German Practice

Buy THE EVERYTHING GERMAN PRACTICE BOOK

Is the Infinitive Required?
Idiomatic Verbs in Action
Wissen (“to know”) and Lassen (“to let”)
Construction of Passive Verbs

Is the Infinitive Required? by Jeffery Donley, Ph.D.

Modal verbs often require an infinitive to complete a sentence, but in colloquial German you often use the modal auxiliary with no accompanying infinitive if the meaning from the preceding statement or inquiry is obvious or if the meaning can be guessed. For example, a German might just answer the question: “May I come in?” with “Yes, you may.” Instead of including the full verb “to come” (kommen), in this instance, it is understood.

Exercise 1

Translate the following German sentences.

Er kann nicht mehr.

________________
Sie muss fort.

________________
Er wollte es.

________________
Wollte er wirklich das Buch schreiben?

________________
Nein, sie kann es nicht machen.

________________
Sie kann Japanisch sprechen.

________________
Kann sie die Arbeit machen?

________________
Er will morgen kommen.

________________

Exercise 2

Circle the correct English equivalent for each of the following.

<tgroup cols="2" align="center"> <colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>dankbar</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>(thank you, grateful, drink)</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>Südamerika</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>(Saudi Arabia, South America, Sweden)</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>Büro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>(office, donkey, bunker)</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>Geschäft</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>(religion, business, legal letter)</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>Kredit</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>(credit, money, card)</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>Geburtstag</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>(baby food, Christmas, birthday)</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>Unfall</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>(accident, bridge, carpet)</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>Mischung</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>(mixture, liquid, Greek)</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>Redner</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>(reddish, speaker, melon)</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10. <emphasis>Salz</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>(bronze, salt, iron)</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 3</h2> <p>To form the past participle of the modal auxiliaries, create the regular past participle as a weak verb with the prefix <emphasis>ge</emphasis>- and the ending -<emphasis>t</emphasis>, using the stem of the infinitive of the verb. When using an infinitive with a modal auxiliary, do not use <emphasis>zu</emphasis>. Translate the following sentences.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Sie hat Japanisch sprechen gelernt</emphasis>.</p> <p>___________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Er hat morgen nicht kommen wollen</emphasis>.</p> <p>___________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Er hat sie nicht gemocht</emphasis>.</p> <p>___________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie hatte es gekonnt</emphasis>.</p> <p>___________</p> </li> <li><p><emphasis>Er hat es gewollt</emphasis>.</p> <p>___________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie hat es gekonnt</emphasis>.</p> <p>___________</p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 4</h2> <div class="npmo"><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/german-practice/track.jpg"><div class="npcp"><p>TRACK 25</p></div></div> <p>Listen to and translate the following.</p> <table width="100%" frame="none"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2" align="center"> <colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>Gefühl</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>___________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>Wirklichkeit</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>___________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>Vergangenheit</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>___________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>Traum</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>___________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>sittlich</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>___________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>Inhaber</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>___________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>ledig</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>___________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>Nacken</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>___________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>Kamm</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>___________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10 <emphasis>Schild</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>___________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 5</h2> <p>With modal verbs, in a main clause with simple tenses, you use the infinitive of the main verb at the end (as an example of this structure, see sentence 4 in the exercise below). With compound tenses, the modal infinitive is at the end preceded by the infinitive of the main verb (as an example of this structure, see sentence 3). Keep in mind that the modal is the last element in a sentence with compound tenses.</p> <p>Translate the following German sentences.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Ich wei_, dass sie heute nicht kommen können hat</emphasis></p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie hat es nicht gekonnt</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie hat nicht gehen können</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie kann nicht gehen</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 6</h2> <p>Translate the following words.</p> <table width="100%" frame="none"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2" align="center"> <colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>Ehefrau</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>Friseur</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>Lebensmittelgeschäft</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>Haarschnitt</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>Maniküre</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>geheimnisvoll</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>Gebiet</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>Entdeckung</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>Eisen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10. <emphasis>Kraft</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 7</h2> <p>Modals and many additional verbs that are part of the weak or the strong conjugation use the infinitive without <emphasis>zu</emphasis>. Don't forget that these additional verbs are either weak or strong.