All About Nominative Case in German – Simply Explained / Verben mit Nominativ

In this lesson, you can find everything about the nominative, what the nominative is, when it is used, and also verbs that require the nominative. You will also find out which verbs are in the nominative in German.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

CONTENTS

What is the nominative case in German?
Declension – What is important to know?
Small tips that make learning easier
Accusative and Nominative – Similarities and differences
The article and adjective in the nominative
Small tips that make learning easier

What is the nominative case in Germen?

The nominative is the first case of the four cases in the German language. It represents the Subject of the sentence. The subject can be a person or a thing performing the action of the verb. The question word for the nominative case is: WER? (WHO?)  for the persons, and WAS? (WHAT?) for the things.

For example:

Die Kinder spielen im Park. – The children play in the park.
Wer spielt im Park? – Die Kinder.performing the action of the verb.
Der Schreibtisch steht neben dem Schrank.
Was steht neben dem Schrank?  – Der Schreibtisch.

The nominative can stand before but also after the verbs sein, werden, and bleiben, but it does not have the function of a subject when it stands after it.

Sie ist Lehrerin. 
Mein Freund heißt Michael.
Er wird Polizist.

Declension – What is important to know?

Small tips that make learning easier

The indefinite article, possessive pronouns, and the negation kein in the masculine and neuter genders do not receive the ending of the definite article in the nominative

der Mann – ein Mann /ihr Mann/ kein Mann
das Kind  – ein Kind  / sein Kind / kein Kind

Adjectives in the nominative after the definite article receive the suffix – e.

der kluge Mann
das brave Kind
die schöne Frau

Adjectives in the nominative case after the indefinite article take the ending of the definite article.

ein kluger Mann (der)
ein braves Kind (das)
eine schöne Frau (die)

If there is no determiner in front of the adjective, then the adjective takes the ending of the definite article.

kluger Mann (der)
braves Kind (das)
schöne Frau (die)

The subject usually stands at the beginning of the sentence.
For Example:
Er steht jeden Morgen um sieben Uhr auf. – He gets up at seven o’clock every morning.

We can move the subject after the verb to emphasize something.
Jeden Morgen steht er um sieben Uhr auf. – Every morning he gets up at seven o’clock.

The most important information is that he stands up EVERY MORNING at seven o’clock.

Click on:
Grammar Contents

Accusative and Nominative – Similarities and differences

When starting to learn German, a comparison is often made between the accusative and nominative cases. This is because they are nearly identical, except for the masculine accusative. This understanding can greatly assist you in your learning process.

	MASCULINE	NEUTER	FEMININE	PLURAL
NOMINATIVE	der Mann	das Kind	die Frau	die Menschen
ACCUSATIVE	den Mann	das Kind	die Frau	die Menschen

The article and adjective in the nominative

Pronouns in the nominative

See more: