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NOMINATIVE CASE
What is the nominative case?
The nominative is the basic (dictionary) form of a noun. It is used for the subject of a sentence.
Ask yourself:
Who or what is doing the action?
The answer is the subject, and the subject is in the nominative case.
Der Mann kauft ein Brot.
Who is buying the bread? → Der Mann
Der Mann is the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Das Auto fährt schnell.
What is driving? → Das Auto
Das Auto is the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Article overview
Masculine
Feminine
Neuter
Plural
der → ein
die → eine
das → ein
die → —
Important: Plural has no indefinite article.
GermanMind Tip
Definite articles
Used when talking about something specific.
Examples:
-
der Mann = the man
-
die Frau = the woman
-
das Haus = the house
Think: specific = definite
Indefinite articles
Used when talking about something non-specific.
Examples:
-
ein Mann = a man
-
eine Frau = a woman
-
ein Haus = a house
Think: general = indefinite
Remember
Don't memorise nouns without their articles.
Instead, always learn the article together with the noun.
✔ der Tisch
✔ die Lampe
✔ das Buch
This will make learning German much easier.
Personal Pronouns
GermanMind Tip
ich
du
er
sie
es
wir
ihr
Sie
sie
→ Ich lerne Deutsch. (I)
→ Du lernst Deutsch. (You)
→ Der Mann arbeitet. → Er arbeitet.
→ Die Lampe ist grün. → Sie ist grün.
→ Das Kind spielt. → Es spielt.
→ Wir lernen Deutsch. (We)
→ Ihr lernt Deutsch. (You – plural)
→ Herr Jung, wo wohnen Sie? (You – formal)
→ Tom und Lisa lernen Deutsch. → Sie lernen Deutsch. (They)
masc.
fem.
neut.
pl.
Articles
der
die
das
die (pl.)
Personal pronouns
er
sie
es
sie
Articles and pronouns have the same endings.
Common Nominative Verbs
Nouns after sein, werden and bleiben
After the verbs sein, werden and bleiben, the noun or adjective that describes the subject also stays in the nominative case.
Examples:
Das ist der neue Lehrer.
Er bleibt der Gewinner.
Sie wird die neue Chefin.
Examples
Person
Ich kaufe ein Brot.
Who is buying the bread?
→ Ich
Ich is the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Person
Die Frau geht ins Geschäft.
Who is going to the shop?
→ Die Frau
Die Frau is the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Thing
Der Sportler läuft schnell.
Who is running fast?
→ Der Sportler
Der Sportler is the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Plural
Die Kinder spielen im Garten.
Who is playing in the garden?
→ Die Kinder
Die Kinder are the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Plural
Sie lernen Deutsch.
Who is learning German?
→ Sie
Sie (they) are the subject, so they are in the nominative case.
Person
Der Junge trinkt die Milch.
Who is drinking the milk?
→ Der Junge
Der Junge is the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Person
Die Frau fliegt nach Berlin.
Who is flying to Berlin?
→ Die Frau
Die Frau is the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Animal
Der Hund schläft unter dem Tisch.
Who is sleeping under the table?
→ Der Hund
Der Hund is the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Person
Er schreibt eine Email.
Who is writing an email?
→ Er
Er is the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Thing
Die Sonne scheint.
What is shining?
→ Die Sonne
Die Sonne is the subject, so it is in the nominative case.
Every complete German sentence has a subject. The subject is always in the nominative case.
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