</p> <p>Translate the German sentences below.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Er lässt sich einen Anzug machen</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Haben Sie sich die Jacke in London machen lassen</emphasis>?</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Ich habe ihn nie lachen hören</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>lassen</emphasis></p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Er geht einkaufen</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>helfen</emphasis></p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Er ist einkaufen gegangen</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>gehen</emphasis></p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>hören</emphasis></p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie hat ihr die Tasche tragen geholfen</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie half ihr den Koffer tragen</emphasis>.</p> <p>________________</p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 8</h2> <p>Translate the following words.</p> <table width="100%" frame="none"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2" align="center"> <colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>Ursprung</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>Vorlesung</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>Flug</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>Lebensbeschreibung</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>Angabe</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>Rasiermesser</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>Haar</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>8. <emphasis>Bürste</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>9. <emphasis>reizend</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>10. <emphasis>Träne</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/verbs-section-b/" title="Verbs: Section B">Verbs: Section B</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/idiomatic-verbs-in-action.htm" title="Idiomatic Verbs in Action">Idiomatic Verbs in Action</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/verbs-section-b/is-the-infinitive-required.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Is the Infinitive Required? - German Practice </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/rules-for-haben-or-sein.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Rules for Haben or Sein - 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/verbs-section-b/wissen-to-know-and-lassen-to-let.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Wissen (“to know”) and Lassen (“to let”) - Ger... </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/two-conditional-tenses.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Two Conditional Tenses - German Practice </a></li> </ul></div> <div id="sec"><div class="n5">Read More Verbs: Section B</div><ul><ul class="col1"><li class="btO">Is the Infinitive Required?</li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/idiomatic-verbs-in-action.htm">Idiomatic Verbs in Action</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/wissen-to-know-and-lassen-to-let.htm">Wissen (“to know”) and Lassen (“to let”)</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/construction-of-passive-verbs.htm">Construction of Passive Verbs</a></li> </ul><ul class="col2"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/possibility-and-uncertainty.htm">Possibility and Uncertainty</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/possibility-in-action.htm">Possibility in Action</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/two-conditional-tenses.htm">Two Conditional Tenses</a></li> </ul></ul></div> </div> <script>if(zSbL<1)zSbL=3;zSB(2);zSbL=0</script> </div> <div id="widgets"><script type="text/javascript">if(z336>0){w('<div id="adB">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,280,'1','bb',3);w('</div>')}if(z155>0){w('<div id="adP">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,155,'1','ps',4);w('</div>')}</script> <div id="pg" class="pane"><div class="n3">Shopping</div><div class="cntnr"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-practice-book-with-cd"><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/german-practice/Cover.jpg"></a><h4><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-practice-book-with-cd">THE EVERYTHING GERMAN PRACTICE BOOK</a></h4><p><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-practice-book-with-cd">By Jeffery Donley, Ph.D.</a></p><div id="fp"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-practice-book-with-cd">Buy This Book</a></div></div></div> <div id="toc" class="pane"><div class="n3">German Practice Sections</div><ul><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/top-ten-reasons-to-practice-your-german/">Top 10 Reasons to Practice Your German</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-article/">The Article</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-noun/">The Noun</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-pronoun/">The Pronoun</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/prepositions-adverbs-and-conjunctions/">Prepositions, Adverbs, and Conjunctions</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-adjective/">The Adjective</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-a/">Verbs: Section A</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/">Verbs: Section B</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/appendix-a-answer-key/">Answer Key</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verb-tables/">German Verb Tables</a></li> </ul></div></div> <script type="text/javascript">zCi();validateForms();</script> <div id="abf" style="padding-right:0"><ol class="crumbtrail"><li class="home"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/">Home</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/">German Practice</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/verbs-section-b/">Verbs: Section B</a></li><li>Is the Infinitive Required?</li></ol></div> <div id="aboutinfo" class="hlist"><div id="morefrom"><h6>Visit other About.com sites:</h6><ul><li><a href="http://caloriecount.about.com/" rel="nofollow">Calorie Count</a></li><li class="last"><a href="http://www.allexperts.com/" rel="nofollow">Allexperts.com</a></li></ul></div> <ul id="siteinfo"><li><a href="http://spiderbites.about.com/sitemap.htm">SiteMap</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/hc.htm" rel="nofollow">Help</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm" rel="nofollow">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm#adchoices" rel="nofollow">Your Ad Choices</a></li><li class="last"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/pform.htm" rel="nofollow">Contact Us</a></li></ul> <ul id="companyinfo"><li class="last"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/ " rel="nofollow">Buy Books</a></li></ul><div id="disclaimer"> </div></div></div> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript">(function(){var po=document.createElement('script');po.type='text/javascript';po.async=true;po.src='https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js';var s=document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(po,s)})();</script> </body></html>