German Grammar
By taking the time to understand how the German language works, you'll be able to speak German naturally, and read and write in German. We know this can be one of the more challenging parts of your course, and we’re here to help! You can browse the topics, do a search in the top right corner of this page, or start a new conversation. Don’t be shy!- can I download all my favorites to a pdf I am looking to download my favorites2 replies • Last post by Margaret-RocketLanguages • Apr 16, 2026
- Level 2 struggles Maybe it is just me, but I am finding level 2 MUCH more difficult and much less enjoyable than level 1. In particular module 8 seems very complex and has very little explanation of the complexity. Lots of dative mixed with lots of new vocabulary and ve...12 replies • Last post by JosephP50 • Dec 22, 2025
- Kalte Morgen or kalte Morgens? Hi, I've just come across the sentence kalte Morgen sind furchtbar and was wondering why it is Morgen here and not kalte Morgens as in Morgens gehe ich laufen (or something like that). I know both are plurals (according to the dictionary), so ist it just...4 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Dec 17, 2025
- compost verbs please could you help me how to use compost verbs in German example the verb aussiehen, of course another new verbs.2 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Sep 10, 2025
- Teddy bears Module 1 4.8 Flashcards card 25 On flashcard 25, the accusative case of Teddybear is given as “einen Teddybär,” yet my German grammar sources give the accusative of Teddybear as “einen Teddybären,” corresponding to the usual accusative of “Bär,” i.e....3 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Apr 11, 2025
- help with German I have a great recommendation Your German teacher. Not a cheap course, but the offer all of A1, A2 and have now introduced B2. My German grammar has grown in leaps and bounds. Comes with a textbook and workbook. I have purchased A1 and now A2. When...1 replies • Last post by Maxie • Dec 11, 2024
- Was machen sie mit ihrem Gewinn Was machen sie mit ihrem Gewinn is translated as What (wii) you dowith your winnings. But Ihrem is the the dative case for their. Shouldn't the correct translation of , “What will you do with YOUR winnings , be ”Was machen sie mit EUREM Gewinn6 replies • Last post by Maxie • Sep 1, 2024
- Dersalbe I found the lesson dealing with “this/hat/the same pretty difficult. This and that seem pretty straightforward, but ”dersalbe" seemed almost impossible to use without a lot of thinking. I am not sure why it is so difficult. any suggestions about learn...2 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Aug 15, 2024
- Darf ich mit eurem Fahrrad fahren? Would “Kann ich eurem Fahrrad fahren” be correct or at least understandable. There are two things I am wondering about in this sentence. 1. Why Darf vs Kann, and 2., how do you know when to insert the “mit” into a dative phrase?3 replies • Last post by JosephP50 • Aug 8, 2024
- I knew that already This is translated as “Das wurste ich schon”. Okay, I get that, but would “Ich wurste das schon” also be correct? What am O missing?4 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Jul 30, 2024
- "Gern" oder "Gerne" I have been trying to figure out why with some verbs “gern” is used, and with other “gerne”. I can't make any sense of why one is used and not the other.2 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Jul 17, 2024
- Past tense Could “Ja, einmal ist mein Gepäck auf einem Flug nach Australien verloren gegangen.” also be correctly stated as “Ja, einmal war mein Gepäck auf einem Flug nach Australien verloren.”4 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • May 10, 2024
- but hi, when i started learning German i learned to use aber for but, now I see another way to say it. What is the difference?3 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Mar 5, 2024
- Past participle of sehen in Lesson 9.8 This lesson is on irregularities the präteritum, and has a sentence in the perfect as a comparison. The sentence is: Sie hat die Leute wegfahren sehen. The translation is “ She saw the people drive away .” with a literal translation “She has the pe...3 replies • Last post by Peter--252 • Feb 10, 2024
- dative Hi All Once again my brain is saying why. Ich war mit einer Freundin im Kino. I know that “in takes accusative or dative if there is movement. I am puzzled by the ”im" I can see it is dative, that I understand. But is there no movement in this cas...7 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Dec 15, 2023
- Ja zum Glueck Hi All Once again these pesky cases. Why is “Zum Glueck” in dative I feel I am never going to get this and when I speak am still going to be mangling the German language. Maxie3 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Dec 13, 2023
- lessons on You Tube Hi All Found good comprehensive lessons on You Tube. Good for revision and for a beginner. Really good content and well explained in a fun, but understated way. Learn German with mister Ferguson. I like the way he explains, as it is logical wit...1 replies • Last post by Maxie • Nov 16, 2023
- Dative Have come across that glauben, antworten and gehoeren always take dative. Is this correct and are there any other verbs that only take dative? Are there verbs that just take Accusative or genitive? Danke Maxie8 replies • Last post by Maxie • Oct 21, 2023
