Was ist Akkusativ? | German accusative explained | YourGermanTeacher

YourGermanTeacher

8 Oct 201912:35

Summary

TLDRIn this informative video, German language teacher Lucy explains the concept of the accusative case, which is the second case learned by German learners after the nominative. She clarifies that the accusative is used when there are two entities in a sentence, where the subject is in the nominative case and the object is in the accusative. Lucy uses visual aids and examples to illustrate how the accusative is used with different verbs and how it changes the articles for masculine nouns. She emphasizes the importance of the accusative in forming sentences and the flexibility it provides in word order, which is a distinctive feature of the German language compared to English. The video concludes with an interactive question, inviting viewers to practice using the accusative case in a comment.

Takeaways

📚 Accusative is the fourth case in German grammar, but it's usually the second case that beginners learn after the nominative case.
📍 Accusative is used after specific verbs and prepositions, but the video focuses on its use with verbs.
🔍 Accusative is used when there are two people or things in a sentence, where one is the subject (nominative) and the other is the object (accusitive).
📖 Every sentence has a subject, which is always in the nominative case.
📝 Accusative articles change only in the masculine form, where the definite article 'der' becomes 'den', and the indefinite article 'ein' becomes 'einen'.
👦 In sentences with one person or thing, the subject remains in the nominative case.
📎 The accusative case is important for understanding the structure of a sentence in German, as it helps to distinguish the subject and object.
🔑 The word order in German can be more flexible than in English, allowing for emphasis on different parts of the sentence.
💡 The second position in a German sentence is typically reserved for the conjugated verb, regardless of where the subject and object are placed.
✍️ Practice is key to mastering the use of the accusative case, especially with masculine nouns.
🌐 German sentence structure can seem confusing to English speakers due to the different use of cases and word order.

Q & A

What is the accusative case in German grammar?
-The accusative case in German grammar is used for direct objects in a sentence and is the second case that learners typically encounter after the nominative case.
Why is the accusative case important in German sentences?
-The accusative case is important because it helps to identify the object of a sentence, which is crucial for understanding the meaning of the sentence in German, where word order can be more flexible than in English.
How does the word order in German differ from English?
-In German, the meaning of a sentence is derived from the grammatical case of the nouns, allowing for more flexibility in word order. This is different from English, where the word order typically follows a subject-verb-object pattern.
What happens to the definite article in the accusative case for masculine nouns?
-In the accusative case, the definite article for masculine nouns changes from 'der' to 'den'.
How does the accusative case affect the indefinite articles in German?
-In the accusative case, the indefinite article for masculine nouns changes from 'ein' to 'einen'. There are no changes for feminine, neuter, or plural nouns.
What is the role of the verb in determining the use of the accusative case?
-Certain verbs in German require the use of the accusative case for their direct objects. The script provides examples of such verbs and how they dictate the use of the accusative case.
Can you give an example of a sentence using the accusative case with a masculine noun as the object?
-An example from the script is 'Der Mann schreibt einen Brief', which translates to 'The man writes a letter'. Here, 'Brief' (letter) is a masculine noun in the accusative case.
How does the accusative case apply when there is only one person or thing in a sentence?
-When there is only one person or thing in a sentence, that noun remains in the nominative case, as there is no object to be in the accusative case.
What is the significance of the second position in a German sentence?
-In German, the second position in a sentence is often occupied by the conjugated verb, which is important for the structure and understanding of the sentence.
Can you provide an example of a sentence where the object is emphasized by changing the word order?
-An example from the script is 'Einen Hund sieht der Kind', which translates to 'A dog, the child sees'. Here, the object 'Einen Hund' (a dog) is emphasized by placing it at the beginning of the sentence.
What is the question of the day presented in the script?
-The question of the day is 'Was magst du essen?' which translates to 'What do you like to eat?'
How can viewers provide their answer to the question of the day?
-Viewers can provide their answer to the question of the day by writing it in the comments section of the video.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to the Accusative Case in German

This paragraph introduces the concept of the accusative case in German grammar, often the second case learned by beginners after the nominative. The accusative case, also known as the fourth case, is used after specific verbs and prepositions. The explanation focuses on the use of the accusative with verbs, noting that there are only a few verbs that require the nominative case, while most others use the accusative. The paragraph also clarifies that the accusative is used when there are two people or things involved in a sentence, with the subject in the nominative and the object in the accusative. Examples using pictures are suggested for further clarification. The accusative case changes only in the masculine form for definite articles, while other genders and plurals remain the same as in the nominative.

05:03

📝 Accusative Case Usage with Examples

This paragraph delves into the application of the accusative case with examples, focusing on masculine and feminine nouns. It explains how the definite article changes in the accusative case for masculine nouns, while feminine nouns and plurals do not undergo a change. Several examples are provided to illustrate the use of the accusative case, including sentences with the verb 'schauen' (to watch) and 'schreiben' (to write), emphasizing the importance of changing the article for masculine nouns when they are the object of a sentence. The paragraph also touches on the flexibility of word order in German compared to English, where the case endings provide clarity on the subject and object, allowing for more freedom in sentence structure.

