German Practice

The Article

Agreement with Nouns
Possessive Adjectives, Negations, and ein-words
Characteristics of Adjectives
Commonplace Usage

Commonplace Usage by Jeffery Donley, Ph.D.

Dates, months, seasons, and the days of the week are preceded by the definite article in the proper declension.

Exercise 34

Translate the following examples. Some translations are from German to English while others are from English to German.

Berlin, den 23. Juli, 6…

____________________________________________________
Die Schule ist am (an + dem) Sonnabend geschlossen.

____________________________________________________
Today is July 15th.

____________________________________________________
Im (in + dem) Oktober ist es meistens kalt.

____________________________________________________
We will go to the bakery on Monday.

____________________________________________________

Exercise 35

Translate the following words into English.

<tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>Augenblick</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>Ausgang</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>Bevölkerung</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>Eingang</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>Gebiet</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>gleich</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>sozial</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>Stellung</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>Vorlesung</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10. <emphasis>Zeit</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 36</h2> <p>With private possessions, parts of the body, and abstract nouns, you use the definite article when you have no doubt as to the possessor.</p> <p>In each of the following sentences, translate the underlined words. Some translations are from German to English while others are from English to German.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Sie wusch sich <emphasis role="underline">ihre Hände</emphasis></emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p>He puts on <emphasis role="underline">his hat</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie kämpfen für</emphasis> <emphasis role="underline">die Freiheit</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis role="underline">Life</emphasis> is beautiful.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 37</h2> <p>Translate the following words into English.</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>Entwicklung</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>Ergebnis</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>Gepäck</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>Handkoffer</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>Heimat</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>Heimweh</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>Jahrzehnt</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>bald</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>nun</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10. <emphasis>ruhig</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 38</h2> <p>Use a definite article when you see an adjective in front of a proper name. Also use the definite article following the prepositions <emphasis>in</emphasis> (“in, into”), <emphasis>nach</emphasis> (“after”), <emphasis>vor</emphasis> (“before”), and <emphasis>zu</emphasis> (“to”).</p> <p>Translate the following phrases using the following words: little, poor, supper, school, <emphasis>Frühstück</emphasis>, and <emphasis>Klein</emphasis>. Some translations are from German to English while others are from English to German. This exercise practices the use of the definite article with prepositions.</p> <ul> <li><p>before breakfast</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie sind in der Schule</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p>for breakfast</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Nach dem Abendessen</emphasis></p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>der kleine Markus</emphasis></p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p>Fred is small.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>die arme Marie</emphasis></p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p>Stephanie is poor.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p>They go to school.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 39</h2> <p>Translate the following German words into English with words from the following list: table, strong, dining table, rapid/fast, bed, trip, war, solution, passport, red.</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>Bett</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>Fahrt</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>Krieg</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>Lösung</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>Pass</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>rot</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>schnell</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>stark</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>Tafel</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10. <emphasis>Tisch</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 40</h2> <p>Use the definite article with the names of streets, squares, and feminine and plural countries (note that countries are generally neuter in German). Use a definite article when it comes before the name of the country.</p> <p>Translate the following examples.</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>die Niederlande</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>die Slowakei</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>die Türkei</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>die Vereinigten Staaten</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>die Schweiz</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 41</h2> <p>Translate the following words into English.</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>Blitz</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>Blume</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>Donner</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>Gewitter</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>Geschäftswelt</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>Regen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>schwierig</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>Welt</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>Wetter</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10. <emphasis>zwischen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 42</h2> <p>If nouns are of distinct genders, each must have its own definite or indefinite articles and possessive adjectives. Note that you have to put the definite article in front of the German word <emphasis>meist</emphasis> (“most”).</p> <p>Translate the following examples.</p> <p>Some translations are from German to English while others are from English to German.</p> <ul> <li><p>most people</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p>the man and the woman</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>mein Vater und meine Mutter</emphasis></p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 43</h2> <p>Choose the correct answer from the three words that follow.</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>achte</emphasis> (tenth, eighth, fifth)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>erste</emphasis> (first, sixth, second)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>fünfte</emphasis> (fourth, third, fifth)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>dritte</emphasis> (second, first, third)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>neunte</emphasis> (ninth, eleventh, fourth)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>sechste</emphasis> (seventh, sixth, fifth)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>siebte</emphasis> (seventh, sixth, fifth)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>Sturm</emphasis> (stream, storm, tower)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>vierte</emphasis> (fifth, fourth, eighth)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10. <emphasis>Wolke</emphasis> (cloud, world, stream)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>11. <emphasis>zehnte</emphasis> (zero, tenth, third)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>12. <emphasis>zweite</emphasis> (second, tenth, seventh)</p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 44</h2> <p>Don't use a definite article when you are making references to occupation, vocation, nationality, or situation, or when you use certain phrases, such as <emphasis>Ich habe Kopfschmerzen</emphasis>, which translates to “I have a headache.”</p> <p>Translate the following examples. Some translations are from German to English while others are from English to German.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Meine Freundin ist Witwe</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Meine Mutter ist Amerikanerin</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p>The young man is a student.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Ich habe Kopfschmerzen (Zahnschmerzen)</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p>He is a good physician.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Er ist Arzt</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________________________</p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 45</h2> <p>Translate the following words into English.</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>bald</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>ehe</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>geboren</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>Gedächtnis</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>Körper</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>Notizbuch</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>recht</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>sobald</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>trotz</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10. <emphasis>Treffpunkt</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table>  <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-article/characteristics-of-adjectives.htm" title="Characteristics of Adjectives">Characteristics of Adjectives</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-noun/" title="The Noun">The Noun</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-article/commonplace-usage.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Commonplace Usage - German Practice </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/prepositions-adverbs-and-conjunctions/nine-important-two-way-prepositions.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Nine Important Two-Way Prepositions - German Practice </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-noun/masculine-feminine-and-neuter-nouns.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Masculine, Feminine, and 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