than someone who speaks Dutch.

Previous language learning

Some learners find it easier to learn German if they have already learned a foreign language, or if they have a natural ability to learn languages.

Methods

Some are able to identify what type of learner they are, and leverage that to their benefit.

Discipline and Motivation

Learning a language is fun and exciting at first, but it can be easy to lose motivation and become less disciplined very quickly.

Consistency

Learning a little bit each day every week is generally considered better than studying for several hours, one day per week.

Grammar

The time needed to acquire grammar passively is quite large, so German learners who actively study grammar typically make less grammar mistakes as they progress.

Exposure and immersion

Interacting with native speakers and consuming native content such as the news, magazines, books, movies, podcasts, etc. can help tremendously with achieving an idiomatic usage of the language.

Training each ability equally

Listening, reading, speaking, writing, translating and interpreting are all various abilities associated with language learning. Training these abilities equally is important to ensure that a person can not only pass a language test, but also have the ability to use the language in various contexts while demonstrating great control over grammar.

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faq akkusativ

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When do I use the accusative case?

The accusative case is mainly used:

- to mark the direct object of many transitive verbs

Ich lese einen Roman.
Er hat die schöne Frau ermordet.
Sie besitzen kein Auto.

- after some prepositions

Danke für deine Hilfe!
Ohne dich kann ich nicht leben.
Sie hatten keine Einwände gegen den Plan.

The following prepositions are always followed by the accusative case:

bis, durch, für, gegen, ohne, um

- to indicate movement in a particular direction in two-way prepositions

Er steigt auf den Gipfel.
Sie hängt das Bild an die Wand.
Ich gehe gleich ins Bett. (ins = in das)

- by adverbials of time and measurement

A definite length or point in time:
Ich habe den ganzen Tag geschlafen.
Sie kommt nächste Woche zurück.

A measurement:
Das Kind ist vier Jahre alt.
Das Tier ist einen Meter groß.

Expressing distance with verbs of motion:
Ich ging die Treppe hinauf.
Ich lief den ganzen Weg zu Fuß.

- in common greetings and wishes

Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend!
Gute Besserung!
Herzlichen Glückwunsch!

Here there is an implicit verb such as 'wünschen', where the greeting/wish is the direct object.

tender trellis
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faq Dativ

lean flickerBOT
#
When do I use the dative case?

The dative case has a great number of usages, many of which are idiomatic, but is mainly used:

- to mark the indirect object of many transitive verbs (the indirect objectis that which receives the result of an action)

Ich habe dir ein Bier gekauft.
Sie gibt dem Mann das Buch.
Er zeigte ihm seinen Führerschein.

- to mark the object of some transitive verbs:

Dir fehlen die richtigen Materialien.
Es fällt mir bestimmt gleich wieder ein.
Das gefällt ihr gar nicht.

- after some prepositions:

Ich komme aus den USA.
Komm mit mir.
Ich lerne seit vielen Jahren Deutsch.

The following prepositions are always followed by the dative case:

aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu

- after two-way prepositions when they do not indicate movement:

Das Bild hängt jetzt an der Wand.
Er joggt im Wald. (he is jogging in the woods)
Sie steht vor mir.

- to show possession, mainly of clothing or body parts:

Ich habe mir in die Finger geschnitten.
Er hat ihr die Nase gebrochen.
Die Mütze fiel mir vom Kopf.

- with many adjectives:

Ich war mir nicht sicher.
Ist dir kalt? (See >ex impersonal verbs for why there is no subject here.)
Er ist seinem Bruder sehr ähnlich.

hollow berry
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faq genders

lean flickerBOT
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Grammatical gender

German nouns are sorted in three different genders: masculine, neuter and feminine. These have nothing to do with sex or social gender.
The first thing genders will influence are articles like der, das, die. Each word has its own and you better get it right: some words that look identical can have different meanings depending on the gender they're used with. For example:
die Band = the (musical) band,
der Band = the (book) volume,
das Band = the tape.

Some words, mainly trademarks and loanwords, have multiple acceptable genders while having no change in meaning:
der Jogurt = das Jogurt
das Virus = der Virus
These may vary by region or colloquiality.

💢 But WHY, German, WHY
Gender is actually quite useful! Since sentence structure is less rigid than in English, grammatical case helps you tell the various elements apart (with some practice), and that works through genders: each gender has its own forms, which makes everything a little less ambiguous. Besides, as you've seen with Band above, it allows us to make up words with different meanings that look the same but are not ambiguous, and if that's not magic, I don't know what is. ✨

🙀 But how am I supposed to tell them apart? 🙀
Check out >explain gender patterns. 😉

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explain gender patterns

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Gender patterns

Unfortunately, many German words don't have immediately clear clues that reveal it, but thankfully, many common words do follow patterns that reveal their gender.
In general, you are advised to learn the article together with the word (and its plural!).
Plural forms always use die and follow plural declension rules, which are the same for all genders (yay 🎉).
For compound words, remember that only the last word matters.
Type >explain grammatical gender for an explanation on grammatical gender.

Here's a list of patterns to recognise word gender.
Note that exceptions may apply.

karmic peak
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How join vc

lean flickerBOT
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@karmic peak, please read the Roles section in #getting-started for info on how to join VC and more.

karmic peak
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Join vc

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How enter voice

lean flickerBOT
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@karmic peak, please read the Roles section in #getting-started for info on how to join VC and more.

karmic peak
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Enter vc

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Can join vc

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What join vc

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How get voice

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How enter chat

tender trellis
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Walt 15 min

keen grail
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faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
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CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

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example

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sessions

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There are no sessions currently scheduled.

lean flickerBOT
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:x: The required argument input is missing.

#

German, like all natural languages, enables you to accurately express your thoughts, convey information, and state your intentions to other humans.

torn aspen
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
ornate cradle
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
agile temple
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join Vic

#

join vc

tawdry fossil
#

faq beginner

#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
winged sedge
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faq how to learn german fast

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entries: How long does it take to learn German, Best way to learn German, How long to learn, Learn fast, Learn German fast, Fastest way to learn.

winged sedge
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faq learn fast

lean flickerBOT
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Best way to learn German

There isn’t only one “best” way to learn German, especially since different methods work better for different people. However, this FAQ will outline the main aspects of learning efficiently, which you can cater to your needs.

If you’re a beginner, type >faq beginner in #botchannel to see our beginner guide.

Cover all skills

There are many combinations of activities you can use to study and practice a language. How do you know which combinations are suitable? The key is to make sure you cover each of the main skills with at least one activity. Some activities only train one skills, while some train multiple – either is fine, as long as all the 6 skills are covered somewhere in your studies.

The skills

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Grammar
• Vocabulary

Which resources should I use?

It doesn’t really matter which resources you use, as long as you can follow along, and the information is correct and reliable. If you have any doubts about whether a resource is correct, feel free to ask. You do not need to find just one resource and stick to it – in fact, to learn best, it’s recommended that you use a large variety of resources and switch between them when needed.

Type >faq resources in #botchannel to see our list of resources.

On the next page

• Should I study all these skills every day?
• How much time should I dedicate to studying?

winged sedge
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@knotty shard

knotty shard
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danke

winged sedge
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faq remind 60

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

winged sedge
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remind 60

lean flickerBOT
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:x: The argument time (60) is malformed.

winged sedge
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remind 60s

lean flickerBOT
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:x: The required argument message is missing.

hollow summit
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ex grammer terms

lean flickerBOT
#
Grammar terms

When learning languages, it's useful to know some grammatical terms.
Note that these are very simplified definitions aimed at giving you a general idea: do your own research if you need details.

  • Adjective: a word that describes a name: the dog is old or the smart kid.
  • Adverb: something that aids the verb or other part of the sentence, or words that don't fall into other categories: yes, I've done it swiftly or he's very good.
  • Affix: a small word piece attached to another word to change its meaning. If it comes before the word it's a prefix: __in__credible, after it it's a suffix: time__ly__.
  • Article: a word that tells you if a name is specific or generic: the apple, an apple.
  • Case: the form of a word depending on its role: he and him refer to the same person, but he gives an apple to him.
  • Clause: each unit that has one conjugated verb. Those before and after the comma are each a clause: Berzi said something, but I didn't understand.
  • Conjugation: the form a verb takes depending on when it happens and who does it: I go, he goes, he went are all conjugations of the same verb.
  • Conjunction: a word that connects two clauses together: he went there but I didn't.
  • Declension: the form a word takes depending on its case: der Mann is a subject, den Mann is an object.
  • Noun: the name of a thing, such as table or dog.
  • Object: the one at the receiving end of the verb, or being affected by it directly: he touched me, she gave her an apple.
  • Pronoun: a word that stands in for a name: he gave me a ring. I like it.
  • Subject: the one that enacts the verb in first person: I saw a dog or a dog saw me.
  • Tense: the form of a verb depending on when it happens: I see: present, I will see: future.
  • Verb: a word describing an action: I go running every day.
lean flickerBOT
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deft edge
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
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How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
obsidian raft
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help

lean flickerBOT
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Meme 2/2 commands
:small_blue_diamond: **patcow** <member>

Pats the given member's cow.

:small_blue_diamond: **petdog** <member>

Pets the given member's dog.

:small_blue_diamond: **shootcat** <member>

Shoot the given member's cat, like the monster you are.

:small_blue_diamond: **shootdog** <member>

Shoot the given member's dog, like the monster you are.

grim carbon
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Switzerland german

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swiss german

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Switzerland

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swiss

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Bruh

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faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
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CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

tender trellis
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
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How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
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faq genitiv

lean flickerBOT
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When do I use the genitive case?

The genitive case is mainly used:

- to link nouns, especially when showing possession

Dies ist der größte Bahnhof der Welt.
Die Hälfte des Kuchens gehört mir.
Es gibt noch einen Strahl der Hoffnung.

For proper names, the order is reversed and an 's' is attached to the proper name as long as it does not end with an 's' sound.

Deutschlands längster Fluss ist der Rhein.

- to mark the object of very few transitive verbs

Empfindliche Haut bedarf besonderer Pflege.
Heute gedenkt die Nation des Jahrestages der Verfassung.
Wir harren einer Antwort.

- after some prepositions

The following prepositions are commonly followed by the genitive case in written German, but usually with the dative case in spoken German:

(an)statt, trotz, während, wegen

Prepositions denoting position are usually followed by the genitive case:

außerhalb, innerhalb, oberhalb, unterhalb, jenseits

A great number of prepositions that are only used in formal German, such as:

angesichts, bezüglich, einschließlich, fernab, infolge, namens, seitens, zugunsten

- by adverbials of indefinite time

Eines Tages werde ich Deutsch beherrschen.
Sonntags sind wir meist unterwegs.
Eines Nachts hörte ihr Vater sie weinen.

Note the declension in the last sentence. Although it is die Nacht, it assumes a similar form as the rest.

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faq

lean flickerBOT
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:x: The required argument name is missing.

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faq list

lean flickerBOT
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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Roles

:small_blue_diamond: Seeing verbs

Aliases: Sehen, Schauen

:small_blue_diamond: So and also

:small_blue_diamond: Stative Passive

Aliases: Zustandspassiv, Statal passive

:small_blue_diamond: Structure of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 2

:small_blue_diamond: Study Vocabulary

Aliases: Unterrichten, Studieren, Lernen, Beibringen

:small_blue_diamond: Swiss German

Aliases: gsw

:small_blue_diamond: Switzerland

Aliases: Schweiz, CH

:small_blue_diamond: Two-way prepositions

Aliases: Two way prepositions, Dual prepositions

:small_blue_diamond: Umlauts

Aliases: Umlaute, Umlaut, ä, ö, ü

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Freund and Freundin

Aliases: Freundin, Friend, Friend vs. Boyfriend, Friend vs. Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Freund

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 1

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of zu

Aliases: Um zu

:small_blue_diamond: Verbs with prepositions

Aliases: Verb prepositions, Pferd's verb list

:small_blue_diamond: Vorgangspassiv

tender trellis
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
halcyon bronze
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faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

modest lintel
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faq weak nouns

lean flickerBOT
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Weak Nouns

Weak nouns are called this way because they receive the same endings as adjectives inflected with weak endings. They take an additional ending -n in every case except nominative singular. This is also known as N-Declension and affects almost exclusively masculine nouns.

Nominativ: der Junge, die Junge__n__
Genitiv: des Junge__n__, der Junge__n__
Dativ: dem Junge__n__, den Junge__n__
Akkusativ: den Junge__n__, die Junge__n__

Some nouns end with a suffix -en to make the pronunciation easier:
der Mensch, den Mensch__en__

Das Herz is the only non-masculine (neuter) noun with N-Declension❣

So how do we recognize these nouns? We can divide them into 3 big groups:

  1. nouns of Greek and Latin origin,
  2. nouns ending with -e (most of these refer to people or animals),
  3. other random German nouns (Mensch, Herr, Student, Nachbar, Prinz etc.)

Another way to divide the groups could be:

  1. nouns denoting male beings in general (der Bauer, der Knabe, der Herr, der Junge, der Kunde etc.)
  2. nouns indicating nationality or religious affiliation (der Chinese, der Russe, der Türke, der Jude, der Katholik, der Protestant)
  3. nouns designating male beings and ending in the foreign suffixes (-ant, -arch, -ast, -ege, -ent, -ist, -oge, -om, -oph, -ot: der Kollege, der Student, der Psychologe, der Polizist, der Philosoph)

der Käse and words ending with -ee aren’t weak nouns.

Genitive of Weak Nouns
You might have noticed from the examples above that weak nouns don’t have the additional -s in genitive like other masculine nouns.
Some exceptions are das Herz and nouns of group 3 that don’t refer to people nor animals (Name, Wille, Glaube, Buchstabe etc.), which take both the -n and -s endings.
Example: der Name, des Name__ns__.

robust gulch
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faq n deklination

lean flickerBOT
#
Weak Nouns

Weak nouns are called this way because they receive the same endings as adjectives inflected with weak endings. They take an additional ending -n in every case except nominative singular. This is also known as N-Declension and affects almost exclusively masculine nouns.

Nominativ: der Junge, die Junge__n__
Genitiv: des Junge__n__, der Junge__n__
Dativ: dem Junge__n__, den Junge__n__
Akkusativ: den Junge__n__, die Junge__n__

Some nouns end with a suffix -en to make the pronunciation easier:
der Mensch, den Mensch__en__

Das Herz is the only non-masculine (neuter) noun with N-Declension❣

So how do we recognize these nouns? We can divide them into 3 big groups:

  1. nouns of Greek and Latin origin,
  2. nouns ending with -e (most of these refer to people or animals),
  3. other random German nouns (Mensch, Herr, Student, Nachbar, Prinz etc.)

Another way to divide the groups could be:

  1. nouns denoting male beings in general (der Bauer, der Knabe, der Herr, der Junge, der Kunde etc.)
  2. nouns indicating nationality or religious affiliation (der Chinese, der Russe, der Türke, der Jude, der Katholik, der Protestant)
  3. nouns designating male beings and ending in the foreign suffixes (-ant, -arch, -ast, -ege, -ent, -ist, -oge, -om, -oph, -ot: der Kollege, der Student, der Psychologe, der Polizist, der Philosoph)

der Käse and words ending with -ee aren’t weak nouns.

Genitive of Weak Nouns
You might have noticed from the examples above that weak nouns don’t have the additional -s in genitive like other masculine nouns.
Some exceptions are das Herz and nouns of group 3 that don’t refer to people nor animals (Name, Wille, Glaube, Buchstabe etc.), which take both the -n and -s endings.
Example: der Name, des Name__ns__.

thick gazelle
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
autumn fulcrum
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help

lean flickerBOT
#
Help commands
:small_blue_diamond: **help** [term]

Displays help information for modules and individual commands. The optional argument term is the search term to use. If no value is provided, the bot will display a list of all available modules. Otherwise, it will attempt to find information about the given term.

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faq accusative

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Accusative

The accusative case (der Akkusativ) is one of the four cases of the German language. A case affects how a noun or noun phrase is inflected, and indicates the role of the noun or noun phrase in a clause.

How do I decline in the accusative case?

Feminine and neuter nouns and adjectives are the same as nominative. Masculine determiners, adjectives, and weak nouns gain an -en ending::

Ich esse den/einen/keinen kleinen Apfel.

Personal pronouns differ for:

ich --> mich
du --> dich
er --> ihn
wir --> uns
ihr --> euch

For a full explanation see >explain adjective declension

hollow summit
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ex grammar terms

lean flickerBOT
#
Grammar terms

When learning languages, it's useful to know some grammatical terms.
Note that these are very simplified definitions aimed at giving you a general idea: do your own research if you need details.

  • Adjective: a word that describes a name: the dog is old or the smart kid.
  • Adverb: something that aids the verb or other part of the sentence, or words that don't fall into other categories: yes, I've done it swiftly or he's very good.
  • Affix: a small word piece attached to another word to change its meaning. If it comes before the word it's a prefix: __in__credible, after it it's a suffix: time__ly__.
  • Article: a word that tells you if a name is specific or generic: the apple, an apple.
  • Case: the form of a word depending on its role: he and him refer to the same person, but he gives an apple to him.
  • Clause: each unit that has one conjugated verb. Those before and after the comma are each a clause: Berzi said something, but I didn't understand.
  • Conjugation: the form a verb takes depending on when it happens and who does it: I go, he goes, he went are all conjugations of the same verb.
  • Conjunction: a word that connects two clauses together: he went there but I didn't.
  • Declension: the form a word takes depending on its case: der Mann is a subject, den Mann is an object.
  • Noun: the name of a thing, such as table or dog.
  • Object: the one at the receiving end of the verb, or being affected by it directly: he touched me, she gave her an apple.
  • Pronoun: a word that stands in for a name: he gave me a ring. I like it.
  • Subject: the one that enacts the verb in first person: I saw a dog or a dog saw me.
  • Tense: the form of a verb depending on when it happens: I see: present, I will see: future.
  • Verb: a word describing an action: I go running every day.
outer portal
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
solar drum
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faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

median fox
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faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

median fox
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faq cefr A

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. I found the following similar entry: CEFR (1)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

median fox
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faq cefr 1

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entry: CEFR (1)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

median fox
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faq cefr A1

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entry: CEFR (1)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

median fox
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faq cefr @level A1

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entry: CEFR levels (1)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

red zodiac
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
vernal patio
#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
Session Schedule commands
:small_blue_diamond: **📒 session**

Commands for the bot's session scheduling system.
Group moderators can edit and delete existing sessions for their group.

vernal patio
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Dialects

#

dialect

#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
Bans commands
:small_blue_diamond: **isbanned** <user>

Checks whether the given user is banned.

vernal patio
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help resources

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No command or module called resources found.

vernal patio
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help resource

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#

No entries are currently available.

vernal patio
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help dialect

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#

No command or module called dialect found.

vernal patio
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faq

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#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

vernal patio
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faq dialects

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

vernal patio
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explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Imperative

Aliases: imperativ

:small_blue_diamond: Impersonal Verbs

Aliases: Unpersönliche Verben, Impersonal es

:small_blue_diamond: IPA

Aliases: Pronunciation, Sound transcription, International Phonetic Alphabet

:small_blue_diamond: Languages in <#221708975698083841>

Aliases: English in #general, Why English, Why is everyone speaking English in #general?

