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Grammar

Word Formation
New words can be made in German with the help of existing words and other elements.
Composition
A compound word (a composition) is made by combining two (rarely more) existing words to make a new
word:
Mutter + Sprache Muttersprache , drei + zehn dreizehn, schwarz + rot + gold(en)
schwarzrotgold(en), auf + schreib en aufschreib en

The type of the second word determines the part of speech that the compound word will be, e.g.:
das Haus (noun) + hoch (adjective) haushoch (adjective)
hoch (adjective) + das Haus (noun) das Hochhaus (noun)

The gender of compound nouns that are made up of two (or more) nouns is determined by the second (or
last) noun in the composition, e.g.:
der Regen + die Wolke die Regenwolke
der Regen + das Wetter das Regenwetter
Derivation
A derivation is formed when a prefix or suffix is added to a word (word stem), e.g.:
fragen befragen (prefix, inseperable)
fragen nachfragen (prefix, seperable)
frag(en) die Frage, fraglich (Suffixe)

Composition of Nouns

To facilitate pronunciation, a sound/letter is sometimes inserted in the composition of nouns, e.g.:

der Bund + -es- + der Kanzler der Bundeskanzler
die Information + -s- + die Veranstaltung die Informationsveranstaltung
die Stunde + -n- + der Plan der Stundenplan
Nouns are often the result of the composition of several words. To understand what they mean, you will need
to dissect the word properly, e.g.:
die Semester
ab schluss
prfung

das Semester + der Ab schluss + die Prfung

= die Prfung zum Semesterab schluss

Derivation
Many nouns are made up of other words (verbs, adjectives, or nouns) with the help of suffixes (e.g. -ung, keit, -heit, -schaft), e.g.:
einladen die Einladung, pnktlich die Pnktlichkeit, das Kind die Kindheit, das Land die
Landschaft.
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Nouns ending in the suffices (-ung, -keit, -heit, -schaft) always have a feminine gender.
The stem before the suffix will usually help you understand the meaning of the word.
By attaching the suffix -(e)r to the word stem of a verb, a masculine noun is formed that describes a male
person. Adding the suffix -erin will form a feminine noun that describes a female person, e.g.:
lehr-en der Lehrer, die Lehrerin
les-en der Leser, die Leserin
Some nouns have a diminutive form (affectionate form). This is often formed by adding the suffix -chen (less
often with the suffix -lein). The stem vowel becomes an umlaut, e.g.: a , o , u , au u, e.g.:
die Hand das Hndchen, der Kopf das Kpfchen, der Fu das Fchen, der Bauch das
Buchlein.
The grammatical gender of the diminutive form of a noun is always neuter.

Composition of Verbs

Derivation
Quite often, when a compound verb is formed, it becomes a separable verb. The first part (also called
prefix) of these verbs is stressed (e.g. aufschreib en). The first part of the verb (e.g. auf/schreib en) is
separated from the second and placed behind it in conjugated forms of the present and preterite tenses:
ich schreib e (es) auf , sie schrieb (etwas) auf

Separable prefixes include the following:

ab- (ab holen ich hole ab )
an- (anfangen ich fange an)
auf- (aufstehen ich stehe auf)
aus- (ausgehen ich gehe aus)
ein- (einkaufen ich kaufe ein)
mit- (mitkommen ich komme mit)
vor- (vorlesen ich lese vor)
zu- (zuhren ich hre zu)

Regarding the present and preterite tenses, the separated and adjusted first part can be pushed back to the
final part of the sentence (Satzklammer or sentence bracket) when additional sentence parts are
present:
Ich schreibe deine Adresse sofort auf.

With regard to the past participle (e.g. in the perfect tense or pluperfect), the prefix ge- is placed between
the first and second part:
(ich hab e) aufgeschrieb en, (sie hatte) aufgeschrieb en

There are also derived verbs with inseparable prefixes. These prefixes cannot be separated from the
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second part. Some inseparable prefixes are as follows:

be- (b ekommen ich b ekomme)
er- (erzhlen ich erzhle)
ver- (verkaufen ich verkaufe)

Verbs with the suffix -ier(en) can be derived from foreign word nouns, e.g.:
das Telefon telefonieren, die Operation operieren, die Reparatur reparieren

Word Formation of Adjectives

Derivation
In order to form adjectives, add the suffixes -ig, -lich, -isch, -b ar, -sam to nouns and verbs, e.g.:
der Wind windig, der Freund freundlich, der Franzose franzsisch, b ezahlen (knnen)
b ezahlbar, sich mhen mhsam
The suffix -los is added to nouns making them adjectives. It means "without something".
(die) Grenze + -los = grenzenlos (ohne Grenze/n)
(die) Sorge + -los = sorglos (ohne Sorge/n)
Adjectives based on foreign words or internationalisms often have special suffixes, e.g.:
international, prinzipiell, interessant, intelligent, negativ

Word Formation: Several Word Types

Derivation
The prefix un- negates or expresses the opposite. It can be added to different types of words, e.g.
adjective:

un- + sicher = unsicher (nicht sicher)

noun:

Un- + (das) Glck = das Unglck (das Pech, das schlimme Ereignis)

The prefix un- is usually stressed.

Conversion
Verbs and adjectives can be nominalized, that is transformed into nouns. They are then capitalized.
Nominalized verbs are always neuter. These nouns can be recognized by an article (facultative) or by the
connection to a preposition, e.g.:
ab waschen das Abwaschen
(Das) Abwaschen dauert nicht lange. Zum Abwaschen b raucht man heies Wasser. Beim Abwaschen
hre ich gern Radio.
The grammatical gender of substantivized adjectives varies. (der Groe, die Kleine dort, das Schne / (etwas)
Schnes). They can be used with or without an article (article word). They are declined based on the
declension category "adjective" (as with other words that come before a noun), e.g.:
neu das Neue Neues etwas Neues manches Neue
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Mich interessiert alles Neue von dir. Ich hab e mich mit Neuem b eschftigt.

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