A Conversation for The h2g2 Language Thing - GERMAN Department

Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 61

katkodl

Katkat! smiley - yikes Throw those stupid translators away! You’re a nasty little girl, you know that!?

katkodl


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 62

Kat - From H2G2

*looks innocent*

Im not nasty!!! Why am I nasty!? I even sent you a picture of me looking rough this evening!


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 63

katkodl

You’re looking so sweet in that picture!!! smiley - smooch


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 64

Kat - From H2G2

*scowls vaguely but looks pleased*

Hey you know what? If you teach me German then I wont use the translator anymore...makes sense nein?

And what about a delightful email for yours truly? Or are you hard at work writing us a lesson? smiley - tickle


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 65

katkodl

Sorry, I’m a little distracted by watching Conan O’Brien! smiley - loveblush
But you’ll receive an e-mail soon… and yeah, I’ll write a lesson…

katkodl


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 66

katkodl

smiley - roseARTICLESsmiley - rose

There’re three articles in German – every noun is either male, female or neuter.

smiley - smileyDefinite articles:

der: “the” for male stuff
die: “the” for female stuff
das: “the” for neuter stuff

Examples:

der Hund – the dog
der Apfel – the apple
der Sessel – the chair

die Katze – the cat
die Birne – the pear
die Wand – the wall

das Huhn – the chicken
das Bier – the beer
das Fenster – the window


smiley - smileyIndefinite articles:

ein: male
eine: female
ein: neuter

Examples:

ein Hund – a dog
ein Apfel – an apple
ein Sessel – a chair

eine Katze – a cat
eine Birne – a pear
eine Wand – a wall

ein Huhn – a chicken
ein Bier – a beer
ein Fenster – a window


Any questions? Otherwise I’ll continue. smiley - smiley

smiley - blackcat


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 67

Kat - From H2G2

Is there ever any way to guess what article something is going to be?

And don't say there're...it looks wrong. Just because yu shorten it I don't think you can actually do it when writing...I'll double check though.

smiley - cat


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 68

katkodl

Just one question before I'll continue:
What's wrong about "there're"? I don't get it smiley - erm.


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 69

Kat - From H2G2

23!

Sorry guys for clogging the learners thread but well...Im allowed to cos Im the creator and Katkodl's the HoD...soo...

*slaps self on wrists*


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 70

NICEGUY4

hi kat howz u


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 71

Kat - From H2G2

hey NICEGUY4...come to learn? Idle chitchat may not happen *gets out whip* Ahem...yes well we're special. To chitchat go to the speaking thread and talk in German smiley - biggrin

You can't say there're because although it's a shortening of "there are" it just doesn't work...

try saying it out loud. You sound like a farmer sweetpea.


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 72

katkodl

Well, maybe I WANT to sound like a farmer!


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 73

NICEGUY4

eerrmm how do i get on the thread smiley - smiley


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 74

Kat - From H2G2

F1832046?thread=431827&latest=1

There!

Or alternatively you COULD have clicked on the link at the top of this page and gone there...but hey!

Kat you want to sound like a farmer you go ahead...if you want me to comment on your accent...

And come on! I want an answer to my question about articles!


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 75

katkodl

THERE'RE erm... There's your answer:

No, unfortunately you can’t tell the article by looking at a word. Well, a lot of words ending with “a” are female, and a lot of words ending with “er” are male, but as you will see in my next post that’s not always true. But quite often!


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 76

NICEGUY4

hi learn me german x


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 77

katkodl

smiley - rose RELATIVESsmiley - rose

die Mutter – mother
die Mama – Mum
die Mami - Mummy

der Vater – father
der Papa – pa
der Papi – Daddy

die Schwester – sister
die Tochter – daughter

der Bruder – brother
der Sohn – son

die Geschwister (pl.) – siblings

die Großmutter – grandmother
die Oma – grandma
die Omi – granny

der Großvater – grandfather
der Opa – grandpa
der Opi – grandad (rare)

die Tante – aunt

der Onkel – uncle

die Cousine – cousin (female)

der Cousin – cousin (male)

Have I forgotten about any (near) relative?

smiley - blackcat


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 78

Kat - From H2G2

nephew
niece


have we already done husband and wife?

how about saying "step-whatever"?


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 79

NICEGUY4

email me on [email protected]


Language Thing-German BEGINNERS thread

Post 80

katkodl

smiley - smileydie Nichte – niece
der Neffe - nephew

(see also post 54 for...)
smiley - smileyder Ehemann – husband
die Ehefrau – wife

smiley - smileyStepwhatever is always „Stief“whatever:
der Stiefvater – stepfather
die Stiefschwester – stepsister

smiley - blackcat


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