:small_blue_diamond: Lessons

Aliases: Sessions, Activities

:small_blue_diamond: Looking for information

Aliases: correct channel, information, right place to ask, right channel

:small_blue_diamond: Negation

Aliases: Nicht, Kein

:small_blue_diamond: Nicos

Aliases: Nicos Weg

:small_blue_diamond: Nominative

Aliases: Nominativ

:small_blue_diamond: Omission of movement verbs

:small_blue_diamond: Other languages

Aliases: languages

:small_blue_diamond: Passive

Aliases: Passiv

:small_blue_diamond: Past Tense

Aliases: perfekt, präteritum, praeteritum, present perfect, simple past

:small_blue_diamond: Prepositions of Place Part 1

Aliases: Nach-In-Auf-Zu

:small_blue_diamond: Resources

Aliases: Resource list

vernal patio
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
hollow plank
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faq gender

lean flickerBOT
#
Grammatical gender

German nouns are sorted in three different genders: masculine, neuter and feminine. These have nothing to do with sex or social gender.
The first thing genders will influence are articles like der, das, die. Each word has its own and you better get it right: some words that look identical can have different meanings depending on the gender they're used with. For example:
die Band = the (musical) band,
der Band = the (book) volume,
das Band = the tape.

Some words, mainly trademarks and loanwords, have multiple acceptable genders while having no change in meaning:
der Jogurt = das Jogurt
das Virus = der Virus
These may vary by region or colloquiality.

💢 But WHY, German, WHY
Gender is actually quite useful! Since sentence structure is less rigid than in English, grammatical case helps you tell the various elements apart (with some practice), and that works through genders: each gender has its own forms, which makes everything a little less ambiguous. Besides, as you've seen with Band above, it allows us to make up words with different meanings that look the same but are not ambiguous, and if that's not magic, I don't know what is. ✨

🙀 But how am I supposed to tell them apart? 🙀
Check out >explain gender patterns. 😉

hollow plank
#

explain gender patterns`

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entries: Gender patterns (1), Gender (2)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

hollow plank
#

explain gender patterns

lean flickerBOT
#
**Feminine words (die)**
  • many words ending in -e (die Nase, die Kiste)
  • words ending in:
    -- -in (feminine professions/roles): die Verkäuferin, die Lehrerin
    -- -ei die Fischerei, die Bäckerei
    -- -schaft die Mannschaft, die Gemeinschaft
    -- -heit/-keit die Freiheit, die Gerechtigkeit
    -- -ung die Bedeutung, die Achtung
    -- -ion die Aktion, die Religion
    -- -ik die Logistik, die Logik
    -- -anz words of classical origin: die Allianz, die Toleranz
    -- -ur die Natur, die Kultur
    -- -tät die Professionalität, die Kriminalität
chrome pollen
#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
Generic commands
:small_blue_diamond: **info** [user]

Displays information about the given user. If no user is specified, information about you will be displayed.

:small_blue_diamond: **quote** <message>

Quotes a message in the channel you are in.
As input specify the mention or name of the channel that the message was originally posted in and provide the message id of the message (accessible if you turn on developer mode in your Discord settings).
Instead of channel and message id you may also specify a message link.

:small_blue_diamond: **roles**

Lists all roles on the server.

:small_blue_diamond: **serverinfo**

Shows information about the current guild.

:small_blue_diamond: **showcolor** <hex code>

Shows an image of the given color hex code.

unique snow
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
willow geyser
#

Hallo

vivid drum
#

beginner

#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
radiant python
#

faq Präteritum

lean flickerBOT
#
Past Tense

German has two basic past tenses: Perfekt and Präteritum.

What’s the difference? Which one should I use?

To put it simply: Perfekt is used for spoken and casual German, and Präteritum is used for formal writing such as novels. For anything in between or if you’re unsure, it’s best to simply ask a native speaker. But most of the time, you will be using Perfekt, so it’s recommended that you learn that first!

However, even when you are using the Perfekt tense, a few verbs are often still used in Präteritum. This varies by region! Some native speakers use 100% Perfekt tense when they speak, but most people use at least a few words with Präteritum in their speech.

The main verbs commonly used in Präteritum form even when using Perfekt are:
• haben (e.g. ich hatte instead of ich habe gehabt)
• sein (e.g. ich war instead of ich bin gewesen)
• modal verbs
• wissen, denken (e.g. ich wusste, ich dachte)

The following are sometimes also used in Präteritum form but not as pervasively:
• bleiben, brauchen, finden, geben, gehen, laufen, liegen, rufen, sehen, sitzen, stehen, tun

lapis plume
#

faq präteritum

lean flickerBOT
#
Perfekt
How to form the Perfekt tense

The Perfekt tense is formed by combining an auxiliary verb (haben or sein) with the past participle form of the main verb.

For example, if I want to write the past tense of “essen”/“to eat”, such as in the English sentence “I ate”, I first need to know the auxiliary verb that goes with essen (which happens to be haben), and the past participle form of essen (which is gegessen).

I can then combine them with the usual verb conjugation and word order rules, as such:
Ich habe gegessen. -> I ate. / I have eaten.
Ich habe das Brot gegessen. -> I ate the bread. / I have eaten the bread.

How to determine the past participle?

Just look it up in the dictionary! There are a few general patterns you can also learn about, but a dictionary will pretty much always list the past participle somewhere near the verb itself.

When to use haben and when to use sein as the auxiliary verb?

The basic rules are:
• Transitive verbs (verbs which take an accusative object) use haben
• Intransitive verbs which describe a change of location or change of state use sein
• Other intransitive verbs use haben

This may not be a 100% reliable set of rules, so if in doubt, you can always use a dictionary to verify the correct auxiliary. Also note that there are a few regional variations.

lapis plume
#

explain gender patterns

lean flickerBOT
#
**Neuter words (das)**
  • nominalised verbs (das Leben, das Lesen)
  • metals (das Gold, das Kupfer)
  • babies and cubs (das Baby, das Lamm)
  • diminutives in -chen/-lein (das Hündchen)
  • words ending in:
    -- -ment das Experiment, das Sakrament
    -- -ma (usually of Greek origin) das Komma, das Thema
graceful creek
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
gusty estuary
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
unkempt bough
#

faq Freund

lean flickerBOT
#
What does Freund/Freundin mean?
Does it mean *"friend"*, *"boyfriend/girlfriend"* or both?

It can mean both, although the meaning depends on the context in which the word is used. There are, however, a few commonly used ways to make its meaning clearer:

***ein* Freund/*eine* Freundin (von mir)**

Means a friend (of mine) = one of many.

In most cases it's clear that it refers to a friend and not a partner. Adding von mir emphasizes that even more.

Examples:
Eine Freundin von mir ist Ingenieurin. - A friend of mine is an engineer.
Ich habe einen Freund getroffen. - I met a friend.
but: Sie hat einen Freund. - She has a boyfriend.
_ _
_ _

***mein* Freund/*meine* Freundin**

Means my boyfriend/girlfriend.

In most cases this would refer to a partner.

Examples:
Meine Freundin ist endlich zu mir gezogen. Wir sind seit einem Jahr zusammen.
My girlfriend finally moved in with me. We've been together for a year.

but: Meine gute Freundin Arrem macht ausgezeichnete Pizza.
My good friend Arrem makes excellent pizza.
_ _
_ _

**fester Freund/feste Freundin**

In this case it's clear that it's referring to a partner and not a friend.

Examples:
Ich habe einen festen Freund, aber leider nur in meinen Träumen.
I have a boyfriend, but sadly only in my dreams.

storm mulch
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
lean flickerBOT
#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

rancid pebble
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
lean flickerBOT
#

There are no sessions currently scheduled.

junior oak
#

faq linq

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

junior oak
#

explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

junior oak
#

faq apps to learn German

lean flickerBOT
#
Best way to learn German

There isn’t only one “best” way to learn German, especially since different methods work better for different people. However, this FAQ will outline the main aspects of learning efficiently, which you can cater to your needs.

If you’re a beginner, type >faq beginner in #botchannel to see our beginner guide.

Cover all skills

There are many combinations of activities you can use to study and practice a language. How do you know which combinations are suitable? The key is to make sure you cover each of the main skills with at least one activity. Some activities only train one skills, while some train multiple – either is fine, as long as all the 6 skills are covered somewhere in your studies.

The skills

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Grammar
• Vocabulary

Which resources should I use?

It doesn’t really matter which resources you use, as long as you can follow along, and the information is correct and reliable. If you have any doubts about whether a resource is correct, feel free to ask. You do not need to find just one resource and stick to it – in fact, to learn best, it’s recommended that you use a large variety of resources and switch between them when needed.

Type >faq resources in #botchannel to see our list of resources.

On the next page

• Should I study all these skills every day?
• How much time should I dedicate to studying?

junior oak
#

faq duolingo

lean flickerBOT
#
Duolingo

Duolingo is a decent resource to start with if you're a complete beginner, but it's neither efficient nor comprehensive!

What Duolingo will teach you about grammar is very limited, and none of the systems they use will help you practise much of it.
You can learn some vocabulary with it, but their method (based on the concept of spaced repetition) doesn't work for everybody, and the way Duolingo teaches is not very effective compared to the amount of time it requires from you.

So, if you find it useful, by all means keep using it, but remember not to fall for its gamification of language learning, and move past it when it stops being beneficial. Ignore the streaks.

In any case, keep in mind that Duolingo is not enough to learn a language, ever.

If you're looking for guidance or alternatives, check out >faq beginner in our #botchannel .

junior oak
#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
Eval commands
:small_blue_diamond: **eval** <code>

Evaluate the given code using an external compilation service. Any attempt to abuse this command will lead to a permanent blacklist.
Supported languages are: csharp (cs), java, python (py), c, c++ (cpp), haskell (hs), perl, nasm, javascript (js), lisp, kotlin (kt), brainfuck (bf) and rust (rs).
To use the command, specify a code block with your language of choice and provide any desired input in the same message, after the code block.
Example invocation with input:

`​`​`py
print('Hello,', input())
`​`​`
Barnabus Sandlers```
*Note: write out the command yourself, the example won't work if you copy it, due to Discord's formatting.*
:small_blue_diamond: Language specific notes:
- C# - the namespace and class must be called `Rextester` and `Program` respectively.
- Java - the class must be called `Rextester`
quasi elm
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
tiny sky
#

hello USA🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅

misty girder
#

hallo

proven radish
#

faq beginner

lunar plaza
#

gaq

#

faq

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

lunar plaza
#

help

#

explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Imperative

Aliases: imperativ

:small_blue_diamond: Impersonal Verbs

Aliases: Unpersönliche Verben, Impersonal es

:small_blue_diamond: IPA

Aliases: Pronunciation, Sound transcription, International Phonetic Alphabet

:small_blue_diamond: Languages in <#221708975698083841>

Aliases: English in #general, Why English, Why is everyone speaking English in #general?

:small_blue_diamond: Lessons

Aliases: Sessions, Activities

:small_blue_diamond: Looking for information

Aliases: correct channel, information, right place to ask, right channel

:small_blue_diamond: Negation

Aliases: Nicht, Kein

:small_blue_diamond: Nicos

Aliases: Nicos Weg

:small_blue_diamond: Nominative

Aliases: Nominativ

:small_blue_diamond: Omission of movement verbs

:small_blue_diamond: Other languages

Aliases: languages

:small_blue_diamond: Passive

Aliases: Passiv

:small_blue_diamond: Past Tense

Aliases: perfekt, präteritum, praeteritum, present perfect, simple past

:small_blue_diamond: Prepositions of Place Part 1

Aliases: Nach-In-Auf-Zu

:small_blue_diamond: Resources

Aliases: Resource list

tender trellis
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
silent dome
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
winged sedge
#

explain dative

lean flickerBOT
#
When do I use the dative case?

The dative case has a great number of usages, many of which are idiomatic, but is mainly used:

- to mark the indirect object of many transitive verbs (the indirect objectis that which receives the result of an action)

Ich habe dir ein Bier gekauft.
Sie gibt dem Mann das Buch.
Er zeigte ihm seinen Führerschein.

- to mark the object of some transitive verbs:

Dir fehlen die richtigen Materialien.
Es fällt mir bestimmt gleich wieder ein.
Das gefällt ihr gar nicht.

- after some prepositions:

Ich komme aus den USA.
Komm mit mir.
Ich lerne seit vielen Jahren Deutsch.

The following prepositions are always followed by the dative case:

aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu

- after two-way prepositions when they do not indicate movement:

Das Bild hängt jetzt an der Wand.
Er joggt im Wald. (he is jogging in the woods)
Sie steht vor mir.

- to show possession, mainly of clothing or body parts:

Ich habe mir in die Finger geschnitten.
Er hat ihr die Nase gebrochen.
Die Mütze fiel mir vom Kopf.

- with many adjectives:

Ich war mir nicht sicher.
Ist dir kalt? (See >ex impersonal verbs for why there is no subject here.)
Er ist seinem Bruder sehr ähnlich.

granite jolt
#

sessions

lean flickerBOT
#

There are no sessions currently scheduled.

alpine sand
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
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faq resources

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explain dativ

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When do I use the dative case?

The dative case has a great number of usages, many of which are idiomatic, but is mainly used:

- to mark the indirect object of many transitive verbs (the indirect objectis that which receives the result of an action)

Ich habe dir ein Bier gekauft.
Sie gibt dem Mann das Buch.
Er zeigte ihm seinen Führerschein.

- to mark the object of some transitive verbs:

Dir fehlen die richtigen Materialien.
Es fällt mir bestimmt gleich wieder ein.
Das gefällt ihr gar nicht.

- after some prepositions:

Ich komme aus den USA.
Komm mit mir.
Ich lerne seit vielen Jahren Deutsch.

The following prepositions are always followed by the dative case:

aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu

- after two-way prepositions when they do not indicate movement:

Das Bild hängt jetzt an der Wand.
Er joggt im Wald. (he is jogging in the woods)
Sie steht vor mir.

- to show possession, mainly of clothing or body parts:

Ich habe mir in die Finger geschnitten.
Er hat ihr die Nase gebrochen.
Die Mütze fiel mir vom Kopf.

- with many adjectives:

Ich war mir nicht sicher.
Ist dir kalt? (See >ex impersonal verbs for why there is no subject here.)
Er ist seinem Bruder sehr ähnlich.

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explain adjective declension

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explain

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:x: The required argument name is missing.

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commands

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faq beginner

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How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
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faq Nicos Weg

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Nicos

Nicos Weg is a free online program aimed at helping people learn German. It includes video, audio, text, grammar explanations, notes, vocabulary, and exercises. It also includes very useful cultural and bureaucratic information, such as how to open a bank account, while teaching you the relevant grammar and vocabulary.

It’s fairly popular and well-recommended, but keep in mind that you can’t learn a language with only one resource, even if it’s a good one!

You can find the courses here: https://learngerman.dw.com/en/overview/

You can also see various other courses for learners by dw.com here: https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469/

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faq datif

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Dative

The dative case (der Dativ) is one of the four cases of the German language. A case affects how a noun or noun phrase is inflected, and indicates the role of the noun or noun phrase in a clause.

How do I decline in the dative case?

Nouns, pronouns, and adjective declension is completely different compared to the nominative case. See >explain adjective declension for a full explanation.

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explain dative

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Dative

The dative case (der Dativ) is one of the four cases of the German language. A case affects how a noun or noun phrase is inflected, and indicates the role of the noun or noun phrase in a clause.

How do I decline in the dative case?

Nouns, pronouns, and adjective declension is completely different compared to the nominative case. See >explain adjective declension for a full explanation.

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explain adjective declension

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faq Modalpartikel

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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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faq doch

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Doch

doch for beginners
Germans tend to use the word doch in lots of different situations. But what does it mean, and when do you use it? ⁉

🔆 Using doch to contradict negative statements 🔆
You can use doch to contradict a negative statement/question in the same manner as you would use nein to contradict a positive statement.

(1) Laura hat keinen Fernseher, oder? - Doch, sie hat einen Fernseher!
Laura doesn't have a TV, does she? - Yes, she does!
(2) Du kannst kein Schach spielen! - Doch, das kann ich!
You can't play chess! - Yes, I can!
💡 With doch, correctly answering negative questions (with positive tags) has never been easier. Isn't that awesome? Doch, it is! 😏

🔅 Using doch as an adversative conjunction 🔅
You can also use doch as an adversative conjunction (yet, however, ...).

(3) Du hattest genug Zeit, doch du hast nicht für die Prüfung gelernt.
You had enough time, yet you didn't study for the exam.
(4) Es ist noch nicht Sommer, doch es ist fast genauso heiß.
It is not yet summer, it is, however, almost as hot.
‼ Keep in mind that doch as an adversative conjunction doesn't change the word order. ‼

🔅 Using doch as a subjunctive 🔅
Furthermore, you can use doch in concessive clauses.

(5) Auch wenn wir erwarteten, zu verlieren, so haben wir das Spiel doch gewonnen.
Though we expected to lose, we still won the game.
(6) Obwohl sie sehr nett ist, findet sie doch keine neuen Freunde.
Although she's very kind, she doesn't make new friends.

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faq beginner

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How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
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There are no sessions currently scheduled.

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faq bitte

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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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explain all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

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faw best way to learn german

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FAQ best way to learn german

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faq best way to learn german

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Factors that influence learning a language

The following factors (and many others) can influence how easily or quickly you learn German. Remember that everyone is different and these factors will influence different people in different ways.

Native language

As an example, if your native language is English, you may need more time than someone who speaks Dutch.

Previous language learning

Some learners find it easier to learn German if they have already learned a foreign language, or if they have a natural ability to learn languages.

Methods

Some are able to identify what type of learner they are, and leverage that to their benefit.

Discipline and Motivation

Learning a language is fun and exciting at first, but it can be easy to lose motivation and become less disciplined very quickly.

Consistency

Learning a little bit each day every week is generally considered better than studying for several hours, one day per week.

Grammar

The time needed to acquire grammar passively is quite large, so German learners who actively study grammar typically make less grammar mistakes as they progress.

Exposure and immersion

Interacting with native speakers and consuming native content such as the news, magazines, books, movies, podcasts, etc. can help tremendously with achieving an idiomatic usage of the language.

Training each ability equally

Listening, reading, speaking, writing, translating and interpreting are all various abilities associated with language learning. Training these abilities equally is important to ensure that a person can not only pass a language test, but also have the ability to use the language in various contexts while demonstrating great control over grammar.

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faq anki

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Flashcard Tips

When creating flashcards it is not enough to just have a single german word on one side, and a single word translation on the other side of the card. You want to provide details that match your learning style and help you better understand what the word means.

For nouns

At the very least, include the gender and the plural form. E.g. Der Mann | Die Männer or Der Mann -:er Whichever form helps you recognise the plural ending and any vowel changes. You may also want to add a note for weak masculine nouns. (See >explain N-Declension.)

For verbs

Include the infinitive, the preterite (simple past) and the past participle (perfect form). E.g. rennen | rannte | gerannt or for a separable verb anrufen | rief an | angerufen. For irregular verbs, you may want to list all present tense conjugations. You may also want to include if the verb uses haben or sein as its auxiliary.

For all words

Adding an example sentence is important for helping you understand the usage and context of a word (dwds.de and linguee.com are good sources of example sentences). You may also want to add multiple translations for words that have multiple meanings. E.g. Die Auflage can mean both a requirement, and the edition of a book. You may also want to try picture cues or audio recordings (possible sources for voice recordings include dict.cc, linguee.com, duden.de, and wiktionary.de).

Close Passages

Flashcards based on close passages can be a very effective way to learn new vocabulary. E.g. put Ich kaufe Lebensmittel im [blank] ein. on one side of the flashcard, and Ich kaufe Lebensmittel im *Markt* ein; der Markt, die Märkte - market. This places vocabulary in context to help you understand its meaning and usages, and also provides you with whole phrases that help jolt your memory when trying to remember an individual word.

