German: An Essential Grammar

by Donaldson; Bruce

• ISBN13: 9780415366021
• ISBN10: 041536602X
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2006-12-12
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

German: An Essential Grammaris a practical reference guide to the core structures and features of modern German. Presenting a fresh and accessible description of the language, this engaging grammar uses clear, jargon-free explanations and sets out the complexities of German in short, readable sections. Suitable for either independent study or for students in schools, colleges, universities and adult education classes, key features include: focus on the morphology and syntax of the language clear explanations of grammatical terms full use of authentic examples a detailed contents list and index for easy access to information. With an emphasis on the German native speakers use today, German: An Essential Grammar will help students to read, speak and write the language with greater confidence.

Author Biography

Bruce Donaldson is Principal Fellow in the Department of German, Russian and Swedish Studies in the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne

Table of Contents

Introduction	xi
Abbreviations	xv
Chapter 1 Pronunciation	1
1.1 Vowels	1
1.2 Diphthongs	3
1.3 Consonants	3
1.4 Stress	7
1.5 Regional variants	8
Chapter 2 Spelling	9
2.1 Indicating vowel length	9
2.2 Use of the Umlaut	9
2.3 Use of capital letters	10
2.4 Use of the hyphen	10
2.5 The new spelling	11
2.6 The alphabet	12
Chapter 3 Punctuation	13
3.1 Commas	13
3.2 Colons with direct speech	15
3.3 Inverted commas/quotation marks	15
3.4 Exclamation marks	16
Chapter 4 Case	17
4.1 Case endings on nouns	18
4.2 Other uses of the nominative case	20
4.3 Other uses of the accusative case	20
4.4 The genitive case	21
4.5 Other uses of the dative case	22
4.6 Nouns in apposition	23
4.7 Order of cases in paradigms	24
Chapter 5 Articles and other determiners	25
5.1 The definite article	25
5.2 Other determiners inflected like der/die/das	29
5.3 The indefinite article	30
5.4 Other determiners inflected like ein	32
5.5 Indefinite pronouns used as determiners	32
Chapter 6 Nouns	33
6.1 Gender of nouns	33
6.2 Pluralization of nouns	37
6.3 Diminutization of nouns	41
6.4 Names of towns	42
6.5 Names of countries	44
6.6 Feminizing agents	44
6.7 Adjectival nouns	45
6.8 Compound nouns	47
6.9 Nouns in apposition (see 4.6)	48
Chapter 7 Pronouns	49
7.1 Personal pronouns	49
7.2 Possessives	58
7.3 Reflexive pronouns	60
7.4 Demonstrative pronouns	63
7.5 Interrogative pronouns	63
7.6 Relative pronouns	64
7.7 Indefinite pronouns	69
Chapter 8 Adjectives	75
8.1 Rules for inflection	76
8.1.1 The der/die/das (weak) endings	76
8.1.2 The ein/eine/ein (mixed) endings	76
8.1.3 The unpreceded adjectival (strong) endings	77
8.1.4 Adjectival endings after indefinite pronouns	78
8.1.5 Indeclinable adjectives	78
8.2 Comparative of adjectives and adverbs	79
8.3 Superlative of adjectives and adverbs	81
8.4 Predicate adjectives followed by a prepositional object	83
Chapter 9 Adverbs	86
9.1 Adverbs that are also adjectives	86
9.2 Comparative and superlative of adverbs	87
9.3 Intensifying adverbs	87
9.4 Adverbs of time	88
9.5 Adverbs of place and direction	100
9.6 Adverbs of manner and degree	102
9.7 Interrogative adverbs	102
Chapter 10 Verbs	105
10.1 Formation of tenses	106
10.1.1 The present tense	106
10.1.2 The future tense	111
10.1.3 The imperative	113
10.1.4 The imperfect tense	115
10.1.5 The perfect tense	120
10.1.6 The pluperfect tense	127
10.1.7 The future perfect tense	128
10.1.8 The conditional tense	128
10.1.9 The conditional perfect tense	129
10.2 Modal auxiliary verbs	131
10.2.1 Double infinitive constructions	135
10.2.2 Modals used with perfective infinitives	138
10.3 The subjunctive	138
10.3.1 The subjunctive I	139
10.3.2 The subjunctive II	141
10.4 The passive	145
10.5 The infinitive	151
10.5.1 Characteristics of the infinitive	151
10.5.2 Rules for the use of zu with infinitives	152
10.5.3 Use of um...zu before infinitives	153
10.5.4 Double infinitive constructions (see 10.2.1)	154
10.5.5 The infinitive used as a noun	154
10.6 Participles	154
10.6.1 Present participles	154
10.6.2 Past participles	155
10.6.3 Use of present and past participles in extended adjectival phrases (see 7.6.4)	155
10.7 Progressive tenses	156
10.8 Reflexive verbs	157
10.9 Verbal prefixes	157
10.9.1 Verbs with separable prefixes (separable verbs)	157
10.9.2 Verbs with inseparable prefixes (inseparable verbs)	159
10.9.3 Verbs with variable prefixes (separable or inseparable verbs)	160
10.10 Verbs followed by prepositional objects	161
10.10.1 Use of prepositional adverbs before subordinate clauses	169
10.11 Transitive and intransitive verbs	170
10.11.1 Use of sein and lassen with intransitive verbs	171
10.11.2 Intransitive verbs and the passive	172
10.12 List of irregular verbs	172
10.12.1 Alphabetical list of irregular verbs	178
Chapter 11 Conjunctions	183
11.1 Coordinating conjunctions	184
11.2 Subordinating conjunctions	185
11.3 Conjunctions introducing infinitive clauses	192
11.4 Correlative conjunctions	193
Chapter 12 Prepositions	195
12.1 Prepositions that take the accusative case	196
12.2 Prepositions that take the dative case	199
12.3 Prepositions that take both the accusative and the dative case	207
12.4 Prepositions that take the genitive case	210
12.5 Contraction of prepositions with the definite article	213
12.6 How to translate 'to' into German	214
Chapter 13 Numerals	217
13.1 Cardinal numerals	217
13.2 Ordinal numerals	219
13.3 Fractions	221
13.4 Arithmetic/calculation	222
13.5 Age	222
13.6 Money	223
13.7 Telling the time	223
13.8 Dates	225
13.9 Weights	226
13.10 Measurement	227
13.11 School marks/grades	228
Chapter 14 Negation	230
14.1 Position of nicht (not) and nie(mals) (never)	230
14.2 Notes on negatives	232
Chapter 15 Common German abbreviations	237
Appendix 1: List of countries, inhabitants and adjectives/languages	238
Index	252