- Grammar Hi All Yet another questio n. Wrote to my German friend Said “Ich habe keine ahnung was er will machen.” She wrote back saying it should have been :ich habe keine Ahnung was er machen will. I always understood that the infinitive goes to the end wi...19 replies • Last post by gottahaveajava • Oct 21, 2023
- Kein Problem. Einmal den Mund öffnen, bitte. The following two phrases appear in Play the Part - A Perfect Smile Kein Problem. Einmal den Mund öffnen, bitte. Könnten Sie Ihren Mund einmal weit öffnen, bitte? What is the function of einmal in these phrases and when should it be used? ...10 replies • Last post by Maxie • Sep 22, 2023
- lesson 7.3 I know this very likely has something to do with cases. "In einer Stunde, okay?" I understand that things change, but I can't see why it is “einer” and not “eine” I also understand that “in” changes things and it can be a double preposition. If s...12 replies • Last post by Maxie • Sep 13, 2023
- Adjectives after a verb Hi All In the lesson on Adjectives in the Nominative and Accusative. The lesson starts with Adjectives that come after the verb, don't change. In this sentence it does. Could someone please clarify this. Es ist ein großer schwarzer Koffer mit kleine...11 replies • Last post by gottahaveajava • Aug 22, 2023
- lesson 17.2 Hi All Lesson 17.2 “Punctuality” die eine Vorlesung an einer Universität später beginnt als offiziell angegeben. Why is this “der Universitaet” I know this has to do with the cases, but don't know which one and why Please Explain Maxie4 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Aug 16, 2023
- Can “I'm waiting for the train” use auf or für interchangeably? Ich warte auf den Zug. Meaning, “I'm waiting for the train”. “für” always means “for”. “für” forces the noun to be accusative. “She is baking cookies for the family.” "Sie backt Kekse für die Familie." “auf” is a presposition that c...2 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • May 30, 2023
- variable prepositions In lesson 23.8, ‘Gehst du in die Kirche?’ is translated as ‘Do you go to church?’ How would you differentiate between ‘Do you go to church’ and ‘Are you going into the church’ i.e. attending a Christian religious service on a regular basis vs. walking in...2 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • May 30, 2023
- Deutsche Welle Hi All have just discovered hundreds of YouTube programs produced by DW. I use Nico's Weg and others on line and get their newsletters, but the YouTube videos will take me to another level or rabbit hole I find this really exciting, as the possibilit...2 replies • Last post by James1 • May 26, 2023
- Lesson 4.8, möchte & hätte chaos! I am struggling to make any sense of when to use hätte and when to use möchte. The course materials says, that Ich hätte gern / gerne is followed by a noun, and Ich möchte is generally used with an infinitive verb. Can someone then explain to m...5 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • May 5, 2023
- Dative Oh my another question. In level 2 Dative lesson Gehst du mit deinen Eltern ins Theater? Why deinen not deinem. I understood that mit takes Dative and the plural is deinem in the Dative. Could you please explain this. Maxie6 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Apr 18, 2023
- Lesson 9.4 Hi In lesson 9.4 Es ist ein großer schwarzer Koffer mit kleinen Rädern. WhenI looked up in translator it was Die Rader (") Why Radern (") I get the adjectives used, but not the plural of this noun Maxie2 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Apr 13, 2023
- lesson 7.2 Hi All In lesson 7.2 Lena sitzt neben mir. In the previous sentence mich is used instead of mir. I believe neben takes dative in location Both sentences are translated as “me” Why the difference Maxie5 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Apr 4, 2023
- Cases Hi All In lesson 4.9 the lesson gives specifics of which prepositions take the Accusative. Is there a lesson on Dative as specific as that? I see there are some in level 3, but is the a more comprehsive one? As always, thamks Maxie6 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Mar 10, 2023
- "es" as pronoun or not? Hello everyone, I've come across this sentence in lesson 9.4. I am wondering why it is “Es ist ein großer schwarzer Koffer…” and not “Er ist ein großer schwarzer Koffer…”. Is “es” here not a pronoun, and if not, what is it?2 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Feb 28, 2023
- Dative introduction Hi all I use Coffee Break German. It is a subscription, but podcasts are free. Have just done Season 1 lesson 17. There they introduce Dative for the first time, with only 3 prepositions, so not overwhelming, but it gives you an understanding of Dative ...7 replies • Last post by gottahaveajava • Feb 24, 2023
- connections Hi All Was doing a revision on “Going Skiing” Noticed that with “neben” goes “dem” Knew it had something to do with the cases. Made a comment this wekk on Dative in the forum. Having listened to a podcast on Coffee Break made the connection with neb...4 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Feb 22, 2023
- lesson 9.1 hallo alle Zusammen In this sentence. Nicht viel. Ich war kurz in der Stadt. I know the der is dative, but why? has this got something to do with kurz as in time? As no explanation in the lesson Danke Maxie4 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Feb 2, 2023