Recall vs. Reproduction

Flashcards are most effective when they train your ability to reproduce knowledge. I.e. Seeing the word Baum and recognising it as tree is a lot less effective than being able to look at a picture of a tree and know it means der Baum. Taking that a step further you want to be able to also know that that while die Struktur also means 'tree', it doesn't actually mean the plant. When creating flashcards, try to design them with these concepts in mind. E.g. Using minimal or no flashcards that show you a german word and ask you to recall what it means in english, and instead focus on the other way around: giving you an english word and asking you to recall what it means in german.

Other Flashcard Apps

Other commonly used flashcard apps you may want to check out include:

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:x: This command can only be used by a staff member.

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translate atmet

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translate "atmet"

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:x: The required argument phrase is missing.

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help

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German commands
:small_blue_diamond: **lookup** <target> <phrase>

Translates the given phrase into the specified target language using dict.cc. Specify either en or de as targets.

:small_blue_diamond: **noun** <noun>

Provides a link to the declension of the given noun.

:small_blue_diamond: **verb** <infinitive>

Provides a link to the conjugation of the given infinitive.

:small_blue_diamond: **words**

A command that helps you train vocabulary using dict.cc.

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lookup atmet

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:x: The required argument phrase is missing.

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lookup en atmet

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Translations for atmet:
**:small_blue_diamond:** sb. breathes

jd. atmet

**:small_blue_diamond:** sb. inhales

jd. atmet ein

**:small_blue_diamond:** sb. sth. respires

jd. etw. atmet auf

**:small_blue_diamond:** breathed gentle fragrance

Ich atmet' einen linden Duft [G. Mahler]

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how enter vc

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@karmic peak, please read the Roles section in #getting-started for info on how to join VC and more.

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how enter room

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how enter voice

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@karmic peak, please read the Roles section in #getting-started for info on how to join VC and more.

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how enter chat

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frag cefr

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faq cefr

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CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

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explain TeKaMoLo

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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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faq TeKaMoLo

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faq TeKaMoLo

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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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explain all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Roles

:small_blue_diamond: Seeing verbs

Aliases: Sehen, Schauen

:small_blue_diamond: So and also

:small_blue_diamond: Stative Passive

Aliases: Zustandspassiv, Statal passive

:small_blue_diamond: Structure of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 2

:small_blue_diamond: Study Vocabulary

Aliases: Unterrichten, Studieren, Lernen, Beibringen

:small_blue_diamond: Swiss German

Aliases: gsw

:small_blue_diamond: Switzerland

Aliases: Schweiz, CH

:small_blue_diamond: Two-way prepositions

Aliases: Two way prepositions, Dual prepositions

:small_blue_diamond: Umlauts

Aliases: Umlaute, Umlaut, ä, ö, ü

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Freund and Freundin

Aliases: Freundin, Friend, Friend vs. Boyfriend, Friend vs. Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Freund

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 1

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of zu

Aliases: Um zu

:small_blue_diamond: Verbs with prepositions

Aliases: Verb prepositions, Pferd's verb list

:small_blue_diamond: Vorgangspassiv

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help

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Reminders commands
:small_blue_diamond: **📒 remind** <time> <message>

Has the bot remind you about things. You can specify a time in a short time format (e.g., 1y, 7w, 2mo, 1h30m) or a long format (e.g, 2020-12-31 23:59 CET) and a message for your reminder text.

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explain n-declension

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Weak Nouns

Weak nouns are called this way because they receive the same endings as adjectives inflected with weak endings. They take an additional ending -n in every case except nominative singular. This is also known as N-Declension and affects almost exclusively masculine nouns.

Nominativ: der Junge, die Junge__n__
Genitiv: des Junge__n__, der Junge__n__
Dativ: dem Junge__n__, den Junge__n__
Akkusativ: den Junge__n__, die Junge__n__

Some nouns end with a suffix -en to make the pronunciation easier:
der Mensch, den Mensch__en__

Das Herz is the only non-masculine (neuter) noun with N-Declension❣

So how do we recognize these nouns? We can divide them into 3 big groups:

  1. nouns of Greek and Latin origin,
  2. nouns ending with -e (most of these refer to people or animals),
  3. other random German nouns (Mensch, Herr, Student, Nachbar, Prinz etc.)

Another way to divide the groups could be:

  1. nouns denoting male beings in general (der Bauer, der Knabe, der Herr, der Junge, der Kunde etc.)
  2. nouns indicating nationality or religious affiliation (der Chinese, der Russe, der Türke, der Jude, der Katholik, der Protestant)
  3. nouns designating male beings and ending in the foreign suffixes (-ant, -arch, -ast, -ege, -ent, -ist, -oge, -om, -oph, -ot: der Kollege, der Student, der Psychologe, der Polizist, der Philosoph)

der Käse and words ending with -ee aren’t weak nouns.

Genitive of Weak Nouns
You might have noticed from the examples above that weak nouns don’t have the additional -s in genitive like other masculine nouns.
Some exceptions are das Herz and nouns of group 3 that don’t refer to people nor animals (Name, Wille, Glaube, Buchstabe etc.), which take both the -n and -s endings.
Example: der Name, des Name__ns__.

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faq beginner

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How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
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faq resources

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okay

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faq

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:x: The required argument name is missing.

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explain all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Roles

:small_blue_diamond: Seeing verbs

Aliases: Sehen, Schauen

:small_blue_diamond: So and also

:small_blue_diamond: Stative Passive

Aliases: Zustandspassiv, Statal passive

:small_blue_diamond: Structure of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 2

:small_blue_diamond: Study Vocabulary

Aliases: Unterrichten, Studieren, Lernen, Beibringen

:small_blue_diamond: Swiss German

Aliases: gsw

:small_blue_diamond: Switzerland

Aliases: Schweiz, CH

:small_blue_diamond: Two-way prepositions

Aliases: Two way prepositions, Dual prepositions

:small_blue_diamond: Umlauts

Aliases: Umlaute, Umlaut, ä, ö, ü

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Freund and Freundin

Aliases: Freundin, Friend, Friend vs. Boyfriend, Friend vs. Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Freund

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 1

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of zu

Aliases: Um zu

:small_blue_diamond: Verbs with prepositions

Aliases: Verb prepositions, Pferd's verb list

:small_blue_diamond: Vorgangspassiv

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faq um zu

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Usage of zu

Usage of ZU
Zu is a word that has a lot of uses.
As a preposition it means “to/towards”. (see >ex Dative and >ex Prepositions of Place Part 1)

But it can also be used to indicate an infinitive/gerund in a sentence, for example:
(1) Es ist schwierig, Deutsch zu lernen. = “Learning German is hard.” or ”It’s hard to learn German.”
As you can see, the zu is placed before the infinitive verb that has no prefix or a non-separable prefix. For verbs with a separable prefix, the zu goes between the prefix and the verb with no space in between:
(2) Ich habe heute bloß vor, Essen einzukaufen. = I only plan to buy food today.

You can also see it in the um...zu structure, where it means ”in order to”.
The um goes to the beginning of the phrase and zu works the same way as explained above.
(3) Wir sind zum Supermarkt gegangen, um etwas Brot zu kaufen. = We went to the shop (in order) to buy some bread.
(4) Ich lerne Deutsch, um mit Deutschen reden zu können. = I am learning German (in order) to be able to speak to Germans.
‼you can use um...zu only if the people doing both actions are the same. So in the examples above:
• in (3) we go and we buy bread
• in (4) I learn and I speak
❌ *ich gebe ihm ein Geschenk, um er glücklich zu sein - This and other weird stuffs are WRONG!
🌟 Bonus: When you want to say in order to, but the subjects are different, you use the subordinate conjunction damit.

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ex prepositions

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FAQ not found. I found the following similar entries: Prepositions of Place Part 1, Dual prepositions, Two-way prepositions, Verb prepositions, Two way prepositions, Verbs with prepositions.

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ex prepositions of place part 1

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Prepositions of Place Part 1

Generally you use the preposition nach when talking about going to countries, cities or directions, for example:
(1) Ich fahre nach Berlin. (I’m going to Berlin.)
(2) Ich gehe nach Westen. (I’m going west.)
(3) Ich fahre nach Deutschland. (I'm going to Germany.)

‼ Note that nach does not work with countries or regions that take an article. In this case you need to replace it with in, for example: Ich fahre in die Schweiz. (I’m going to Switzerland.)
In addition to that you will need to use auf for specific islands, for example: Ich fliege auf die Balearen. (I fly to the Balearic Islands.)
Here you can find a map with countries that take an article: http://i.imgur.com/QRFA2WI.png

🌟 nach is also idiomatically used in nach Hause gehen (to go home)

The preposition zu is used when talking about going to people, or places with a proper name, for example:
(4) Ich gehe zu ihm. (I go to him.)
(5) Ich gehe zum [zu dem] Arzt. (I go to the doctor.)
(6) Ich gehe zu Aldi. (I go to Aldi.)

You use in if you will end up inside a place or location, for example:
(7) Ich gehe in die Kirche. (I go to church.)
(8) Ich gehe ins [in das] Kino. (I go to the cinema.)

You use auf if you will end up on something, or for going to formal events, for example:
(9) Ich klettere auf den Berg. (I climb up the mountain.)
(10) Ich gehe auf die Toilette. (I go to the toilet.)
(11) Ich gehe auf eine Party. (I go to a party.)

🌟 When in doubt, use zu, since you can often replace in and auf with zu, for example:
(12) Ich gehe zur Kirche. (I go to the church.) [but not necessarily inside]
(13) Ich gehe zu einer Party. (I go to a party.)

‼ However, note that you cannot replace zu with in if it would be absurd to speak of going inside:
(14) Ich fahre in die Kirche. (I drive into the church.)

tender trellis
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
glass roost
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
livid grail
#

faq Präsens

lean flickerBOT
#
Conjugation

Präsens (Present Tense)
When you use a verb in a sentence (or clause), you have to conjugate it (change the form) to match the subject of the sentence (or clause).

For example, in English, we write I eat but he/she eats. The verb has a different ending! The concept is the same in German, except German has more endings.

The first thing you need to know in order to conjugate verbs is: which ending fits which subject? Here is a simple verb “trinken” (to drink) as an example:

trinken
ich trinke
du trinkst
er/sie/es trinkt
wir trinken
ihr trinkt
sie trinken / Sie trinken
(Note: the conjugation for sie (they) and Sie (formal you) is always the same)

Vowel/Stem Changes
There are a few variations and exceptions, but the most important is vowel changes (also called stem changes). Some verbs get a vowel change, which only affects the du and er/sie/es forms of the verb. (However, modal verbs and wissen have their own special pattern, which also has a vowel change in the ich form.)

Example: ich schlafe, du schläfst

Other Changes
There are various other differences but I can’t describe them all here, so please read these websites or use Google to find more information: https://www.vistawide.com/german/grammar/german_verbs_present_tense.htm
https://www.thoughtco.com/german-present-tense-verbs-4074838
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~deutsch/Grammatik/PresentTense/Present.html

livid grail
#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
German commands
:small_blue_diamond: **lookup** <target> <phrase>

Translates the given phrase into the specified target language using dict.cc. Specify either en or de as targets.

:small_blue_diamond: **noun** <noun>

Provides a link to the declension of the given noun.

:small_blue_diamond: **verb** <infinitive>

Provides a link to the conjugation of the given infinitive.

:small_blue_diamond: **words**

A command that helps you train vocabulary using dict.cc.

livid grail
#

lookup en ins

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for ins:
**:small_blue_diamond:** into (the)

ins [in das]

**:small_blue_diamond:** into abstruseness

ins Abstruse

**:small_blue_diamond:** into touch *[football]*

ins Aus

**:small_blue_diamond:** abroad *[to* *foreign* *country* *or* *to* *foreign* *countries]*

ins Ausland

**:small_blue_diamond:** overseas *[to* *foreign* *country]*

ins Ausland

livid grail
#

lookup de ins

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for ins:
**:small_blue_diamond:** In-countries <Ins> *[Länder,* *die* *die* *EU-Konvergenzkriterien* *erfüllen]*

"in" countries <Ins>

**:small_blue_diamond:** Add-ins

add-ins

**:small_blue_diamond:** Einbrüche

break-ins [burglaries]

**:small_blue_diamond:** Einbaumöbel

built-ins

**:small_blue_diamond:** Einbauten

built-ins

livid grail
#

lookup en gehe

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for gehe:
**:small_blue_diamond:** Go!

Gehe!

**:small_blue_diamond:** am going.

Ich gehe.

**:small_blue_diamond:** Gehe Foundation

Gehe-Stiftung

**:small_blue_diamond:** am going shopping.

Ich gehe einkaufen.

**:small_blue_diamond:** I'm off.

Ich gehe jetzt.

livid grail
#

lookup en tier

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for tier:
**:small_blue_diamond:** animal *[attr.]*

Tier-

**:small_blue_diamond:** pet *[attr.]* *[e.g.* *cemetery,* *clothing,* *food,* *lover,* *shop]*

Tier- [Heimtier-] [z. B. Friedhof, Kleidung, Nahrung, Freund, Handlung]

**:small_blue_diamond:** animal *[also:* *fig]*

Tier [auch: fig.]

**:small_blue_diamond:** beast

Tier

**:small_blue_diamond:** brute

Tier

livid grail
#

lookup en sein

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument phrase is missing.

livid grail
#

lookup en sein

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for sein:
**:small_blue_diamond:** his *[determiner]*

sein

**:small_blue_diamond:** *[we]* are

[wir] sein [regional] [sind]

**:small_blue_diamond:** its *[determiner]*

sein

**:small_blue_diamond:** his *[possessive]*

sein [poetisch veraltet]

**:small_blue_diamond:** their *[non-gender-specific]* *[after* *an* *indefinite* *singular* *antecedent* *in* *place* *of* *"his"* *or* *"her"* *or* *"his* *or* *her"]*

[geschlechtsneutral, statt „sein“ oder „ihr“ oder „sein oder ihr“]

#

Invalid target language. Specify en or de.

livid grail
#

lookup en könnte

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for könnte:
**:small_blue_diamond:** sb. might

jd. könnte

**:small_blue_diamond:** sb. sth. may *[might]*

jd. etw. könnte

**:small_blue_diamond:** sb. sth. could *[would* *be* *able]*

jd. etw. könnte

**:small_blue_diamond:** sb. would be able

jd. könnte

**:small_blue_diamond:** *[I]* couldn't *[would* *not* *be* *able]*

[ich] könnte nicht

livid grail
#

lookup en sein könnte

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for sein könnte:
**:small_blue_diamond:** There is chance ...

Es könnte sein ...

**:small_blue_diamond:** sth. may be necessary

etw. könnte notwendig sein

**:small_blue_diamond:** He might have died. *[It's* *possibility* *that* *he* *did]*

Er könnte gestorben sein.

**:small_blue_diamond:** Worse things happen at sea.

Es könnte schlimmer sein.

**:small_blue_diamond:** It is possible that ...

Es könnte sein, dass ...

livid grail
#

lookup en wäre

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for wäre:
**:small_blue_diamond:** sb. sth. were *[subjunctive]*

jd. etw. wäre

**:small_blue_diamond:** sb. would be

jd. wäre

**:small_blue_diamond:** The perfect case would be ...

Ideal wäre ...

**:small_blue_diamond:** Which is what?

Welches wäre?

**:small_blue_diamond:** What would that be?

Das da wäre?

livid grail
#

lookup en heiße

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for heiße:
**:small_blue_diamond:** The name is ... *[coll.]*

Ich heiße ...

**:small_blue_diamond:** hot issues

heiße Aktien

**:small_blue_diamond:** hot ash

heiße Asche

**:small_blue_diamond:** heated atmosphere

heiße Atmosphäre

**:small_blue_diamond:** fox *[Am.]* *[sl.]* *[attractive* *woman]*

heiße Braut [ugs.]

livid grail
#

lookup en Wenn ich ein Tier sein könnte

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for Wenn ich ein Tier sein könnte:
**:small_blue_diamond:** But if think about that, can't recall any.

Wenn ich überlege, fällt mir aber gerade keiner ein.

**:small_blue_diamond:** love it when plan comes together. *[The* *A-Team]*

Ich liebe es, wenn ein Plan funktioniert. [Das A-Team]

**:small_blue_diamond:** would like see him, but only for few hours.

Ich würde ihn gern sehen, wenn auch nur für ein paar Stunden.

**:small_blue_diamond:** would like see him, if only for few hours.

Ich würde ihn gern sehen, auch wenn es nur für ein paar Stunden ist.

**:small_blue_diamond:** ceased be child.

Ich hörte auf, ein Kind zu sein.

livid grail
#

lookup de Wenn ich ein Tier sein könnte

lean flickerBOT
#
Translations for Wenn ich ein Tier sein könnte:
**:small_blue_diamond:** Ich bin stolz darauf, sagen zu können: "Ich bin ein Berliner"!

take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner"! [John F. Kennedy]

**:small_blue_diamond:** das Sein

the Sein

**:small_blue_diamond:** äquivalentes Eingangsrauschen

equivalent input noise <EIN>

**:small_blue_diamond:** *[Identifikationsnummer* *des* *Arbeitgebers* *in* *den* *USA.* *Um* *Mitarbeiter* *beschäftigen* *zu* *dürfen,* *muss* *eine* *US-Firma* *diese* *EIN* *beantragen.]*

employer identification number <EIN> [Am.]

**:small_blue_diamond:** Vier-Schichten-Architektur <4-Schichten-Architektur>

four-tier architecture <4-tier architecture>

winged sedge
#

faq Keyboard

lean flickerBOT
#
German letters

Being able to type German letters is quite important!

  • Schon = already. Schön = beautiful.
  • Mutter = mother. Mütter = mothers.

How to? There are several options.
🔸 Use a program like AutoHotkey. Download the program from https://www.autohotkey.com/ and read the pinned message in #resources for instructions on how to set it up. It can be used with any keyboard layout and the hotkeys can be customised.

🔸 US International layout: this is basically just a US keyboard layout with extra characters, so if you're using a US-style keyboard or something similar, the transition is very easy! Everything stays as you know it, except that some of the symbol keys can be used to create the special characters. For example " + a = ä. You can also do RightAlt + s = ß.
To use US International on Windows, look for the Region & Language options and switch your selected keyboard layout to US International.

🔸 If you are on Mac, there are two simple possibilities:

  • The accent menu - Pressing and holding a letter key will display multiple variants of the letter, including umlauts, which can then be selected using the number keys.
  • Dead keys - Pressing Option + u, then pressing a, u, or o, respectively, will display the umlaut variant of that letter. You can also press Option + s to enter ß.
    See this support article for more information:
    https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/enter-characters-with-accent-marks-on-mac-mh27474/mac

See the next page for more alternatives.

summer hound
#

faq

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

summer hound
#

faq keyboard

stuck dune
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
summer ginkgo
#

faq Präteritum

lean flickerBOT
#
Perfekt
How to form the Perfekt tense

The Perfekt tense is formed by combining an auxiliary verb (haben or sein) with the past participle form of the main verb.

For example, if I want to write the past tense of “essen”/“to eat”, such as in the English sentence “I ate”, I first need to know the auxiliary verb that goes with essen (which happens to be haben), and the past participle form of essen (which is gegessen).

I can then combine them with the usual verb conjugation and word order rules, as such:
Ich habe gegessen. -> I ate. / I have eaten.
Ich habe das Brot gegessen. -> I ate the bread. / I have eaten the bread.

How to determine the past participle?

