h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The difference between indefinite and definite article is easy to understand, as it is the same in most languages.

The definite article was "der, die, das...." to be translated in all cases as "the" in English. i.e. when you are talking about a specific, or definite, object.

The indefinite article is the equivalent of "a" or "an" in English.

There is a difference in meaning if you say

"He read a book" or "He read the book."
"They chopped down a tree" or "They chopped down the tree."
"A car rolled down the hill" or "The car rolled down the hill."

The indefinite article is used when it is irrelevant or not known which object is being referred to.

The indefinite article looks like this:

Masc.

Nom: ein
Acc: einen
Dat: einem
Gen: eines

Fem:
Nom: eine
Acc: eine
Dat: einer
Gen: einer

Neuter:
Nom: ein
Acc: ein
Dat: einem
Gen: eines

If you get these right, you will practically have mastered the biggest stumbling block that foreigners have with German, and that which marks you as a foreigner.


Examples:

* Ein Mann muß immer rasiert sein. - A man should always be shaved. (This sentence has no objects)
* Frau Schmidt führt einen Schreibwarenladen - Mrs Schmidt runs a stationery shop (the shop is an accusative/indirect object)
* Er schlug mit einem Hammer darauf - He hit it with a hammer (The hammer is an implement to the verb and is the dative object. Whatever was hit is the accusative object)
* Die Mütze eines Lokführers ist immer schmutzig - A train driver's hat is always dirty.

* Eine Blume riecht immer gut - A flower always smells nice
* Hast Du mal eine Mark? - Have you got a mark (money) (as in Buddy can you spare a dime?)
* Er rührte seinen Kaffee mit einer Gabel - he stirred his coffee with a fork
* Im Schnee sah man die Pfotenabdrucke einer Katze - In the snow you could see (one could see) the paw-marks of a cat.

* Ein Fenster zerbrach - a window broke
* Im Handgepäck habe ich immer ein Buch zum Lesen - I always carry a book to read in my hand luggage
* Er stand auf einem Bein - he was standing on one leg
* Der Stamm eines Baums gibt das Alter an - The trunk of a tree tells its age

As with the definite article, the genitive of masculine and neuter nouns changes by adding an "s". This can be seen in the two examples above.. 'eines Lokführers' and 'eines Baums'.

Sometimes the nouns even gain an extra "e" - you could equally say "eines Baumes". Many stories and fairy tales start "Eines Tages" - one day. This is a genitive form in German. Don't worry about this bit at the moment though.