- was ist besser Am so confused, again In lesson 6.5 Der kleinere Mann ist mein Freund Michael. And the next sentence too I can find no explanation for adjectives ending in re. er yes, in the lesson on adjectives in the nominative and accusative. Could someone pleas...8 replies • Last post by Maxie • Jan 28, 2023
- What is the difference between geschlossen & schließen? What is the difference between geschlossen & schließen? Can i say the door is close (schließen) & the door is closed (geschlossen) in german? would it mean the same thing?2 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Dec 28, 2022
- very cool I was doing an exercise in Survivla Kit level 2. Medical German. Was wondering how I was going to keep all the gender words in my memory. Further down the line I realized that because adjectives change at times due to gender and case, one can work out th...6 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Dec 27, 2022
- All the fun of the fair. Play the part Hi I am not sure if I am missing something, once again. The sentence “Ich hab leider nur einen Zehneuroschein.” Is it meant to be hab or is this an error? Thanks Maxie4 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Nov 28, 2022
- lesson 7.1 "dieser Jahrezeit Hallo Zusammen There must be a logical explanation. Dieser Jahrezeit. I understood “er to be a masculine ending. Also understood that all compound words take on the gender of the last word. in other words ”Die Zeit" Probably something to do with the ...15 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Nov 28, 2022
- lesson 9.1 In lesson 9.1 Ich war mit einer Freundin im Kino. If it is a girl friend why is it not eine Freundin. Oh my am I ever going to understand the finer intricasies of German grammar. Sebongela16 replies • Last post by gottahaveajava • Nov 17, 2022
- Das Thema waren Lesson 19.4 contains the sentence ‘Das Thema waren die Hoelenmenschen’. Why is it ‘waren’ and not ‘war’?2 replies • Last post by sfpugh • Oct 19, 2022
- Translating Directions 1) I found this English to German translation that has me confused about when to use articles and prepositions. The movie theater is on the right. Das Kino ist rechts. In English ‘right’ is a noun describing a place. In German ‘rechts’ is an adverb. ...3 replies • Last post by Tyler. • Aug 20, 2022
- Conjugation of the infinitive "Regen" I am currently in lesson 1.9 and am learning to properly conjugate verbs. All was going well until I noticed something that stumped me; the sentence “Es regnet.” From the rules that were given, the verb “Regen” when used with the pronoun “Es” would seemi...2 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Aug 15, 2022
- German Grammar Hello All If anyone is finding some issues with understanding the Grammar explanations on Rocket and want more clarity I have found some books that are really good, with lots of exercises for practice. Some of them are by an author Ed Swick (Quite a fe...1 replies • Last post by Maxie • Jul 18, 2022
- Auf Hi In lesson 4.9 Auf is decribed as : of, to ,in (language) Could someone give me an example when "Auf is used with language. Thanks Sebongela3 replies • Last post by Maxie • Jun 1, 2022
- Nominative case and "Sein" Hallo Another grammar question. When Nominative was explained “Sein” was mentioned as an equal sign. In lesson 6.5 When 2 things are being compared and “ist” is present is this why the things being compared are both in the nominative. EG. Die Couch and ...3 replies • Last post by Maxie • May 17, 2022
- Ist es or es ist I am struggling to make sense of when to use “ist es” and “es ist” in module 2.1 Can someone help me? Because just when I think I have understood when to use “ist es” and when to use “es ist”, I mess up :(2 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • May 2, 2022
- tut or tun Hello, Why does the sentence ends with “zu tun” instead of “zu tut” “Er sucht etwas zu tun” Thank you and regards, Tina4 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Apr 25, 2022
- lesson 1.7 Hallo In lesson 1.7 “Ich muss zum hotel. ”Why does it take a dative case as in zu and dem.? Or have I got this completely mixed up. Is das Hotel an indirect object then. I thought it would be a direct object. Talk about getting in a twist about this...4 replies • Last post by Julia-Rocket-German-Tutor • Apr 14, 2022
Want to post a comment? Just sign up for a free Rocket Languages trial
Select one of the languages below and sign up in 60 seconds. Join our user forum and experience Rocket Languages for yourself!
Most Popular Articles
Top 10 Chinese hacks
Whether you've been studying Chinese for years or are considering giving Chinese a try, the following 10 hacks and simple tricks can help you to learn Chinese fast and effectively.
How Long Does It Take To Learn Chinese
Learning a language is a complex process that is different for each individual based on several different factors. Let's take a look at these different factors and how they impact how fast you learn Chinese.
Let's get you talking in Chinese.
We love Chinese people and Chinese culture - from irresistible C-dramas and comforting wonton soup to the majestic Forbidden City and ancient martial art forms! And there's no better way to connect with them than by learning 中文 (Chinese).