Just look it up in the dictionary! There are a few general patterns you can also learn about, but a dictionary will pretty much always list the past participle somewhere near the verb itself.

When to use haben and when to use sein as the auxiliary verb?

The basic rules are:
• Transitive verbs (verbs which take an accusative object) use haben
• Intransitive verbs which describe a change of location or change of state use sein
• Other intransitive verbs use haben

This may not be a 100% reliable set of rules, so if in doubt, you can always use a dictionary to verify the correct auxiliary. Also note that there are a few regional variations.

summer ginkgo
#

faq Perfekt

lean flickerBOT
#
Perfekt
How to form the Perfekt tense

The Perfekt tense is formed by combining an auxiliary verb (haben or sein) with the past participle form of the main verb.

For example, if I want to write the past tense of “essen”/“to eat”, such as in the English sentence “I ate”, I first need to know the auxiliary verb that goes with essen (which happens to be haben), and the past participle form of essen (which is gegessen).

I can then combine them with the usual verb conjugation and word order rules, as such:
Ich habe gegessen. -> I ate. / I have eaten.
Ich habe das Brot gegessen. -> I ate the bread. / I have eaten the bread.

How to determine the past participle?

Just look it up in the dictionary! There are a few general patterns you can also learn about, but a dictionary will pretty much always list the past participle somewhere near the verb itself.

When to use haben and when to use sein as the auxiliary verb?

The basic rules are:
• Transitive verbs (verbs which take an accusative object) use haben
• Intransitive verbs which describe a change of location or change of state use sein
• Other intransitive verbs use haben

This may not be a 100% reliable set of rules, so if in doubt, you can always use a dictionary to verify the correct auxiliary. Also note that there are a few regional variations.

humble walrus
#

emojistats user 366602364888809473

lean flickerBOT
#
User Emoji Stats for cosmamaus#0000
Total Amount Of Emoji Uses

11906

Total Amount Of Emoji Reaction Uses

4706

Top Emojis
  1. hmmnote (1630 uses, 14%, 2.93 uses/day)
  2. im_angy (1422 uses, 12%, 2.7 uses/day)
  3. acid_do_mathematics (887 uses, 7%, 1.05 use/day)
  4. peepohappy (636 uses, 5%, 0.75 uses/day)
  5. sadge (538 uses, 5%, 0.9 uses/day)
  6. flort (517 uses, 4%, 1.89 use/day)
  7. peeposus (424 uses, 4%, 0.59 uses/day)
  8. peepocry (420 uses, 4%, 0.5 uses/day)
  9. thisissmittyirl (388 uses, 3%, 0.65 uses/day)
  10. idiotbulli (376 uses, 3%, 0.45 uses/day)
Top Reaction Emojis
  1. hmmnote (912 uses, 19% 1.64 use/day)
  2. acid_do_mathematics (394 uses, 8% 0.47 uses/day)
  3. im_angy (210 uses, 4% 0.4 uses/day)
  4. peeposus (209 uses, 4% 0.29 uses/day)
  5. peepopat (166 uses, 4% 0.2 uses/day)
  6. angrybeer (157 uses, 3% 0.57 uses/day)
  7. peepohappy2 (144 uses, 3% 0.23 uses/day)
  8. thisissmittyirl (140 uses, 3% 0.23 uses/day)
  9. peepocry (138 uses, 3% 0.16 uses/day)
  10. peepohappy (134 uses, 3% 0.16 uses/day)
balmy citrus
#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
Bans commands
:small_blue_diamond: **isbanned** <user>

Checks whether the given user is banned.

ionic hearth
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
winged sedge
#

impersonal verbs

#

ex impersonal verbs

lean flickerBOT
#
Common usages of impersonal subject es

Impersonal es is commonly used:

- with verbs referring to weather

Es wird morgen sehr wahrscheinlich regnen.
Bei Temperaturen über 0°C taut es.
Jetzt blitzt es wieder.

- with verbs referring to natural phenomena

Wie viel Zeit habe ich, wenn es in meiner Wohnung brennt?
Hier zieht es ganz fürchterlich, mach bitte die Tür zu.
Es riecht nach Algen vom Meer und nach gebrannten Mandeln.

These verbs can have an agent, but are used impersonally if the agent is unclear or unknown.

- with verbs referring to noises

Es klopfte an der Tür.
Es krachte gewaltig, als das Haus einstürzte.
Es brodelte und zischte im Inneren des Kessels und dünne Dampfwolken stiegen empor.

These verbs can have an agent, but are used impersonally if the agent is unclear or unknown.

- with verbs referring to sensations and emotions

Es friert mich.
Es graut mir vor der Prüfung.
Es hält ihn hier nicht länger.

With these verbs, the impersonal es denotes an unknown or unclear force causing the sensation and an accusative object indicates who is experiencing the action.

- with sein or werden and a dative object to indicate a sensation

Ist (es) dir kalt?
Mir wird schwindlig.
ich trank einen heißen Tee und mir war sofort warm.

Unless it is in the first postion of a clause, the impersonal es is often omitted with these verbs.

- with reflexive verbs and the impersonal passive

Es wurde mir empfohlen, mit dir zu reden.
Es wurde der Toten gedacht.
Es lebt sich gut in und um Darmstadt herum.

In this usage, the impersonal es is always the first element in a clause or is hidden by other elements which take its place.

=- in various idiomatic constructions*

Einen besseren Weg gibt es nicht.
Ich hoffe, dass es dir gut geht.
Es handelt sich nicht um deinen Job.

naive atlas
#

faqbeginner

#

faq. beginner

#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
naive atlas
#

faq resources

regal junco
#

faq Beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
robust gulch
#

faq konjunktiv ii

lean flickerBOT
#
Usage of Konjunktiv II

Konjunktiv II: Usage
Konjunktiv II is a grammatical mood that expresses irreality - it describes something that isn't guaranteed to happen.

(1) Wenn ich Millionen Dollar hätte, würde ich alle Speisen der ganzen Welt probieren. = “If I had million dollars, I would try all dishes around the world.”
(2) Wäre ich Mod, würde ich alle bannen. = “If I were a Mod, I would ban everybody.”

Konjunktiv II is also used as a form of politeness.
(3) Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen? = “Could you help me, please?”

And it also replaces Konjunktiv I (see >explain Konjunktiv I) when the conjugation of Konjunktiv I is ambiguous. For example, when it matches Präsens:
(4) Sie sagte, ich brauche sie. ➡️ Sie sagte, ich würde sie brauchen.

Now that we have explained the usage of Konjunktiv II, let’s see how it’s built!
Type >explain Structure of Konjunktiv II to read the second part.

robust gulch
#

faq konjunktiv i

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entries: Structure of Konjunktiv II (1), Usage of Konjunktiv II (2)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

robust gulch
#

explain konjunktiv i

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entries: Structure of Konjunktiv II (1), Usage of Konjunktiv II (2)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

tall totem
#

faw beginner

#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
tidal elbow
tender trellis
#

faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

austere dagger
#

faq fastest way to learn

lean flickerBOT
#
Best way to learn German

There isn’t only one “best” way to learn German, especially since different methods work better for different people. However, this FAQ will outline the main aspects of learning efficiently, which you can cater to your needs.

If you’re a beginner, type >faq beginner in #botchannel to see our beginner guide.

Cover all skills

There are many combinations of activities you can use to study and practice a language. How do you know which combinations are suitable? The key is to make sure you cover each of the main skills with at least one activity. Some activities only train one skills, while some train multiple – either is fine, as long as all the 6 skills are covered somewhere in your studies.

The skills

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Grammar
• Vocabulary

Which resources should I use?

It doesn’t really matter which resources you use, as long as you can follow along, and the information is correct and reliable. If you have any doubts about whether a resource is correct, feel free to ask. You do not need to find just one resource and stick to it – in fact, to learn best, it’s recommended that you use a large variety of resources and switch between them when needed.

Type >faq resources in #botchannel to see our list of resources.

On the next page

• Should I study all these skills every day?
• How much time should I dedicate to studying?

#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
brisk swan
#

faq Nicos Weg

lean flickerBOT
#
Nicos

Nicos Weg is a free online program aimed at helping people learn German. It includes video, audio, text, grammar explanations, notes, vocabulary, and exercises. It also includes very useful cultural and bureaucratic information, such as how to open a bank account, while teaching you the relevant grammar and vocabulary.

It’s fairly popular and well-recommended, but keep in mind that you can’t learn a language with only one resource, even if it’s a good one!

You can find the courses here: https://learngerman.dw.com/en/overview/

You can also see various other courses for learners by dw.com here: https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469/

red cave
#

faq

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

red cave
#

faq omission of movement

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entry: Omission of movement verbs (1)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

red cave
#

faq omission of movement verbs

lean flickerBOT
#
Omission of movement verbs

When it's obvious that a verb of movement is meant, it is implied:

  • ich muss zur Toilette
  • ich will nach Deutschland

This happens when there's

  1. a preposition of movement, and
  2. a modal verb.
    Without any of these two, the sentence is too generic and you can't infer what's happening.

It comes in handy since movement verbs in german are rather specific (you either go on foot, fly, or go with a vehicle, you can't just generically gosomewhere).
So if the target is a country, like nach Deutschland, this helps you get away with not mentioning whether you're going to fly there, drive or go by train, or cross the border on foot: you just say ich muss nach Deutschland, I have [to go] to Germany.

red cave
#

faq help

lean flickerBOT
#
Help

You probably meant >help faq. You can also run >faq all to see a list of all FAQ articles.

red cave
#

faq all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Imperative

Aliases: imperativ

:small_blue_diamond: Impersonal Verbs

Aliases: Unpersönliche Verben, Impersonal es

:small_blue_diamond: IPA

Aliases: Pronunciation, Sound transcription, International Phonetic Alphabet

:small_blue_diamond: Languages in <#221708975698083841>

Aliases: English in #general, Why English, Why is everyone speaking English in #general?

:small_blue_diamond: Lessons

Aliases: Sessions, Activities

:small_blue_diamond: Looking for information

Aliases: correct channel, information, right place to ask, right channel

:small_blue_diamond: Negation

Aliases: Nicht, Kein

:small_blue_diamond: Nicos

Aliases: Nicos Weg

:small_blue_diamond: Nominative

Aliases: Nominativ

:small_blue_diamond: Omission of movement verbs

:small_blue_diamond: Other languages

Aliases: languages

:small_blue_diamond: Passive

Aliases: Passiv

:small_blue_diamond: Past Tense

Aliases: perfekt, präteritum, praeteritum, present perfect, simple past

:small_blue_diamond: Prepositions of Place Part 1

Aliases: Nach-In-Auf-Zu

:small_blue_diamond: Resources

Aliases: Resource list

tender trellis
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
tender trellis
#

faq resources

lean flickerBOT
spare harness
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
iron panther
#

faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

drifting torrent
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
tender trellis
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
tender trellis
#

faq resources

lean flickerBOT
quaint crane
#

avatar

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: This command can only be used by a staff member.

azure portal
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
brisk swan
#

faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

brisk swan
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
brisk swan
#

faq resources

lean flickerBOT
tender trellis
#

help

tender trellis
#

purpose 248522213127487488

lean flickerBOT
#
Information about Bot
Bot

A nice bot that helps Admins to run the server.

Enter >help in #botchannel to see how to use its various commands.

tender trellis
#

noice

soft canyon
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
timber fable
#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
Purpose commands
:small_blue_diamond: **📒 purpose** <input>

Gives information about a role or channel.

timber fable
#

purpose helper

lean flickerBOT
#
Information about Helper
Helper

A helper aids moderators in ensuring that the server stays a welcoming and helpful place. They have a few extra permissions to enable this, such as the ability to mute people.

undone lodge
#

sessionz

#

sessions

lean flickerBOT
#

There are no sessions currently scheduled.

hollow summit
#

faq contractions

lean flickerBOT
#
Contractions

A contraction (Verschmelzung or Schmelzwort) is a shortened form of a word or group of words created by omitting letters and sounds. Common examples of contractions in English are:

I'm = I am
won't = will not
let's = let us
-'re = are (e.g. we're walking home)

Contractions are often used in German, especially with prepositions and definite articles that take the accusative or dative (never the genitive). For example, zu dem is often shortened to zum, as seen here:

Pferd geht zum Zahnarzt.

Some contractions with prepositions are so common (see below) that they are effectively manadatory in normal speech. Writing the full form has the effect of emphasising the definite article, indicating that you are referring to a specific object. For example:

Pferd geht zu dem Zahnarzt, der ihm gestern empfohlen wurde.

Common contractions in German

These contractions are used very often and are acceptable in formal German.

ans = an das
am = an dem
beim = bei dem
im = in dem
ins = in das
vom = von dem
zum = zu dem
zur = zu der

Additionally, the pronoun es is often contracted when it comes directly after the verb in certain set phrases. For example, the greeting Wie geht es dir? is often contracted to Wie geht's dir?

Contractions in informal German

Contracting the article das to -s in prepositions is very commonly used in informal, spoken German, and sometimes appears in formal German in set phrases.

aufs = auf das
durchs = durch das
fürs = für das
übers = über das
ums = um das
unters = unter das

Contracting the article dem to -m is relatively common in spoken German with almost all prepositions. For example:

hinterm = hinter dem
überm = über dem
unterm = unter dem

Contracting the other articles can also occur, but this is relatively rare.

outer pilot
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Duolingo

Aliases: Duo

:small_blue_diamond: Eszett

Aliases: Scharfes S, ẞ, ß

:small_blue_diamond: FAQ

:small_blue_diamond: Formal and informal speech

Aliases: Sie, Du vs. Sie, Formal, Du, Siezen, Duzen vs. siezen, Du vs. sie, Informal

:small_blue_diamond: Gender patterns

:small_blue_diamond: Genitive

Aliases: Genitiv

:small_blue_diamond: German letters

Aliases: German keyboard, Keyboard

:small_blue_diamond: Grammar terms

Aliases: Glossary, Grammatical terms

:small_blue_diamond: Grammatical gender

Aliases: der-die-das, Genders, Gender

:small_blue_diamond: Help

:small_blue_diamond: How long does it take to learn German

Aliases: Time required, How long to learn

:small_blue_diamond: How to ask a question

Aliases: Translation, Homework, hw, questions

:small_blue_diamond: How to get started

Aliases: Starting out, Beginner

:small_blue_diamond: How to join Voice Chat

Aliases: VC-pending, VC pending, Limited Permissions, VC

:small_blue_diamond: How to use writing

#
How long does it take to learn German?

According to the U.S. Foreign Service Institute (FSI), a person is estimated to require 750-900 hours of guided learning to reach B2 in German. However, study habits and other factors can drastically affect this estimation. These factors include your native language, previous language learning experience, the methods you use, your discipline and motivation, consistency, grammar, exposure and immersion, and training each ability equally. You can find an overview of these factors on page 3 of >faq best way to learn.

ℹ *Note*

The term "guided learning hours" refers to time spent learning with a more advanced language partner (such as a tutor), while making use of language materials (tools, texts and other resources). Guided learning hours, while very helpful, are not necessarily required to learn German. Many people learn German by self-studying, however, self-study hours are too variable to measure, and are consequently excluded from this definition and estimate.

#
Best way to learn German

There isn’t only one “best” way to learn German, especially since different methods work better for different people. However, this FAQ will outline the main aspects of learning efficiently, which you can cater to your needs.

If you’re a beginner, type >faq beginner in #botchannel to see our beginner guide.

Cover all skills

There are many combinations of activities you can use to study and practice a language. How do you know which combinations are suitable? The key is to make sure you cover each of the main skills with at least one activity. Some activities only train one skills, while some train multiple – either is fine, as long as all the 6 skills are covered somewhere in your studies.

The skills

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Grammar
• Vocabulary

Which resources should I use?

It doesn’t really matter which resources you use, as long as you can follow along, and the information is correct and reliable. If you have any doubts about whether a resource is correct, feel free to ask. You do not need to find just one resource and stick to it – in fact, to learn best, it’s recommended that you use a large variety of resources and switch between them when needed.

Type >faq resources in #botchannel to see our list of resources.

On the next page

• Should I study all these skills every day?
• How much time should I dedicate to studying?

#
How to get started

Welcome to the interactive paginator!

This interactively allows you to see pages of text by navigating with reactions. They are as follows:

:track_previous: Goes to the first page.
:arrow_backward: Goes to the previous page.
:arrow_forward: Goes to the next page.
:track_next: Goes to the last page.
:stop_button: Stops the interactive pagination session.
:information_source: Shows this message.

sand ridge
#

faq prapostion

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

sand ridge
#

faq präposition

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

karmic peak
#

faq preposition

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entries: Dual prepositions (1), Two-way prepositions (2), Verb prepositions (3), Two way prepositions (4), Verbs with prepositions (5)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

karmic peak
#

@sand ridge

pseudo magnet
#

remind 17/10/23 bonk rin

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The argument time (17/10/23) is malformed.

pseudo magnet
#

remind 17-10-23 bonk rin

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The argument time (17-10-23) is malformed.

opal flume
#

faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

sand ridge
#

faq preposition

lean flickerBOT
#
Two-way prepositions

Two-way prepositions (or dual prepositions) are prepositions that govern the accusative or dative case. Ten prepositions have this property, namely:

an     auf      entlang    hinter    in
neben  über     unter      vor       zwischen

Generally, these prepositions are used with the accusative if they express a direction or change of position. They are used with the dative if they express location.

For example, the verb etw. an etw. hängen can be used to express both meanings depending on the intention:

Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. (I am hanging the picture on the wall.)
Das Bild hängt an der Wand. (The picture is hanging on the wall.)

Expressing direction vs. location

It is important to note that the accusative should only be used if something has moved from one position to another. If movement has been indicated, but the location has not changed, then the dative should be used. For example,

Der Hund läuft in den Park. (The dog ran (from somewhere) into the park.)
Der Hund läuft im Park (herum). (The dog is running in the park.)

The dative is usually used with verbs of arriving, appearing and disappearing

Even though these verbs indicate direction, they are still used with dative rather than accusative.

Sie kamen am Bahnhof an.
Sie landeten auf dem Mond.
Das Pferd verschwand hinter dem Berg.

sand ridge
lean flickerBOT
#
Two-way prepositions

Two-way prepositions (or dual prepositions) are prepositions that govern the accusative or dative case. Ten prepositions have this property, namely:

an     auf      entlang    hinter    in
neben  über     unter      vor       zwischen

Generally, these prepositions are used with the accusative if they express a direction or change of position. They are used with the dative if they express location.

For example, the verb etw. an etw. hängen can be used to express both meanings depending on the intention:

Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. (I am hanging the picture on the wall.)
Das Bild hängt an der Wand. (The picture is hanging on the wall.)

Expressing direction vs. location

It is important to note that the accusative should only be used if something has moved from one position to another. If movement has been indicated, but the location has not changed, then the dative should be used. For example,

Der Hund läuft in den Park. (The dog ran (from somewhere) into the park.)
Der Hund läuft im Park (herum). (The dog is running in the park.)

The dative is usually used with verbs of arriving, appearing and disappearing

Even though these verbs indicate direction, they are still used with dative rather than accusative.

Sie kamen am Bahnhof an.
Sie landeten auf dem Mond.
Das Pferd verschwand hinter dem Berg.

robust gulch
#

faq absentiv

lean flickerBOT
#
The grammar of the absentiv

The abesentive takes the form: [subject] + [conjugated sein] + [infinitive of action verb] (e.g. Theo ist einkaufen).
The action verb is typically an intransitive verb, but can also be a transitive verb. It is additionally important to note that the absentiv should not have any local adverbs, or other syntactic indications of absence. I.e. weg and (weg)gegangen are not found in sentences that use the absentive. Additionally, the absentiv cannot be formed in combination with progressive forms such as am Einkaufen, beim Einkaufen, etc. Finally, the absentiv is typically built in the preterite (präteritum) and present tense.
E.g.
Er war arbeiten - He was away at work.
Ich bin pinkeln - I am away peeing.