10:03

🔄 Word Order and Emphasis in German Sentences

The final paragraph discusses the flexibility of word order in German and its importance for emphasis. Unlike English, where the word order typically follows a subject-verb-object pattern, German allows for the object to be placed at the beginning of a sentence before the verb and subject, which can be useful for emphasis. The paragraph reinforces the rule that the verb should be in the second position in a German sentence unless the subject precedes it. An example is provided to demonstrate how the sentence structure can be altered while maintaining the same meaning. The video concludes with a question for viewers about their favorite food in German, reminding them to use the accusative case, and an invitation to engage with the content by subscribing, liking, and commenting.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Accusative

The accusative is the fourth case in German grammar, typically the second case learned by beginners. It is used for the direct object of a verb or after certain prepositions. In the context of the video, it is crucial for understanding sentence structure in German, particularly when there are two people or things involved in the sentence. For example, 'Der Junge sieht den Hund' (The boy sees the dog) uses the accusative for 'den Hund' (the dog).

💡Nominative

The nominative case is used for the subject of a sentence in German. It is the first case learned and is always used when there is only one person or thing in the sentence. In the video, it is contrasted with the accusative to illustrate sentence structure. For example, 'Der Junge ist glücklich' (The boy is happy) uses the nominative for 'Der Junge' (the boy).

💡Direct Object

A direct object is the person or thing that is directly affected by the action of the verb. In the accusative case explanation, the direct object is always in the accusative. The video uses the example 'Der Junge sieht den Hund' where 'den Hund' (the dog) is the direct object and is in the accusative case.

💡Articles

Articles in German are words that precede and describe a noun. They can be definite (the) or indefinite (a, an) and change according to the gender and case of the noun. In the accusative, only the masculine definite article changes from 'der' to 'den'. This is a key point in the video, as it shows how to conjugate articles in the accusative case.

💡Gender

Gender in German refers to the grammatical categorization of nouns as masculine, feminine, or neutral. This affects the articles and adjectives that accompany the nouns. The video emphasizes that in the accusative case, the gender of the noun affects how the definite article changes, with only masculine nouns showing a change.

💡Prepositions

Prepositions in German are used to indicate the relationship between nouns and other words in a sentence. The video mentions that prepositions are not covered in detail but are important as they can also require the use of the accusative case. An example from the script is 'nach' (after), which would require the object of the preposition to be in the accusative.

💡Sentence Structure

The video discusses the flexibility of German sentence structure, highlighting that the meaning is derived from the case of the nouns rather than their position in the sentence. This allows for more freedom in word order, which is different from English where word order is more rigid. For instance, 'Der Hund sieht den Jungen' (The dog sees the boy) has a different emphasis than 'Den Jungen sieht der Hund'.

💡Word Order

While English typically follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) word order, German allows for more variation. The video explains that in German, the verb is in the second position, and the subject and object can be flexible. This is demonstrated with examples like 'Der Junge hat einen Laptop' (The boy has a laptop) where 'einen Laptop' (a laptop) can be either before or after the subject.

💡Definite and Indefinite Articles

The video explains that definite articles ('the') and indefinite articles ('a', 'an') are used in German and change based on the case and gender of the noun. In the accusative case, only the masculine definite article changes from 'der' to 'den'. Indefinite articles also change but are not demonstrated to change in the accusative in the video.

💡Verb Conjugation

Verb conjugation in German involves adjusting the verb form to agree with the subject of the sentence. The video does not go into detail about verb conjugation but mentions that the verb is always in the second position in a German sentence. An example from the script is 'Der Mann schreibt einen Brief' (The man writes a letter) where 'schreibt' (writes) is the conjugated form of the verb 'schreiben' (to write) for the third person singular.

💡Emphasis

The video touches on the use of word order to emphasize certain parts of a sentence in German. While not common, it is possible to place the object at the beginning of a sentence followed by the verb and then the subject. This is done to draw attention to the object, as shown in the example 'Einen Hund sieht der Junge' (A dog the boy sees).

Highlights

Acquisitive is a fourth case in German grammar, usually the second case learned by beginners.

The first case is nominative, and the second is accusative.

Acquisitive is used after specific verbs and prepositions.

Most German sentences use accusative for the object when there are two people or things involved.

Subject is always in nominative, while the object is in accusative if there's only one object in the sentence.

Examples are provided using pictures to illustrate the use of accusative.

Articles change in accusative case, especially in masculine nouns.

Definite articles in masculine change from 'der' to 'den' in accusative.

Indefinite articles in masculine change from 'ein' to 'einen' in accusative.

Feminine and neutral nouns do not change in accusative.

Examples demonstrate how to use accusative with masculine and feminine nouns.

Important verbs that always take accusative are highlighted.

Word order in German is flexible due to the use of cases, unlike English.

The second position in a German sentence is usually reserved for the conjugated verb.

Changing the word order can be used to emphasize certain parts of a sentence.

The video concludes with an interactive question asking viewers about their favorite food in German, requiring the use of accusative.

The importance of practicing accusative case usage with masculine nouns is emphasized.

The video encourages viewers to subscribe for more language learning content.