More information

Unfortunately the amount of information available on the absentiv is fairly limited as it's both only typically used in spoken language, and is a fairly recent development within german language research. Thus explanations in grammar books are scarce, and the absentiv is typically not taught in Deutsch als Fremdsprache classes. However, you can read a bit about the absentiv here in Alle sind Deutschland … außer Fritz Eckenga – der ist einkaufen!, König 2009.

tender trellis
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
brazen shuttle
#

faq

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

austere dagger
#

faq Nicos Weg

lean flickerBOT
#
Nicos

Nicos Weg is a free online program aimed at helping people learn German. It includes video, audio, text, grammar explanations, notes, vocabulary, and exercises. It also includes very useful cultural and bureaucratic information, such as how to open a bank account, while teaching you the relevant grammar and vocabulary.

It’s fairly popular and well-recommended, but keep in mind that you can’t learn a language with only one resource, even if it’s a good one!

You can find the courses here: https://learngerman.dw.com/en/overview/

You can also see various other courses for learners by dw.com here: https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469/

wheat kite
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
gusty hollow
#

faq podcast

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

gusty hollow
#

explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

gusty hollow
#

faq recommendations

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

sick forge
#

faq

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

sick forge
#

faq podcasts

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

sick forge
#

explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Weak Nouns

Aliases: N-Declension, N-Deklination, Weak noun

:small_blue_diamond: Weil, denn, da

:small_blue_diamond: What does GLaD mean

Aliases: GLaD

:small_blue_diamond: What does this word mean

Aliases: Duden, Meaning, Dict, Dictionary, Definition

:small_blue_diamond: Wissen and kennen

Aliases: Kennen vs. wissen, Wissen vs. kennen

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Nouns & Pronouns

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Verbs

Aliases: Word order verbs, Word order of verbs

gusty hollow
#

faq resources

lean flickerBOT
paper fox
#

cerf

#

faq cerf

lean flickerBOT
#
CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

paper fox
#

explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

fiery rivet
#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
FAQ commands
:small_blue_diamond: **📒 faq** <name>

Provides commands for looking up explanations about popular learning-related topics. Use >faq <name> to see the entry with the given name.

fiery rivet
#

faq

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

fiery rivet
#

faq fastest way to learn

lean flickerBOT
#
Factors that influence learning a language

The following factors (and many others) can influence how easily or quickly you learn German. Remember that everyone is different and these factors will influence different people in different ways.

Native language

As an example, if your native language is English, you may need more time than someone who speaks Dutch.

Previous language learning

Some learners find it easier to learn German if they have already learned a foreign language, or if they have a natural ability to learn languages.

Methods

Some are able to identify what type of learner they are, and leverage that to their benefit.

Discipline and Motivation

Learning a language is fun and exciting at first, but it can be easy to lose motivation and become less disciplined very quickly.

Consistency

Learning a little bit each day every week is generally considered better than studying for several hours, one day per week.

Grammar

The time needed to acquire grammar passively is quite large, so German learners who actively study grammar typically make less grammar mistakes as they progress.

Exposure and immersion

Interacting with native speakers and consuming native content such as the news, magazines, books, movies, podcasts, etc. can help tremendously with achieving an idiomatic usage of the language.

Training each ability equally

Listening, reading, speaking, writing, translating and interpreting are all various abilities associated with language learning. Training these abilities equally is important to ensure that a person can not only pass a language test, but also have the ability to use the language in various contexts while demonstrating great control over grammar.

fiery rivet
#

faq teach me

lean flickerBOT
#
Can anyone teach me German?

There are no private lessons or 1-on-1 tutoring offered here as this server is a community effort and everyone is a volunteer.

Are there still some kind of lessons here?

Yes! Our lovely volunteer hosts organise lessons from time to time. To find out more, check out #lesson-info.

How else can I use this server to learn German?

For more information about how the server works and how it can help you learn German, check out #info and #getting-started.

fiery rivet
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
fiery rivet
#

faq resources

lean flickerBOT
near basalt
#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
Session Schedule commands
:small_blue_diamond: **📒 session**

Commands for the bot's session scheduling system.
Group moderators can edit and delete existing sessions for their group.

near basalt
#

faq Literatur

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

near basalt
#

explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Weak Nouns

Aliases: N-Declension, N-Deklination, Weak noun

:small_blue_diamond: Weil, denn, da

:small_blue_diamond: What does GLaD mean

Aliases: GLaD

:small_blue_diamond: What does this word mean

Aliases: Duden, Meaning, Dict, Dictionary, Definition

:small_blue_diamond: Wissen and kennen

Aliases: Kennen vs. wissen, Wissen vs. kennen

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Nouns & Pronouns

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Verbs

Aliases: Word order verbs, Word order of verbs

wild shore
#

faq

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

wild shore
#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
Eval commands
:small_blue_diamond: **eval** <code>

Evaluate the given code using an external compilation service. Any attempt to abuse this command will lead to a permanent blacklist.
Supported languages are: csharp (cs), java, python (py), c, c++ (cpp), haskell (hs), perl, nasm, javascript (js), lisp, kotlin (kt), brainfuck (bf) and rust (rs).
To use the command, specify a code block with your language of choice and provide any desired input in the same message, after the code block.
Example invocation with input:

`​`​`py
print('Hello,', input())
`​`​`
Barnabus Sandlers```
*Note: write out the command yourself, the example won't work if you copy it, due to Discord's formatting.*
:small_blue_diamond: Language specific notes:
- C# - the namespace and class must be called `Rextester` and `Program` respectively.
- Java - the class must be called `Rextester`
wild shore
#

eval

import requests
print(requests.get("https://ifconfig.me").text)
lean flickerBOT
#
kafalarkarisik
Evaluation failed
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "2121880301/source.py", line 1, in <module>
    import requests
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'requests'

austere pawn
#

faq gender patterns

lean flickerBOT
#
**Feminine words (die)**
  • many words ending in -e (die Nase, die Kiste)
  • words ending in:
    -- -in (feminine professions/roles): die Verkäuferin, die Lehrerin
    -- -ei die Fischerei, die Bäckerei
    -- -schaft die Mannschaft, die Gemeinschaft
    -- -heit/-keit die Freiheit, die Gerechtigkeit
    -- -ung die Bedeutung, die Achtung
    -- -ion die Aktion, die Religion
    -- -ik die Logistik, die Logik
    -- -anz words of classical origin: die Allianz, die Toleranz
    -- -ur die Natur, die Kultur
    -- -tät die Professionalität, die Kriminalität
still flame
#

faq

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

still flame
#

faq gender

#

faq der

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entry: der-die-das (1)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

still flame
#

help

lean flickerBOT
#
Help commands
:small_blue_diamond: **help** [term]

Displays help information for modules and individual commands. The optional argument term is the search term to use. If no value is provided, the bot will display a list of all available modules. Otherwise, it will attempt to find information about the given term.

still flame
#

help

#

faq native

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entries: Dative (1), Nominative (2)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

vagrant saddle
#

artikel

#

artikel

tender trellis
#

faq duolingo

lean flickerBOT
#
Duolingo

Duolingo is a decent resource to start with if you're a complete beginner, but it's neither efficient nor comprehensive!

What Duolingo will teach you about grammar is very limited, and none of the systems they use will help you practise much of it.
You can learn some vocabulary with it, but their method (based on the concept of spaced repetition) doesn't work for everybody, and the way Duolingo teaches is not very effective compared to the amount of time it requires from you.

So, if you find it useful, by all means keep using it, but remember not to fall for its gamification of language learning, and move past it when it stops being beneficial. Ignore the streaks.

In any case, keep in mind that Duolingo is not enough to learn a language, ever.

If you're looking for guidance or alternatives, check out >faq beginner in our #botchannel .

misty lagoon
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
misty lagoon
#

faq best way to learn

lean flickerBOT
#
Factors that influence learning a language

The following factors (and many others) can influence how easily or quickly you learn German. Remember that everyone is different and these factors will influence different people in different ways.

Native language

As an example, if your native language is English, you may need more time than someone who speaks Dutch.

Previous language learning

Some learners find it easier to learn German if they have already learned a foreign language, or if they have a natural ability to learn languages.

Methods

Some are able to identify what type of learner they are, and leverage that to their benefit.

Discipline and Motivation

Learning a language is fun and exciting at first, but it can be easy to lose motivation and become less disciplined very quickly.

Consistency

Learning a little bit each day every week is generally considered better than studying for several hours, one day per week.

Grammar

The time needed to acquire grammar passively is quite large, so German learners who actively study grammar typically make less grammar mistakes as they progress.

Exposure and immersion

Interacting with native speakers and consuming native content such as the news, magazines, books, movies, podcasts, etc. can help tremendously with achieving an idiomatic usage of the language.

Training each ability equally

Listening, reading, speaking, writing, translating and interpreting are all various abilities associated with language learning. Training these abilities equally is important to ensure that a person can not only pass a language test, but also have the ability to use the language in various contexts while demonstrating great control over grammar.

tidal river
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
eager mantle
#

faq fastest way

lean flickerBOT
#
Best way to learn German

There isn’t only one “best” way to learn German, especially since different methods work better for different people. However, this FAQ will outline the main aspects of learning efficiently, which you can cater to your needs.

If you’re a beginner, type >faq beginner in #botchannel to see our beginner guide.

Cover all skills

There are many combinations of activities you can use to study and practice a language. How do you know which combinations are suitable? The key is to make sure you cover each of the main skills with at least one activity. Some activities only train one skills, while some train multiple – either is fine, as long as all the 6 skills are covered somewhere in your studies.

The skills

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Grammar
• Vocabulary

Which resources should I use?

It doesn’t really matter which resources you use, as long as you can follow along, and the information is correct and reliable. If you have any doubts about whether a resource is correct, feel free to ask. You do not need to find just one resource and stick to it – in fact, to learn best, it’s recommended that you use a large variety of resources and switch between them when needed.

Type >faq resources in #botchannel to see our list of resources.

On the next page

• Should I study all these skills every day?
• How much time should I dedicate to studying?

tender trellis
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
gleaming swift
#

faq begginer

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
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explain impersonal verbs

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Common usages of impersonal subject es

Impersonal es is commonly used:

- with verbs referring to weather

Es wird morgen sehr wahrscheinlich regnen.
Bei Temperaturen über 0°C taut es.
Jetzt blitzt es wieder.

- with verbs referring to natural phenomena

Wie viel Zeit habe ich, wenn es in meiner Wohnung brennt?
Hier zieht es ganz fürchterlich, mach bitte die Tür zu.
Es riecht nach Algen vom Meer und nach gebrannten Mandeln.

These verbs can have an agent, but are used impersonally if the agent is unclear or unknown.

- with verbs referring to noises

Es klopfte an der Tür.
Es krachte gewaltig, als das Haus einstürzte.
Es brodelte und zischte im Inneren des Kessels und dünne Dampfwolken stiegen empor.

These verbs can have an agent, but are used impersonally if the agent is unclear or unknown.

- with verbs referring to sensations and emotions

Es friert mich.
Es graut mir vor der Prüfung.
Es hält ihn hier nicht länger.

With these verbs, the impersonal es denotes an unknown or unclear force causing the sensation and an accusative object indicates who is experiencing the action.

- with sein or werden and a dative object to indicate a sensation

Ist (es) dir kalt?
Mir wird schwindlig.
ich trank einen heißen Tee und mir war sofort warm.

Unless it is in the first postion of a clause, the impersonal es is often omitted with these verbs.

- with reflexive verbs and the impersonal passive

Es wurde mir empfohlen, mit dir zu reden.
Es wurde der Toten gedacht.
Es lebt sich gut in und um Darmstadt herum.

In this usage, the impersonal es is always the first element in a clause or is hidden by other elements which take its place.

=- in various idiomatic constructions*

Einen besseren Weg gibt es nicht.
Ich hoffe, dass es dir gut geht.
Es handelt sich nicht um deinen Job.

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help

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Bans commands
:small_blue_diamond: **isbanned** <user>

Checks whether the given user is banned.

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explain reflexive verbs

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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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explain all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

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explain all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Roles

:small_blue_diamond: Seeing verbs

Aliases: Sehen, Schauen

:small_blue_diamond: So and also

:small_blue_diamond: Stative Passive

Aliases: Zustandspassiv, Statal passive

:small_blue_diamond: Structure of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 2

:small_blue_diamond: Study Vocabulary

Aliases: Unterrichten, Studieren, Lernen, Beibringen

:small_blue_diamond: Swiss German

Aliases: gsw

:small_blue_diamond: Switzerland

Aliases: Schweiz, CH

:small_blue_diamond: Two-way prepositions

Aliases: Two way prepositions, Dual prepositions

:small_blue_diamond: Umlauts

Aliases: Umlaute, Umlaut, ä, ö, ü

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Freund and Freundin

Aliases: Freundin, Friend, Friend vs. Boyfriend, Friend vs. Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Freund

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 1

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of zu

Aliases: Um zu

:small_blue_diamond: Verbs with prepositions

Aliases: Verb prepositions, Pferd's verb list

:small_blue_diamond: Vorgangspassiv

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faq doch

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faq doch

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Doch

doch for beginners
Germans tend to use the word doch in lots of different situations. But what does it mean, and when do you use it? ⁉

🔆 Using doch to contradict negative statements 🔆
You can use doch to contradict a negative statement/question in the same manner as you would use nein to contradict a positive statement.

(1) Laura hat keinen Fernseher, oder? - Doch, sie hat einen Fernseher!
Laura doesn't have a TV, does she? - Yes, she does!
(2) Du kannst kein Schach spielen! - Doch, das kann ich!
You can't play chess! - Yes, I can!
💡 With doch, correctly answering negative questions (with positive tags) has never been easier. Isn't that awesome? Doch, it is! 😏

🔅 Using doch as an adversative conjunction 🔅
You can also use doch as an adversative conjunction (yet, however, ...).

(3) Du hattest genug Zeit, doch du hast nicht für die Prüfung gelernt.
You had enough time, yet you didn't study for the exam.
(4) Es ist noch nicht Sommer, doch es ist fast genauso heiß.
It is not yet summer, it is, however, almost as hot.
‼ Keep in mind that doch as an adversative conjunction doesn't change the word order. ‼

🔅 Using doch as a subjunctive 🔅
Furthermore, you can use doch in concessive clauses.

(5) Auch wenn wir erwarteten, zu verlieren, so haben wir das Spiel doch gewonnen.
Though we expected to lose, we still won the game.
(6) Obwohl sie sehr nett ist, findet sie doch keine neuen Freunde.
Although she's very kind, she doesn't make new friends.

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faq noch

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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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explain all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

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CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

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best way to learn German

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faq best way to learn German

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Best way to learn German

There isn’t only one “best” way to learn German, especially since different methods work better for different people. However, this FAQ will outline the main aspects of learning efficiently, which you can cater to your needs.

If you’re a beginner, type >faq beginner in #botchannel to see our beginner guide.

Cover all skills

There are many combinations of activities you can use to study and practice a language. How do you know which combinations are suitable? The key is to make sure you cover each of the main skills with at least one activity. Some activities only train one skills, while some train multiple – either is fine, as long as all the 6 skills are covered somewhere in your studies.

The skills

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Grammar
• Vocabulary

Which resources should I use?

It doesn’t really matter which resources you use, as long as you can follow along, and the information is correct and reliable. If you have any doubts about whether a resource is correct, feel free to ask. You do not need to find just one resource and stick to it – in fact, to learn best, it’s recommended that you use a large variety of resources and switch between them when needed.

Type >faq resources in #botchannel to see our list of resources.

On the next page

• Should I study all these skills every day?
• How much time should I dedicate to studying?

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clyde bist du da

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sessions

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There are no sessions currently scheduled.

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faq resources

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faq all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Weak Nouns

Aliases: N-Declension, N-Deklination, Weak noun

:small_blue_diamond: Weil, denn, da

:small_blue_diamond: What does GLaD mean

Aliases: GLaD

:small_blue_diamond: What does this word mean

Aliases: Duden, Meaning, Dict, Dictionary, Definition

:small_blue_diamond: Wissen and kennen

Aliases: Kennen vs. wissen, Wissen vs. kennen

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Nouns & Pronouns

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Verbs

Aliases: Word order verbs, Word order of verbs

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faq study vocabulary

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Study Vocabulary

Study Vocabulary
Let’s take a look at differences in meanings between studieren, lernen, unterrichten, lehren and beibringen.

So what does studieren mean? Pfff, to study ofc, duh. Well, NO! Studieren is used only in the sense of studying at a university (or college).
(1) Ich studiere Mathematik. = “I study math as a uni student.”
To study as in to learn, to practice etc. translates to lernen.
(2) Ich lerne Mathematik. = “I’m learning/practicing math (for school).”

Now let’s compare the rest of the verbs - unterrichten, lehren and beibringen. They all mean to teach but are used in different contexts.
Unterrichten means to teach at an institute (school, language school) or some other formal way of teaching (private tutoring).
(3) Meine Schwester unterrichtet Deutsch am Goethe Institut = “My sister teaches German at the Goethe Institute.”
Lehren means to teach but as a tutor at a university.
(4) Herr Arrem lehrt die Kunst der Memes an der Nationalmemeuniversität Wien. = “Mister Arrem teaches the Art of Memes at the National Meme University of Vienna.”
Beibringen is more general, usually used with skills that you learn outside of an institute.
(5) Mein Vater hat mir beigebracht, wie man Fahrrad fährt. = “My father taught me how to ride a bike.”

🌟 Bonus verb üben: to practice is üben in German, not praktizieren.

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faq how long does it take to learn german

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How long does it take to learn German?

According to the U.S. Foreign Service Institute (FSI), a person is estimated to require 750-900 hours of guided learning to reach B2 in German. However, study habits and other factors can drastically affect this estimation. These factors include your native language, previous language learning experience, the methods you use, your discipline and motivation, consistency, grammar, exposure and immersion, and training each ability equally. You can find an overview of these factors on page 3 of >faq best way to learn.

ℹ *Note*

The term "guided learning hours" refers to time spent learning with a more advanced language partner (such as a tutor), while making use of language materials (tools, texts and other resources). Guided learning hours, while very helpful, are not necessarily required to learn German. Many people learn German by self-studying, however, self-study hours are too variable to measure, and are consequently excluded from this definition and estimate.

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faq anki

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Flashcard Tips

When creating flashcards it is not enough to just have a single german word on one side, and a single word translation on the other side of the card. You want to provide details that match your learning style and help you better understand what the word means.

For nouns

At the very least, include the gender and the plural form. E.g. Der Mann | Die Männer or Der Mann -:er Whichever form helps you recognise the plural ending and any vowel changes. You may also want to add a note for weak masculine nouns. (See >explain N-Declension.)

For verbs

Include the infinitive, the preterite (simple past) and the past participle (perfect form). E.g. rennen | rannte | gerannt or for a separable verb anrufen | rief an | angerufen. For irregular verbs, you may want to list all present tense conjugations. You may also want to include if the verb uses haben or sein as its auxiliary.

For all words

Adding an example sentence is important for helping you understand the usage and context of a word (dwds.de and linguee.com are good sources of example sentences). You may also want to add multiple translations for words that have multiple meanings. E.g. Die Auflage can mean both a requirement, and the edition of a book. You may also want to try picture cues or audio recordings (possible sources for voice recordings include dict.cc, linguee.com, duden.de, and wiktionary.de).

Close Passages

Flashcards based on close passages can be a very effective way to learn new vocabulary. E.g. put Ich kaufe Lebensmittel im [blank] ein. on one side of the flashcard, and Ich kaufe Lebensmittel im *Markt* ein; der Markt, die Märkte - market. This places vocabulary in context to help you understand its meaning and usages, and also provides you with whole phrases that help jolt your memory when trying to remember an individual word.

Recall vs. Reproduction

Flashcards are most effective when they train your ability to reproduce knowledge. I.e. Seeing the word Baum and recognising it as tree is a lot less effective than being able to look at a picture of a tree and know it means der Baum. Taking that a step further you want to be able to also know that that while die Struktur also means 'tree', it doesn't actually mean the plant. When creating flashcards, try to design them with these concepts in mind. E.g. Using minimal or no flashcards that show you a german word and ask you to recall what it means in english, and instead focus on the other way around: giving you an english word and asking you to recall what it means in german.

Other Flashcard Apps

Other commonly used flashcard apps you may want to check out include:

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faq

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:x: The required argument name is missing.

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faq help

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Help

You probably meant >help faq. You can also run >faq all to see a list of all FAQ articles.

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faq all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

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faq cases

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Cases

Cases
German has four grammatical cases (der Fall or der Kasus in German): nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive. A case alters a noun, pronoun, adjective, etc., in some way to mark its grammatical function in a phrase, clause, or sentence. For example, the main function of the nominative (der Nominativ) case is to mark the subject in a sentence:

Ich liebe die deutsche Sprache!

In this sentence, the pronoun ich represents the first person subject and is in the nominative case. Every noun, pronoun, adjective, etc. has form in every case and it is very important to learn all of them. For example, the accusative form of ich is mich:

Die deutsche Sprache liebt mich!

See >explain adjective declension to get started on that. Don't get discouraged by how much there is, it takes some time master.

To see an explanation of the usages of every case, see their individual articles:
>explain nominative
>explain accusative
>explain dative
>explain genitive

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faq all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

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explain all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Imperative

Aliases: imperativ

:small_blue_diamond: Impersonal Verbs

Aliases: Unpersönliche Verben, Impersonal es

:small_blue_diamond: IPA

Aliases: Pronunciation, Sound transcription, International Phonetic Alphabet

:small_blue_diamond: Languages in <#221708975698083841>

Aliases: English in #general, Why English, Why is everyone speaking English in #general?

:small_blue_diamond: Lessons

Aliases: Sessions, Activities

:small_blue_diamond: Looking for information

Aliases: correct channel, information, right place to ask, right channel

:small_blue_diamond: Negation

Aliases: Nicht, Kein

:small_blue_diamond: Nicos

Aliases: Nicos Weg

:small_blue_diamond: Nominative

Aliases: Nominativ

:small_blue_diamond: Omission of movement verbs

:small_blue_diamond: Other languages

Aliases: languages

:small_blue_diamond: Passive

Aliases: Passiv

:small_blue_diamond: Past Tense

Aliases: perfekt, präteritum, praeteritum, present perfect, simple past

:small_blue_diamond: Prepositions of Place Part 1

Aliases: Nach-In-Auf-Zu

:small_blue_diamond: Resources

Aliases: Resource list

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faq ai

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**AI-generated text**

This FAQ explains rules and advice for using text AI tools such as ChatGPT.

🔹 **Server rules regarding this topic:**
  • Do not answer any questions by using AI-generated text.
  • Do not ask for AI-generated text to be corrected.
🔹 **Problems with using AI for answers and corrections**
  • No fact-checking: Tools like ChatGPT are very good at writing texts and often provide answers that sound good, but they are not capable of fact-checking their own answers.

  • Fake information: It’s very common for these programs to make up fake or incomplete information, which is explained convincingly but is mostly wrong.

  • Non-deterministic: The information is also partially randomly generated, meaning that if you ask the same question multiple times, you will usually end up with different answers.

  • No language knowledge: It shouldn't be used for grammar or vocabulary questions, as it doesn't understand linguistics, nuance, or how a native speaker might actually use a given word or grammar point.

  • Missing context: When correcting texts it needs to understand what the writer was trying to express. As such it may miss mistakes or correct things that don't need to be corrected.

🔹 **Reasons NOT to use generative AI for learning**
  • It delays the development of important skills in language learning.
    Relying too much on AI generated texts or solutions may get in the way of learning the necessary skills of language acquisition, such as how to look up words or phrases in a dictionary, using critical thinking, or actually applying learned concepts.

  • AI is not designed to guide learners.
    If you ask an AI a question, it will provide you with information, whereas if you ask a human, they will ideally ask you to show your understanding and offer advice on how to find the answer.

  • AI output requires scrutiny
    AI output must be verified, but beginners to German or to language learning often lack the knowledge or experience to do so.

🔹 **Good uses of AI-generated text**
  • Ask ChatGPT to come up with some story ideas that you can write about.
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faq two-way prepositions

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Two-way prepositions

Two-way prepositions (or dual prepositions) are prepositions that govern the accusative or dative case. Ten prepositions have this property, namely:

an     auf      entlang    hinter    in
neben  über     unter      vor       zwischen

Generally, these prepositions are used with the accusative if they express a direction or change of position. They are used with the dative if they express location.

For example, the verb etw. an etw. hängen can be used to express both meanings depending on the intention:

Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. (I am hanging the picture on the wall.)
Das Bild hängt an der Wand. (The picture is hanging on the wall.)

Expressing direction vs. location

It is important to note that the accusative should only be used if something has moved from one position to another. If movement has been indicated, but the location has not changed, then the dative should be used. For example,

Der Hund läuft in den Park. (The dog ran (from somewhere) into the park.)
Der Hund läuft im Park (herum). (The dog is running in the park.)

The dative is usually used with verbs of arriving, appearing and disappearing

Even though these verbs indicate direction, they are still used with dative rather than accusative.

Sie kamen am Bahnhof an.
Sie landeten auf dem Mond.
Das Pferd verschwand hinter dem Berg.

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faq

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:x: The required argument name is missing.

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hi

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begin

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explain types of food

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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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explain all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

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faq[can anyone teach me German]

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faq [can anyone teach me German]

lean flickerBOT
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Can anyone teach me German?

There are no private lessons or 1-on-1 tutoring offered here as this server is a community effort and everyone is a volunteer.

Are there still some kind of lessons here?

Yes! Our lovely volunteer hosts organise lessons from time to time. To find out more, check out #lesson-info.

How else can I use this server to learn German?

For more information about how the server works and how it can help you learn German, check out #info and #getting-started.

ember agate
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faq conjugation

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Conjugation

Präsens (Present Tense)
When you use a verb in a sentence (or clause), you have to conjugate it (change the form) to match the subject of the sentence (or clause).

For example, in English, we write I eat but he/she eats. The verb has a different ending! The concept is the same in German, except German has more endings.

The first thing you need to know in order to conjugate verbs is: which ending fits which subject? Here is a simple verb “trinken” (to drink) as an example:

trinken
ich trinke
du trinkst
er/sie/es trinkt
wir trinken
ihr trinkt
sie trinken / Sie trinken
(Note: the conjugation for sie (they) and Sie (formal you) is always the same)

Vowel/Stem Changes
There are a few variations and exceptions, but the most important is vowel changes (also called stem changes). Some verbs get a vowel change, which only affects the du and er/sie/es forms of the verb. (However, modal verbs and wissen have their own special pattern, which also has a vowel change in the ich form.)

Example: ich schlafe, du schläfst

Other Changes
There are various other differences but I can’t describe them all here, so please read these websites or use Google to find more information: https://www.vistawide.com/german/grammar/german_verbs_present_tense.htm
https://www.thoughtco.com/german-present-tense-verbs-4074838
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~deutsch/Grammatik/PresentTense/Present.html

mossy stump
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Wer (wollt-wollen-willst-will)?
What should i choose and why?

ember agate
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read the message right above you

tender trellis
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faq conjugation

lean flickerBOT
#
Conjugation

Präsens (Present Tense)
When you use a verb in a sentence (or clause), you have to conjugate it (change the form) to match the subject of the sentence (or clause).

For example, in English, we write I eat but he/she eats. The verb has a different ending! The concept is the same in German, except German has more endings.

The first thing you need to know in order to conjugate verbs is: which ending fits which subject? Here is a simple verb “trinken” (to drink) as an example:

trinken
ich trinke
du trinkst
er/sie/es trinkt
wir trinken
ihr trinkt
sie trinken / Sie trinken
(Note: the conjugation for sie (they) and Sie (formal you) is always the same)

Vowel/Stem Changes
There are a few variations and exceptions, but the most important is vowel changes (also called stem changes). Some verbs get a vowel change, which only affects the du and er/sie/es forms of the verb. (However, modal verbs and wissen have their own special pattern, which also has a vowel change in the ich form.)

Example: ich schlafe, du schläfst

Other Changes
There are various other differences but I can’t describe them all here, so please read these websites or use Google to find more information: https://www.vistawide.com/german/grammar/german_verbs_present_tense.htm
https://www.thoughtco.com/german-present-tense-verbs-4074838
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~deutsch/Grammatik/PresentTense/Present.html

tender trellis
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explain conjugation gehen

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#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entries: Conjugation (1), Verb conjugation (2), Konjugation (3)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

tender trellis
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explain conjugation

lean flickerBOT
#
Conjugation

Präsens (Present Tense)
When you use a verb in a sentence (or clause), you have to conjugate it (change the form) to match the subject of the sentence (or clause).

For example, in English, we write I eat but he/she eats. The verb has a different ending! The concept is the same in German, except German has more endings.

The first thing you need to know in order to conjugate verbs is: which ending fits which subject? Here is a simple verb “trinken” (to drink) as an example:

trinken
ich trinke
du trinkst
er/sie/es trinkt
wir trinken
ihr trinkt
sie trinken / Sie trinken
(Note: the conjugation for sie (they) and Sie (formal you) is always the same)

Vowel/Stem Changes
There are a few variations and exceptions, but the most important is vowel changes (also called stem changes). Some verbs get a vowel change, which only affects the du and er/sie/es forms of the verb. (However, modal verbs and wissen have their own special pattern, which also has a vowel change in the ich form.)

Example: ich schlafe, du schläfst

Other Changes
There are various other differences but I can’t describe them all here, so please read these websites or use Google to find more information: https://www.vistawide.com/german/grammar/german_verbs_present_tense.htm
https://www.thoughtco.com/german-present-tense-verbs-4074838
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~deutsch/Grammatik/PresentTense/Present.html

serene beacon
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faq nicht vs kein

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Negation

Negations or negative sentences in German are formed with either kein or nicht.

You use kein if you want to negate nouns with an indefinite article or without an article, for example:
(1) Ich besitze kein Auto. (I don't own a car.)
(2) Ich habe keinen Hunger. (I'm not hungry.)

kein is always placed right before the noun you want to negate. Also note that you need to decline kein.

If you want to negate anything else you use nicht, for example:
(3) Ich schlafe nicht. (I don't sleep.) [verb]
(4) Ich habe gestern nicht geduscht. (I didn't shower yesterday.) [verb]
(5) Ich gehe nicht gerne schwimmen. (I don't like to go swimming.) [adverb]
(6) Es ist nicht heiß. (It's not hot.) [adjective]
(7) Ich habe nicht dich, sondern ihn gerufen. (I didn't call you, but him.) [pronoun]
(8) Das ist nicht Peters Fahrrad, sondern meins. (This isn't Peters bicycle, but mine.) [proper noun]
(9) Der Zug kommt nicht um 18 Uhr an. (The train doesn't arrive at 6pm.) [preposition]
(10) Ich habe nicht das Essen bezahlt, sondern die Getränke. (I didn't pay for the food, but for the drinks.) [definite article]

‼ Note that nicht almost always comes before the word it negates, unless you want to negate a verb.
If that's the case, it depends on the tense of the verb and on whether there is an auxiliary verb or not. nicht is placed right after the verb if the verb is in present or past tense. For compound tenses or when the sentence has an auxiliary it is placed before the verb.

🌟 Confused by the terminology? See >ex Grammar terms

zealous rain
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
zealous rain
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
serene beacon
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faq dies

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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

serene beacon
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explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Duolingo

Aliases: Duo

:small_blue_diamond: Eszett

Aliases: Scharfes S, ẞ, ß

:small_blue_diamond: FAQ

:small_blue_diamond: Formal and informal speech

Aliases: Sie, Du vs. Sie, Formal, Du, Siezen, Duzen vs. siezen, Du vs. sie, Informal

:small_blue_diamond: Gender patterns

:small_blue_diamond: Genitive

Aliases: Genitiv

:small_blue_diamond: German letters

Aliases: German keyboard, Keyboard

:small_blue_diamond: Grammar terms

Aliases: Glossary, Grammatical terms

:small_blue_diamond: Grammatical gender

Aliases: der-die-das, Genders, Gender

:small_blue_diamond: Help

:small_blue_diamond: How long does it take to learn German

Aliases: Time required, How long to learn

:small_blue_diamond: How to ask a question

Aliases: Translation, Homework, hw, questions

:small_blue_diamond: How to get started

Aliases: Starting out, Beginner

:small_blue_diamond: How to join Voice Chat

Aliases: VC-pending, VC pending, Limited Permissions, VC

:small_blue_diamond: How to use writing

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: This command can only be used by a staff member.

atomic tendon
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
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How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
spare fossil
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faq anki

lean flickerBOT
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Anki
What is Anki?

Anki is a free and very versatile flashcard program that is often used for learning new vocabulary. You can import spreadsheets to quickly create your own flashcards, and you can add your own images and audio for highly custom flashcard decks. You can also access and use a wide range of community created and shared flashcard decks all for free*.

Note: Anki uses a method of learning called spaced repetition. Flashcards and spaced repetition are one of many techniques used for language learning. However, we all learn differently and while these methods work for many people, they may not necessarily work for you. Give it a try, but don’t be disheartened if these methods aren’t right for you. Even if flashcards and spaced repetition work for you, don’t forget to incorporate other forms of practice. E.g. try using your new vocabulary to write your own practice sentences.

Where To Get It

It is available here on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, and Android. You can also find the browser AnkiWeb version here.

Manually adding basic cards is quite simple, but making custom templates is a bit more complex. Basementality has put together this handy guide for making custom card types and decks. You can also find Anki’s documentation / instruction guide here.

*The iPhone app AnkiMobile costs $24.99 USD on the iTunes store. The Android app and all other platforms are completely free. The mobile browser version of AnkiWeb is still available for free on iPhones.

See the next page for some helpful tips on creating your flashcards.

spare fossil
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@stiff depot ☝️ In regards to your question about Anki

serene beacon
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faq mistakes

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

serene beacon
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faq making mistakes

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

serene beacon
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We need to make one for this.

fossil elk
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
fossil elk
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faq resources

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fossil elk
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faq nicos weg

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Nicos

Nicos Weg is a free online program aimed at helping people learn German. It includes video, audio, text, grammar explanations, notes, vocabulary, and exercises. It also includes very useful cultural and bureaucratic information, such as how to open a bank account, while teaching you the relevant grammar and vocabulary.

It’s fairly popular and well-recommended, but keep in mind that you can’t learn a language with only one resource, even if it’s a good one!

You can find the courses here: https://learngerman.dw.com/en/overview/

You can also see various other courses for learners by dw.com here: https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469/

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faq formal

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Formal and informal speech

You may have heard of du vs. Sie. What's the difference?

Du is informal speech, and you use it when talking to friends, family, children, young people, and on the internet. The verb meaning to be on du-basis with someone is duzen, and you can use it to ask whether it's ok to switch from Sie to du. While talking to multiple people on informal basis, the plural pronoun is ihr.

  • Hast du Hunger?
  • Du bist ein Idiot.
  • Ich komme mit dir.
  • Was macht ihr?

Sie (note that the capitalisation is important here) is formal speech, and it's used with strangers, older people, on the workplace (unless you've agreed to use du instead), and in other formal situations. The counterpart to duzen is siezen. This pronoun can be used both for singular and plural, so, when you're addressing multiple people formally, you use Sie. Grammatically, Sie declines like the 3rd person plural pronoun sie, even when talking to just one person.

  • Haben Sie Hunger?
  • Sie sind ein Idiot.
  • Ich komme mit Ihnen.
  • Was machen Sie?
serene beacon
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faq benutzen verwenden

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

serene beacon
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faq benutzen

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

void berry
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faq cefr

lean flickerBOT
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CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

tender trellis
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faq beginner

#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
simple marsh
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faq

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:x: The required argument name is missing.

simple marsh
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Faq

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#Faq

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faq explain all

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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

simple marsh
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explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

simple marsh
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explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Duolingo

Aliases: Duo

:small_blue_diamond: Eszett

Aliases: Scharfes S, ẞ, ß

:small_blue_diamond: FAQ

:small_blue_diamond: Formal and informal speech

Aliases: Sie, Du vs. Sie, Formal, Du, Siezen, Duzen vs. siezen, Du vs. sie, Informal

:small_blue_diamond: Gender patterns

:small_blue_diamond: Genitive

Aliases: Genitiv

:small_blue_diamond: German letters

Aliases: German keyboard, Keyboard

:small_blue_diamond: Grammar terms

Aliases: Glossary, Grammatical terms

:small_blue_diamond: Grammatical gender

Aliases: der-die-das, Genders, Gender

:small_blue_diamond: Help

:small_blue_diamond: How long does it take to learn German

Aliases: Time required, How long to learn

:small_blue_diamond: How to ask a question

Aliases: Translation, Homework, hw, questions

:small_blue_diamond: How to get started

Aliases: Starting out, Beginner

:small_blue_diamond: How to join Voice Chat

Aliases: VC-pending, VC pending, Limited Permissions, VC

:small_blue_diamond: How to use writing

simple marsh
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FAQ

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explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Weak Nouns

Aliases: N-Declension, N-Deklination, Weak noun

:small_blue_diamond: Weil, denn, da

:small_blue_diamond: What does GLaD mean

Aliases: GLaD

:small_blue_diamond: What does this word mean

Aliases: Duden, Meaning, Dict, Dictionary, Definition

:small_blue_diamond: Wissen and kennen

Aliases: Kennen vs. wissen, Wissen vs. kennen

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Nouns & Pronouns

:small_blue_diamond: Word Order for Verbs

Aliases: Word order verbs, Word order of verbs

simple marsh
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faq word order

lean flickerBOT
#
Word Order for Nouns & Pronouns

Word Order - Nouns & Pronouns

The placement of nouns and pronouns in a German sentence is dependent on their case and is flexible, but still tends to come in a particular order. When placed outside this neutral word order, the noun/pronoun is often emphasised.

🔸 Nouns Only
Sentence with only nouns: Nominativ -> Dativ -> Akkusativ

Der Mann gibt der Frau das Buch.
Heute muss der Mann der Frau das Buch geben.

🔸 Pronouns Only
Sentence with only personal pronouns: Nominativ -> Akkusativ -> Dativ

Er gibt es ihr.
Heute gibt er es ihr.

🔸 Nouns & Pronouns
Pronouns tend to go before nouns. If a noun is the topic (the focus of the sentence), then it's always the first element in a main clause and the pronoun does not go before it.

Er gibt der Frau das Buch.
Der Mann gibt ihr das Buch.
Der Mann gibt es der Frau.

If something else is the topic, then pronouns tend to precede nouns:

Heute gibt er der Frau das Buch.
Heute gibt ihr der Mann das Buch.
Heute gibt es der Mann der Frau.

‼ However, a pronoun object (i.e. Akkusativ/Dativ) can also go after the noun subject (and only the noun subject) when confusion is possible. Compare these two sentences:

Heute ruft die Journalistin sie an.
Heute ruft sie die Journalistin an.

They will not be interpreted to mean the same thing, so you need to be careful.

🔸 Other Pronouns
Demonstrantive pronouns (das, der, dies, etc.) always go after personal pronouns, irrespective of case.

Heute gibt er mir das.

Reflexive pronouns follow the same order as personal pronouns (Akk -> Dat) and tend to also precede nouns. Sometimes it can be very important to stick to this rule, as seen here:

Gestern hat er sich mir vorgestellt. (He introduced himself to me yesterday.)
Gestern hat er es sich vorgestellt. (He imagined it yesterday.)

tender trellis
#

Nein

dry knot
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
dry knot
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

mint willow
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faq präteritum

lean flickerBOT
#
Past Tense

German has two basic past tenses: Perfekt and Präteritum.

What’s the difference? Which one should I use?

To put it simply: Perfekt is used for spoken and casual German, and Präteritum is used for formal writing such as novels. For anything in between or if you’re unsure, it’s best to simply ask a native speaker. But most of the time, you will be using Perfekt, so it’s recommended that you learn that first!

However, even when you are using the Perfekt tense, a few verbs are often still used in Präteritum. This varies by region! Some native speakers use 100% Perfekt tense when they speak, but most people use at least a few words with Präteritum in their speech.

The main verbs commonly used in Präteritum form even when using Perfekt are:
• haben (e.g. ich hatte instead of ich habe gehabt)
• sein (e.g. ich war instead of ich bin gewesen)
• modal verbs
• wissen, denken (e.g. ich wusste, ich dachte)

The following are sometimes also used in Präteritum form but not as pervasively:
• bleiben, brauchen, finden, geben, gehen, laufen, liegen, rufen, sehen, sitzen, stehen, tun

dry quartz
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
austere dagger
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faq kein und nicht

lean flickerBOT
#
Negation

Negations or negative sentences in German are formed with either kein or nicht.

You use kein if you want to negate nouns with an indefinite article or without an article, for example:
(1) Ich besitze kein Auto. (I don't own a car.)
(2) Ich habe keinen Hunger. (I'm not hungry.)

kein is always placed right before the noun you want to negate. Also note that you need to decline kein.

If you want to negate anything else you use nicht, for example:
(3) Ich schlafe nicht. (I don't sleep.) [verb]
(4) Ich habe gestern nicht geduscht. (I didn't shower yesterday.) [verb]
(5) Ich gehe nicht gerne schwimmen. (I don't like to go swimming.) [adverb]
(6) Es ist nicht heiß. (It's not hot.) [adjective]
(7) Ich habe nicht dich, sondern ihn gerufen. (I didn't call you, but him.) [pronoun]
(8) Das ist nicht Peters Fahrrad, sondern meins. (This isn't Peters bicycle, but mine.) [proper noun]
(9) Der Zug kommt nicht um 18 Uhr an. (The train doesn't arrive at 6pm.) [preposition]
(10) Ich habe nicht das Essen bezahlt, sondern die Getränke. (I didn't pay for the food, but for the drinks.) [definite article]

‼ Note that nicht almost always comes before the word it negates, unless you want to negate a verb.
If that's the case, it depends on the tense of the verb and on whether there is an auxiliary verb or not. nicht is placed right after the verb if the verb is in present or past tense. For compound tenses or when the sentence has an auxiliary it is placed before the verb.

🌟 Confused by the terminology? See >ex Grammar terms

south gate
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
robust gulch
#

faq doch

lean flickerBOT
#
Doch

doch for beginners
Germans tend to use the word doch in lots of different situations. But what does it mean, and when do you use it? ⁉

🔆 Using doch to contradict negative statements 🔆
You can use doch to contradict a negative statement/question in the same manner as you would use nein to contradict a positive statement.

(1) Laura hat keinen Fernseher, oder? - Doch, sie hat einen Fernseher!
Laura doesn't have a TV, does she? - Yes, she does!
(2) Du kannst kein Schach spielen! - Doch, das kann ich!
You can't play chess! - Yes, I can!
💡 With doch, correctly answering negative questions (with positive tags) has never been easier. Isn't that awesome? Doch, it is! 😏

🔅 Using doch as an adversative conjunction 🔅
You can also use doch as an adversative conjunction (yet, however, ...).

(3) Du hattest genug Zeit, doch du hast nicht für die Prüfung gelernt.
You had enough time, yet you didn't study for the exam.
(4) Es ist noch nicht Sommer, doch es ist fast genauso heiß.
It is not yet summer, it is, however, almost as hot.
‼ Keep in mind that doch as an adversative conjunction doesn't change the word order. ‼

🔅 Using doch as a subjunctive 🔅
Furthermore, you can use doch in concessive clauses.

(5) Auch wenn wir erwarteten, zu verlieren, so haben wir das Spiel doch gewonnen.
Though we expected to lose, we still won the game.
(6) Obwohl sie sehr nett ist, findet sie doch keine neuen Freunde.
Although she's very kind, she doesn't make new friends.

tidal elbow
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faq

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

tidal elbow
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faq dsopa

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

tidal elbow
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explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

tender trellis
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faq duolingo

lean flickerBOT
#
Duolingo

Duolingo is a decent resource to start with if you're a complete beginner, but it's neither efficient nor comprehensive!

What Duolingo will teach you about grammar is very limited, and none of the systems they use will help you practise much of it.
You can learn some vocabulary with it, but their method (based on the concept of spaced repetition) doesn't work for everybody, and the way Duolingo teaches is not very effective compared to the amount of time it requires from you.

So, if you find it useful, by all means keep using it, but remember not to fall for its gamification of language learning, and move past it when it stops being beneficial. Ignore the streaks.

In any case, keep in mind that Duolingo is not enough to learn a language, ever.

If you're looking for guidance or alternatives, check out >faq beginner in our #botchannel .

serene beacon
#

faq konjunktiv ii

lean flickerBOT
#
Structure of Konjunktiv II

Structure of Konjunktiv II
In the first part, we explained the usage of Konjunktiv II. (see >explain Usage of Konjunktiv II)
Now let’s see how it’s built!
We can create KII through Präteritum - slap an Umlaut on the verb and add the suffixes of Konjunktiv I (or basically suffixes of Präteritum without the -t-).
(5) Ich äße gern mehr, aber ich bin schon satt. = “I would love to eat more but I’m already full.”
(6) Wäre ich nicht arm, ginge ich ab und zu außer Haus essen = “If I wasn’t poor, I would eat out now and then.”
(7) Ich probierte diese Speisen gern, wenn sie nicht ein Vermögen kosten. = “I’d love to try these dishes if they didn’t cost a fortune.”

⁉️ Wait, what?! Isn’t the verb in example (7) in Präteritum?!
Well, yeah, building KII through Präteritum works well with strong verbs, but it doesn’t show in weak verbs because the forms are the same in both Konjunktiv II and Präteritum.

So how do we distinguish between these two?
For weak verb, the würden-structure is used. Würden (= werden in KII) acts as an auxiliary verb with infinitive. The meaning doesn’t change, it’s just clearer what we want to say.
So if we rewrite (7):
(8) Ich würde diese Speisen gern probieren, wenn sie nicht ein Vermögen kosten.
As you can see, würden stays at the second position and the infinitive goes to the end of a clause.

dry quartz
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faq best way to learn german

#

faq best way to learn german

lean flickerBOT
#
Factors that influence learning a language

The following factors (and many others) can influence how easily or quickly you learn German. Remember that everyone is different and these factors will influence different people in different ways.

Native language

As an example, if your native language is English, you may need more time than someone who speaks Dutch.

Previous language learning

Some learners find it easier to learn German if they have already learned a foreign language, or if they have a natural ability to learn languages.

Methods

Some are able to identify what type of learner they are, and leverage that to their benefit.

Discipline and Motivation

Learning a language is fun and exciting at first, but it can be easy to lose motivation and become less disciplined very quickly.

Consistency

Learning a little bit each day every week is generally considered better than studying for several hours, one day per week.

Grammar

The time needed to acquire grammar passively is quite large, so German learners who actively study grammar typically make less grammar mistakes as they progress.

Exposure and immersion

Interacting with native speakers and consuming native content such as the news, magazines, books, movies, podcasts, etc. can help tremendously with achieving an idiomatic usage of the language.

Training each ability equally

Listening, reading, speaking, writing, translating and interpreting are all various abilities associated with language learning. Training these abilities equally is important to ensure that a person can not only pass a language test, but also have the ability to use the language in various contexts while demonstrating great control over grammar.

dry quartz
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
granite glacier
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
pastel ember
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
coarse bison
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faq Präteritum

lean flickerBOT
#
Perfekt
How to form the Perfekt tense

The Perfekt tense is formed by combining an auxiliary verb (haben or sein) with the past participle form of the main verb.

For example, if I want to write the past tense of “essen”/“to eat”, such as in the English sentence “I ate”, I first need to know the auxiliary verb that goes with essen (which happens to be haben), and the past participle form of essen (which is gegessen).

I can then combine them with the usual verb conjugation and word order rules, as such:
Ich habe gegessen. -> I ate. / I have eaten.
Ich habe das Brot gegessen. -> I ate the bread. / I have eaten the bread.

How to determine the past participle?

Just look it up in the dictionary! There are a few general patterns you can also learn about, but a dictionary will pretty much always list the past participle somewhere near the verb itself.

When to use haben and when to use sein as the auxiliary verb?

The basic rules are:
• Transitive verbs (verbs which take an accusative object) use haben
• Intransitive verbs which describe a change of location or change of state use sein
• Other intransitive verbs use haben

This may not be a 100% reliable set of rules, so if in doubt, you can always use a dictionary to verify the correct auxiliary. Also note that there are a few regional variations.

serene kiln
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2-way propositions

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faq 2-way propositions

lean flickerBOT
#
Two-way prepositions

Two-way prepositions (or dual prepositions) are prepositions that govern the accusative or dative case. Ten prepositions have this property, namely:

an     auf      entlang    hinter    in
neben  über     unter      vor       zwischen

Generally, these prepositions are used with the accusative if they express a direction or change of position. They are used with the dative if they express location.

For example, the verb etw. an etw. hängen can be used to express both meanings depending on the intention:

Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. (I am hanging the picture on the wall.)
Das Bild hängt an der Wand. (The picture is hanging on the wall.)

Expressing direction vs. location

It is important to note that the accusative should only be used if something has moved from one position to another. If movement has been indicated, but the location has not changed, then the dative should be used. For example,

Der Hund läuft in den Park. (The dog ran (from somewhere) into the park.)
Der Hund läuft im Park (herum). (The dog is running in the park.)

The dative is usually used with verbs of arriving, appearing and disappearing

Even though these verbs indicate direction, they are still used with dative rather than accusative.

Sie kamen am Bahnhof an.
Sie landeten auf dem Mond.
Das Pferd verschwand hinter dem Berg.

wraith anchor
#

faq beginner

jaunty zealot
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
ornate cradle
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
mighty steeple
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faq cefr

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faq beginner

bleak torrent
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faq> A1

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faq A1

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

bleak torrent
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FAQ learn a1

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faq learn a1

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FAQ not found. I found the following similar entry: Learn fast (1)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

bleak torrent
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faq material for a1 German learning

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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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faq keyboard

lean flickerBOT
#
German letters

Being able to type German letters is quite important!

  • Schon = already. Schön = beautiful.
  • Mutter = mother. Mütter = mothers.

How to? There are several options.
🔸 Use a program like AutoHotkey. Download the program from https://www.autohotkey.com/ and read the pinned message in #resources for instructions on how to set it up. It can be used with any keyboard layout and the hotkeys can be customised.

🔸 US International layout: this is basically just a US keyboard layout with extra characters, so if you're using a US-style keyboard or something similar, the transition is very easy! Everything stays as you know it, except that some of the symbol keys can be used to create the special characters. For example " + a = ä. You can also do RightAlt + s = ß.
To use US International on Windows, look for the Region & Language options and switch your selected keyboard layout to US International.

🔸 If you are on Mac, there are two simple possibilities:

  • The accent menu - Pressing and holding a letter key will display multiple variants of the letter, including umlauts, which can then be selected using the number keys.
  • Dead keys - Pressing Option + u, then pressing a, u, or o, respectively, will display the umlaut variant of that letter. You can also press Option + s to enter ß.
    See this support article for more information:
    https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/enter-characters-with-accent-marks-on-mac-mh27474/mac

See the next page for more alternatives.

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faq faq

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ

Q: What does FAQ mean?
A: Frequently Asked Questions.

Q: How does it relate to this server?
A: You can use a command to see answers to FAQs regarding German grammar, vocabulary, the culture of German-speaking countries, and some topics specifically related to this server.

Q: How do I use this command?
A: Type >faq <faq name> (or alternatively >ex or >explain instead of >faq).
Example: >faq beginner

Q: Where do I use this command?
A: Please use #botchannel for the FAQs.

Q: I can’t find an answer to my question.
A: Use >faq <topic name> and the results will either show you related searches, or automatically add your questions to our suggestion list. Alternatively you can suggest an article in #community-discussion or write one yourself!

Q: I want to write an FAQ entry, how do I do it?
A: Try writing something in the same style as other FAQs and bring it up in #community-discussion.

Q: I found some mistakes/typos in an FAQ entry or want to make a suggestion, where do I bring them up?
A: You can bring them up in #community-discussion, but you are also welcome to use #report-issue to contact the moderators privately.

Q: I don’t understand some parts of an FAQ entry.
A: Depending on the topic you can ask in:

serene beacon
#

faq informal

lean flickerBOT
#
Formal and informal speech

You may have heard of du vs. Sie. What's the difference?

Du is informal speech, and you use it when talking to friends, family, children, young people, and on the internet. The verb meaning to be on du-basis with someone is duzen, and you can use it to ask whether it's ok to switch from Sie to du. While talking to multiple people on informal basis, the plural pronoun is ihr.

  • Hast du Hunger?
  • Du bist ein Idiot.
  • Ich komme mit dir.
  • Was macht ihr?

Sie (note that the capitalisation is important here) is formal speech, and it's used with strangers, older people, on the workplace (unless you've agreed to use du instead), and in other formal situations. The counterpart to duzen is siezen. This pronoun can be used both for singular and plural, so, when you're addressing multiple people formally, you use Sie. Grammatically, Sie declines like the 3rd person plural pronoun sie, even when talking to just one person.

  • Haben Sie Hunger?
  • Sie sind ein Idiot.
  • Ich komme mit Ihnen.
  • Was machen Sie?
serene beacon
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faq

lean flickerBOT
#

:x: The required argument name is missing.

serene beacon
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faq list

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

serene beacon
#

faq doch

lean flickerBOT
#
Doch

doch for beginners
Germans tend to use the word doch in lots of different situations. But what does it mean, and when do you use it? ⁉

🔆 Using doch to contradict negative statements 🔆
You can use doch to contradict a negative statement/question in the same manner as you would use nein to contradict a positive statement.

(1) Laura hat keinen Fernseher, oder? - Doch, sie hat einen Fernseher!
Laura doesn't have a TV, does she? - Yes, she does!
(2) Du kannst kein Schach spielen! - Doch, das kann ich!
You can't play chess! - Yes, I can!
💡 With doch, correctly answering negative questions (with positive tags) has never been easier. Isn't that awesome? Doch, it is! 😏

🔅 Using doch as an adversative conjunction 🔅
You can also use doch as an adversative conjunction (yet, however, ...).

(3) Du hattest genug Zeit, doch du hast nicht für die Prüfung gelernt.
You had enough time, yet you didn't study for the exam.
(4) Es ist noch nicht Sommer, doch es ist fast genauso heiß.
It is not yet summer, it is, however, almost as hot.
‼ Keep in mind that doch as an adversative conjunction doesn't change the word order. ‼

🔅 Using doch as a subjunctive 🔅
Furthermore, you can use doch in concessive clauses.

(5) Auch wenn wir erwarteten, zu verlieren, so haben wir das Spiel doch gewonnen.
Though we expected to lose, we still won the game.
(6) Obwohl sie sehr nett ist, findet sie doch keine neuen Freunde.
Although she's very kind, she doesn't make new friends.

serene beacon
#

faq partizip

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

serene beacon
#

explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Roles

:small_blue_diamond: Seeing verbs

Aliases: Sehen, Schauen

:small_blue_diamond: So and also

:small_blue_diamond: Stative Passive

Aliases: Zustandspassiv, Statal passive

:small_blue_diamond: Structure of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 2

:small_blue_diamond: Study Vocabulary

Aliases: Unterrichten, Studieren, Lernen, Beibringen

:small_blue_diamond: Swiss German

Aliases: gsw

:small_blue_diamond: Switzerland

Aliases: Schweiz, CH

:small_blue_diamond: Two-way prepositions

Aliases: Two way prepositions, Dual prepositions

:small_blue_diamond: Umlauts

Aliases: Umlaute, Umlaut, ä, ö, ü

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Freund and Freundin

Aliases: Freundin, Friend, Friend vs. Boyfriend, Friend vs. Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Freund

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 1

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of zu

Aliases: Um zu

:small_blue_diamond: Verbs with prepositions

Aliases: Verb prepositions, Pferd's verb list

:small_blue_diamond: Vorgangspassiv

woven gust
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faq beitreten

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

woven gust
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explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Roles

:small_blue_diamond: Seeing verbs

Aliases: Sehen, Schauen

:small_blue_diamond: So and also

:small_blue_diamond: Stative Passive

Aliases: Zustandspassiv, Statal passive

:small_blue_diamond: Structure of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 2

:small_blue_diamond: Study Vocabulary

Aliases: Unterrichten, Studieren, Lernen, Beibringen

:small_blue_diamond: Swiss German

Aliases: gsw

:small_blue_diamond: Switzerland

Aliases: Schweiz, CH

:small_blue_diamond: Two-way prepositions

Aliases: Two way prepositions, Dual prepositions

:small_blue_diamond: Umlauts

Aliases: Umlaute, Umlaut, ä, ö, ü

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Freund and Freundin

Aliases: Freundin, Friend, Friend vs. Boyfriend, Friend vs. Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Freund

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 1

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of zu

Aliases: Um zu

:small_blue_diamond: Verbs with prepositions

Aliases: Verb prepositions, Pferd's verb list

:small_blue_diamond: Vorgangspassiv

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help

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Help commands
:small_blue_diamond: **help** [term]

Displays help information for modules and individual commands. The optional argument term is the search term to use. If no value is provided, the bot will display a list of all available modules. Otherwise, it will attempt to find information about the given term.

woven gust
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help faq

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faq

**Aliases: **ex, explain
Provides commands for looking up explanations about popular learning-related topics. Use >faq <name> to see the entry with the given name.

:small_blue_diamond: **faq all**

**Aliases: **faq show, faq list
Displays all FAQ entries that are currently available.

:small_blue_diamond: **faq** <name>

**Aliases: **ex, explain
Provides commands for looking up explanations about popular learning-related topics. Use >faq <name> to see the entry with the given name.

:small_blue_diamond: **faq info** <name>

Displays meta information about the FAQ entry with the given name.

:small_blue_diamond: **faq search** <name>

Retrieves all FAQ entries whose names or aliases roughly match the given name.

woven gust
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help command

lean flickerBOT
#

No command or module called command found.

bleak torrent
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faq biggener

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

bleak torrent
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faq biggener in German

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

bleak torrent
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faq search biggener in German

lean flickerBOT
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No results found. Try a different search term.

serene beacon
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faq digger

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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faq Akkusativ

lean flickerBOT
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Accusative

The accusative case (der Akkusativ) is one of the four cases of the German language. A case affects how a noun or noun phrase is inflected, and indicates the role of the noun or noun phrase in a clause.

How do I decline in the accusative case?

Feminine and neuter nouns and adjectives are the same as nominative. Masculine determiners, adjectives, and weak nouns gain an -en ending::

Ich esse den/einen/keinen kleinen Apfel.

Personal pronouns differ for:

ich --> mich
du --> dich
er --> ihn
wir --> uns
ihr --> euch

For a full explanation see >explain adjective declension

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faq adjective declension

lean flickerBOT
manic geode
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
knotty geode
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faq

lean flickerBOT
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:x: The required argument name is missing.

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FAQ

#

FAQ

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faq explain all

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

knotty geode
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faq pronouns

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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probieren

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faq probieren

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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explain all

lean flickerBOT
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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

knotty geode
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faq [Dach]

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. I found the following similar entry: DACH (1)
Select one of the values in the brackets to directly open the suggested FAQ.

knotty geode
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faq Dach

lean flickerBOT
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DACH

The letters D, A and CH are very common abbreviations for the countries Germany (Deutschland, its German name), Austria (Austria, its Latin name) and Switzerland (Confoederatio Helvetica, its Latin name). These abbreviations are found, for example, on licence plates. Germany and Austria also have two-letter abbreviations, which are DE and AT. These, alongside the Swiss one, are used among other things in URLs.

Incidentally, the word Dach is German for “roof”, so the name of the channel #archived-culture-study-visa is a pun: it literally means “living under the roof”, which can be seen as a metaphor for the cultural similarities between these countries.
Despite not included in the abbreviation, DACH may also include other German-speaking countries, especially Liechtenstein.

knotty geode
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explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

knotty geode
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explain all

lean flickerBOT
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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Imperative

Aliases: imperativ

:small_blue_diamond: Impersonal Verbs

Aliases: Unpersönliche Verben, Impersonal es

:small_blue_diamond: IPA

Aliases: Pronunciation, Sound transcription, International Phonetic Alphabet

:small_blue_diamond: Languages in <#221708975698083841>

Aliases: English in #general, Why English, Why is everyone speaking English in #general?

:small_blue_diamond: Lessons

Aliases: Sessions, Activities

:small_blue_diamond: Looking for information

Aliases: correct channel, information, right place to ask, right channel

:small_blue_diamond: Negation

Aliases: Nicht, Kein

:small_blue_diamond: Nicos

Aliases: Nicos Weg

:small_blue_diamond: Nominative

Aliases: Nominativ

:small_blue_diamond: Omission of movement verbs

:small_blue_diamond: Other languages

Aliases: languages

:small_blue_diamond: Passive

Aliases: Passiv

:small_blue_diamond: Past Tense

Aliases: perfekt, präteritum, praeteritum, present perfect, simple past

:small_blue_diamond: Prepositions of Place Part 1

Aliases: Nach-In-Auf-Zu

:small_blue_diamond: Resources

Aliases: Resource list

knotty geode
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nicos weg

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nicos Weg

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faq nicos weg

lean flickerBOT
#
Nicos

Nicos Weg is a free online program aimed at helping people learn German. It includes video, audio, text, grammar explanations, notes, vocabulary, and exercises. It also includes very useful cultural and bureaucratic information, such as how to open a bank account, while teaching you the relevant grammar and vocabulary.

It’s fairly popular and well-recommended, but keep in mind that you can’t learn a language with only one resource, even if it’s a good one!

You can find the courses here: https://learngerman.dw.com/en/overview/

You can also see various other courses for learners by dw.com here: https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469/

knotty geode
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explain all

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Roles

:small_blue_diamond: Seeing verbs

Aliases: Sehen, Schauen

:small_blue_diamond: So and also

:small_blue_diamond: Stative Passive

Aliases: Zustandspassiv, Statal passive

:small_blue_diamond: Structure of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 2

:small_blue_diamond: Study Vocabulary

Aliases: Unterrichten, Studieren, Lernen, Beibringen

:small_blue_diamond: Swiss German

Aliases: gsw

:small_blue_diamond: Switzerland

Aliases: Schweiz, CH

:small_blue_diamond: Two-way prepositions

Aliases: Two way prepositions, Dual prepositions

:small_blue_diamond: Umlauts

Aliases: Umlaute, Umlaut, ä, ö, ü

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Freund and Freundin

Aliases: Freundin, Friend, Friend vs. Boyfriend, Friend vs. Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Freund

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of Konjunktiv II

Aliases: KII 1

:small_blue_diamond: Usage of zu

Aliases: Um zu

:small_blue_diamond: Verbs with prepositions

Aliases: Verb prepositions, Pferd's verb list

:small_blue_diamond: Vorgangspassiv

final spire
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faq chatgpt

lean flickerBOT
#
**AI-generated text**

This FAQ explains rules and advice for using text AI tools such as ChatGPT.

🔹 **Server rules regarding this topic:**
  • Do not answer any questions by using AI-generated text.
  • Do not ask for AI-generated text to be corrected.
🔹 **Problems with using AI for answers and corrections**
  • No fact-checking: Tools like ChatGPT are very good at writing texts and often provide answers that sound good, but they are not capable of fact-checking their own answers.

  • Fake information: It’s very common for these programs to make up fake or incomplete information, which is explained convincingly but is mostly wrong.

  • Non-deterministic: The information is also partially randomly generated, meaning that if you ask the same question multiple times, you will usually end up with different answers.

  • No language knowledge: It shouldn't be used for grammar or vocabulary questions, as it doesn't understand linguistics, nuance, or how a native speaker might actually use a given word or grammar point.

  • Missing context: When correcting texts it needs to understand what the writer was trying to express. As such it may miss mistakes or correct things that don't need to be corrected.

🔹 **Reasons NOT to use generative AI for learning**
  • It delays the development of important skills in language learning.
    Relying too much on AI generated texts or solutions may get in the way of learning the necessary skills of language acquisition, such as how to look up words or phrases in a dictionary, using critical thinking, or actually applying learned concepts.

  • AI is not designed to guide learners.
    If you ask an AI a question, it will provide you with information, whereas if you ask a human, they will ideally ask you to show your understanding and offer advice on how to find the answer.

  • AI output requires scrutiny
    AI output must be verified, but beginners to German or to language learning often lack the knowledge or experience to do so.

🔹 **Good uses of AI-generated text**
  • Ask ChatGPT to come up with some story ideas that you can write about.
pastel kindle
#

faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
pastel kindle
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faq resources

lean flickerBOT
serene beacon
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faq faq

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FAQ

Q: What does FAQ mean?
A: Frequently Asked Questions.

Q: How does it relate to this server?
A: You can use a command to see answers to FAQs regarding German grammar, vocabulary, the culture of German-speaking countries, and some topics specifically related to this server.

Q: How do I use this command?
A: Type >faq <faq name> (or alternatively >ex or >explain instead of >faq).
Example: >faq beginner

Q: Where do I use this command?
A: Please use #botchannel for the FAQs.

Q: I can’t find an answer to my question.
A: Use >faq <topic name> and the results will either show you related searches, or automatically add your questions to our suggestion list. Alternatively you can suggest an article in #community-discussion or write one yourself!

Q: I want to write an FAQ entry, how do I do it?
A: Try writing something in the same style as other FAQs and bring it up in #community-discussion.

Q: I found some mistakes/typos in an FAQ entry or want to make a suggestion, where do I bring them up?
A: You can bring them up in #community-discussion, but you are also welcome to use #report-issue to contact the moderators privately.

Q: I don’t understand some parts of an FAQ entry.
A: Depending on the topic you can ask in:

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faq Arbeitsbuch

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

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explain all Arbeitsbuch

lean flickerBOT
#
See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

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faq formal

lean flickerBOT
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Formal and informal speech

You may have heard of du vs. Sie. What's the difference?

Du is informal speech, and you use it when talking to friends, family, children, young people, and on the internet. The verb meaning to be on du-basis with someone is duzen, and you can use it to ask whether it's ok to switch from Sie to du. While talking to multiple people on informal basis, the plural pronoun is ihr.

  • Hast du Hunger?
  • Du bist ein Idiot.
  • Ich komme mit dir.
  • Was macht ihr?

Sie (note that the capitalisation is important here) is formal speech, and it's used with strangers, older people, on the workplace (unless you've agreed to use du instead), and in other formal situations. The counterpart to duzen is siezen. This pronoun can be used both for singular and plural, so, when you're addressing multiple people formally, you use Sie. Grammatically, Sie declines like the 3rd person plural pronoun sie, even when talking to just one person.

  • Haben Sie Hunger?
  • Sie sind ein Idiot.
  • Ich komme mit Ihnen.
  • Was machen Sie?
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faq doch

lean flickerBOT
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Doch

doch for beginners
Germans tend to use the word doch in lots of different situations. But what does it mean, and when do you use it? ⁉

🔆 Using doch to contradict negative statements 🔆
You can use doch to contradict a negative statement/question in the same manner as you would use nein to contradict a positive statement.

(1) Laura hat keinen Fernseher, oder? - Doch, sie hat einen Fernseher!
Laura doesn't have a TV, does she? - Yes, she does!
(2) Du kannst kein Schach spielen! - Doch, das kann ich!
You can't play chess! - Yes, I can!
💡 With doch, correctly answering negative questions (with positive tags) has never been easier. Isn't that awesome? Doch, it is! 😏

🔅 Using doch as an adversative conjunction 🔅
You can also use doch as an adversative conjunction (yet, however, ...).

(3) Du hattest genug Zeit, doch du hast nicht für die Prüfung gelernt.
You had enough time, yet you didn't study for the exam.
(4) Es ist noch nicht Sommer, doch es ist fast genauso heiß.
It is not yet summer, it is, however, almost as hot.
‼ Keep in mind that doch as an adversative conjunction doesn't change the word order. ‼

🔅 Using doch as a subjunctive 🔅
Furthermore, you can use doch in concessive clauses.

(5) Auch wenn wir erwarteten, zu verlieren, so haben wir das Spiel doch gewonnen.
Though we expected to lose, we still won the game.
(6) Obwohl sie sehr nett ist, findet sie doch keine neuen Freunde.
Although she's very kind, she doesn't make new friends.

last shore
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faq learn german

lean flickerBOT
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Best way to learn German

There isn’t only one “best” way to learn German, especially since different methods work better for different people. However, this FAQ will outline the main aspects of learning efficiently, which you can cater to your needs.

If you’re a beginner, type >faq beginner in #botchannel to see our beginner guide.

Cover all skills

There are many combinations of activities you can use to study and practice a language. How do you know which combinations are suitable? The key is to make sure you cover each of the main skills with at least one activity. Some activities only train one skills, while some train multiple – either is fine, as long as all the 6 skills are covered somewhere in your studies.

The skills

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Grammar
• Vocabulary

Which resources should I use?

It doesn’t really matter which resources you use, as long as you can follow along, and the information is correct and reliable. If you have any doubts about whether a resource is correct, feel free to ask. You do not need to find just one resource and stick to it – in fact, to learn best, it’s recommended that you use a large variety of resources and switch between them when needed.

Type >faq resources in #botchannel to see our list of resources.

On the next page

• Should I study all these skills every day?
• How much time should I dedicate to studying?

last shore
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faq beginner

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
last shore
#

faq resources

lean flickerBOT
rancid beacon
#

faq doch

lean flickerBOT
#
Doch

doch for beginners
Germans tend to use the word doch in lots of different situations. But what does it mean, and when do you use it? ⁉

🔆 Using doch to contradict negative statements 🔆
You can use doch to contradict a negative statement/question in the same manner as you would use nein to contradict a positive statement.

(1) Laura hat keinen Fernseher, oder? - Doch, sie hat einen Fernseher!
Laura doesn't have a TV, does she? - Yes, she does!
(2) Du kannst kein Schach spielen! - Doch, das kann ich!
You can't play chess! - Yes, I can!
💡 With doch, correctly answering negative questions (with positive tags) has never been easier. Isn't that awesome? Doch, it is! 😏

🔅 Using doch as an adversative conjunction 🔅
You can also use doch as an adversative conjunction (yet, however, ...).

(3) Du hattest genug Zeit, doch du hast nicht für die Prüfung gelernt.
You had enough time, yet you didn't study for the exam.
(4) Es ist noch nicht Sommer, doch es ist fast genauso heiß.
It is not yet summer, it is, however, almost as hot.
‼ Keep in mind that doch as an adversative conjunction doesn't change the word order. ‼

🔅 Using doch as a subjunctive 🔅
Furthermore, you can use doch in concessive clauses.

(5) Auch wenn wir erwarteten, zu verlieren, so haben wir das Spiel doch gewonnen.
Though we expected to lose, we still won the game.
(6) Obwohl sie sehr nett ist, findet sie doch keine neuen Freunde.
Although she's very kind, she doesn't make new friends.

#
Beide vs. Beides

Both Beide and Beides mean both, then how to differentiate them?

🔸 Use beide if the items are of the same kind.
🔸 If the items are different, use beides.
- Ich will beide Äpfel!

- Möchten Sie Ketchup oder Mayo?
- Beides, danke.

🔸 With people you always use beide.

🔸 Article or no article?
An article is used when the people described are doing something together.
- Die beiden sind verlobt. (they are engaged to one another)
- Beide sind verlobt. (they are both engaged, each to their own significant other)

Note: other forms of beid* like beidem or beiden depend on grammatical case, see >explain case.

last shore
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faq friend for leaning

lean flickerBOT
#

FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

spice abyss
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faq beginer

lean flickerBOT
#
How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
nimble hemlock
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hi what's this

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faq wenn vs. soffern

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

nimble hemlock
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explain all

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See a listed FAQ with >faq [name]
:small_blue_diamond: Absentive

Aliases: Absentiv

:small_blue_diamond: Accusative

Aliases: Akkusativ

:small_blue_diamond: Adjective Declension

Aliases: Adjektivdeklination, Adjective endings

:small_blue_diamond: AI in language learning

Aliases: ai, chatgpt

:small_blue_diamond: Anki

Aliases: Flashcards

:small_blue_diamond: Beide vs. Beides

Aliases: Beides vs. Beide, Beides, Beide

:small_blue_diamond: Best way to learn German

Aliases: Fastest way to learn, Learn fast, Most efficient way to learn, Learn efficiently, Best way to learn, Learn German fast

:small_blue_diamond: Can anyone teach me German

Aliases: Private tutors, Teach me, Teach me German, Teach German, Private lessons, Private teachers

:small_blue_diamond: Cases

Aliases: Grammatical case, Case

:small_blue_diamond: CEFR levels

Aliases: CEFR, CERF

:small_blue_diamond: Conjugation

Aliases: Konjugation, Praesens, Verbs, Verb conjugation, Present tense, Präsens

:small_blue_diamond: Contractions

Aliases: Verschmelzung, Schmelzwort, Vom

:small_blue_diamond: DACH

:small_blue_diamond: Dative

Aliases: Dativ

:small_blue_diamond: Doch

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faq cases

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Cases

Cases
German has four grammatical cases (der Fall or der Kasus in German): nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive. A case alters a noun, pronoun, adjective, etc., in some way to mark its grammatical function in a phrase, clause, or sentence. For example, the main function of the nominative (der Nominativ) case is to mark the subject in a sentence:

Ich liebe die deutsche Sprache!

In this sentence, the pronoun ich represents the first person subject and is in the nominative case. Every noun, pronoun, adjective, etc. has form in every case and it is very important to learn all of them. For example, the accusative form of ich is mich:

Die deutsche Sprache liebt mich!

See >explain adjective declension to get started on that. Don't get discouraged by how much there is, it takes some time master.

To see an explanation of the usages of every case, see their individual articles:
>explain nominative
>explain accusative
>explain dative
>explain genitive

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explain accusative

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Accusative

The accusative case (der Akkusativ) is one of the four cases of the German language. A case affects how a noun or noun phrase is inflected, and indicates the role of the noun or noun phrase in a clause.

How do I decline in the accusative case?

Feminine and neuter nouns and adjectives are the same as nominative. Masculine determiners, adjectives, and weak nouns gain an -en ending::

Ich esse den/einen/keinen kleinen Apfel.

Personal pronouns differ for:

ich --> mich
du --> dich
er --> ihn
wir --> uns
ihr --> euch

For a full explanation see >explain adjective declension

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explain adjective declension

lean flickerBOT
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faq cefr

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CEFR levels

If you see something like A1, B2 or C1, these represent the proficiency of a speaker in a language they're not native in, and are called CEFR levels. They are valid for any language, not only German!
Roughly speaking, A levels are beginners and C levels are experts. Remember that CEFR level are self-assessed and indicative!
You can see more specific names and descriptions on the Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages

🗨 How do I know what level I am?
If the table on Wikipedia is too generic for you, you can try using this one here:
https://rm.coe.int/168045bb52
Just check each column one at a time: if you can do all it describes, move to the next column. Your level is the highest where you can do the most things.

Alternatively, you can use this questionnaire to estimate your level more accurately:
https://rm.coe.int/self-assessment-checklists-from-the-swiss-version-of-the-european-lang/1680492f8e

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faq beginner

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How to get started - Part 2

Please make sure to read Part 1 before starting Part 2!

Part 2 – Beyond a Simple Sentence

1: Conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)
2: Subordinate clause word order
3: Dative case
4: Dative verbs
5: Verbs with two objects (e.g. geben)
6: Prepositions (accusative, dative, and two-way)
7: Spoken past tense (Perfekt)
8: Written past tense (Präteritum)
9: Genitive case
10: Relative clauses
11: Adjective declension

Tips
  • Make sure to practice writing and reading simple texts
  • Some of these concepts are confusing to start with, so it’s a good idea to ask for help in #questions when you’re unsure
  • You should use a declension chart to help with declension to start with, because you won’t be able to memorize it straight away
  • After you feel confident with creating sentences, you can start learning the adjective declension properly by using the command >faq adjective declension and reading the guide provided
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faq beginner

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How to get started

The simplest way to learn German is to find topics you don’t understand yet and search for explanations of them. This list provides you with a guide for which topics to learn if you are completely new to German. Type the topic into Google (or YouTube) and start learning!

Introduction

1: Alphabet (especially ä, ü, ö and ß)
2: Basic greetings (hello, goodbye, etc.)

Part 1 - Simple Sentence

1: Noun gender & plurals
2: Nominative case (What are cases?)
3: Nominative pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.)
4: Verbs in present tense
5: Definite/indefinite articles
6: Accusative case (for nouns)
7: Accusative pronouns
8: Word order of simple sentences
9: How to ask questions

See Part 2 on the next page.

Tips
  • Always learn the gender of a noun when you learn a new noun
  • Learn to use a translation dictionary (e.g. dict.cc, leo.org)
  • Use >faq resources to see our list of German learning resources
  • For listening and pronunciation practice, try watching movies or videos (incl. YouTube)
  • You can listen to pronunciation for words on websites like dict.cc, forvo.com, and others
  • Practice writing sentences every day (and asking people to correct them)
  • Ask as many questions as possible
  • Don’t be scared to make mistakes!!!! If you don’t let yourself make mistakes, you will never be able to learn German
dense epoch
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faq brot

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

dense epoch
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faq bröt

lean flickerBOT
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FAQ not found. Try >explain all.

bold swallow
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faq cefr