German Strong Verbs, Accusative, Numbers, and Quantity Questions

1. Introduction

This lesson covers forms that are used frequently in simple German sentences.

After this lesson, you should be able to:

• describe actions with strong verbs: Ich fahre nach Berlin. — I am travelling to Berlin;
• use a direct object in the accusative: Ich sehe dich. — I see you;
• ask about an accusative object: Wen besucht sie? — Whom is she visiting?;
• state a quantity: Ich habe zwei Bücher. — I have two books;
• ask about quantity: Wie viele Kinder haben Sie? — How many children do you have?

2. Strong verbs in the present tense

Some German strong verbs change their stem vowel in the present tense. The change occurs only in the second- and third-person singular forms: du and er / sie / es. The stem vowel normally stays unchanged in the plural.

Vowel change a → ä: fahren

fahren means to travel or go by vehicle.

• Fährst du nach Berlin? — Are you travelling to Berlin?
• Er fährt nach Hause. — He is going home.

Vowel change a → ä: schlafen

Schläfst du schon? — Are you asleep already?

Vowel change e → i: sprechen

• Sprichst du Deutsch? — Do you speak German?
• Er spricht langsam. — He speaks slowly.

Vowel change e → i: nehmen

Er nimmt das Buch. — He takes the book.

Vowel change e → ie: lesen

• Er liest eine Zeitung. — He is reading a newspaper.
• Liest du gern? — Do you enjoy reading?

Vowel change e → ie: sehen

• Ich sehe dich. — I see you.
• Siehst du das Haus? — Can you see the house?

3. Personal pronouns in the accusative

The accusative often marks a direct object. A direct object answers the German questions wen? — whom? and was? — what?

Ich sehe den Mann. — I see the man. Here, den Mann is the direct object in the accusative.

• Ich sehe dich. — I see you.
• Sie versteht ihn nicht. — She does not understand him.
• Er besucht uns. — He visits us.
• Wir fragen euch. — We ask you.
• Ich kenne Sie. — I know you.

4. Questions about accusative objects

Was? — what?

Use was? for things, ideas, and inanimate nouns.

Er kauft ein Auto. — He is buying a car.
Was kauft er? — What is he buying?
Er kauft ein Auto. — He is buying a car.

Wen? — whom?

Use wen? for people and other living beings.

Sie besucht ihren Onkel. — She visits her uncle.
Wen besucht sie? — Whom is she visiting?
Sie besucht ihren Onkel. — She visits her uncle.

Wohin? — where to?

Wohin? asks about direction or destination. The case that follows depends on the construction or preposition used.

Wohin fährst du? — Where are you going?
Ich fahre nach Berlin. — I am travelling to Berlin.

5. Accusative after für, ohne, and über

Some German prepositions require the accusative. Three important examples in this lesson are für — for, ohne — without, and über — about.

Für + accusative

für can indicate a recipient, purpose, or benefit.

• Er sucht Bücher für seinen Sohn. — He is looking for books for his son.
• Das Geschenk ist für dich. — The present is for you.

Ohne + accusative

ohne expresses the absence of a person or thing.

• Sie lebt ohne ihren Vater. — She lives without her father.
• Ich gehe ohne ihn. — I am going without him.

Über + accusative

über takes the accusative when it means “about” and introduces a topic.

• Wir sprechen oft über ihn. — We often talk about him.
• Sie spricht über das Buch. — She is talking about the book.

6. Cardinal numbers

Cardinal numbers state a quantity. They answer the questions wie viel? and wie viele? — how much? or how many?

Numbers from 0 to 12

eins is used on its own. Before a noun, German normally uses ein or a form with an ending: ein Buch, eine Zeitung.

Numbers from 13 to 19

These numbers are usually formed with -zehn.

Notice the shortened forms sechs → sechzehn and sieben → siebzehn.

Multiples of ten

Most multiples of ten use the ending -zig.

The number 30 has the special form dreißig.

Compound numbers from 21 to 99

German compound numbers use this pattern:

unit + und + multiple of ten

More examples: 34 — vierunddreißig, 48 — achtundvierzig, 57 — siebenundfünfzig, and 99 — neunundneunzig.

Hundreds and thousands

Examples: 101 — einhunderteins, 120 — einhundertzwanzig, and 225 — zweihundertfünfundzwanzig.

7. Nouns after cardinal numbers

After cardinal numbers from two upwards, a noun normally appears in the plural. An adjective without an article takes the ending -e in the nominative or accusative plural.

• zwei alte Bilder — two old pictures
• vier neue Bücher — four new books
• elf rote Blumen — eleven red flowers
• zwanzig gelbe Zeitungen — twenty yellow newspapers

8. Questions with wie viel and wie viele

Wie viel?

Use wie viel? with uncountable nouns.

• Wie viel Geld braucht man zum Leben? — How much money does a person need to live?
• Wie viel Zeit hast du? — How much time do you have?
• Wie viel Wasser trinkst du? — How much water do you drink?

Wie viele?

Use wie viele? with countable plural nouns.

• Wie viele Kinder haben Ihre Kollegen? — How many children do your colleagues have?
• Wie viele Bücher liest du? — How many books do you read?
• Wie viele Studenten lernen Deutsch? — How many students are learning German?
• Wie viele Zimmer hat die Wohnung? — How many rooms does the apartment have?

9. Important details

Learn the vowel change together with each strong verb:

• fahren — du fährst — er fährt
• lesen — du liest — er liest
• sprechen — du sprichst — er spricht

The forms sie and Sie can have different meanings. Context and the verb form show whether the word means she, they, or formal you.

• Sie sieht ihn. — She sees him.
• Sie sehen ihn. — They see him.
• Sehen Sie ihn? — Do you see him?

In the meanings covered here, für, ohne, and über take the accusative: für mich, ohne dich, über ihn.

10. What to remember

• Some strong verbs change their stem vowel in the present tense.
• The change occurs in the second- and third-person singular: du fährst, er fährt; du liest, er liest; du sprichst, er spricht.
• The accusative answers wen? — whom? and was? — what?
• The accusative personal pronouns are mich, dich, ihn, sie, es, uns, euch, sie, Sie.
• für, ohne, and über take the accusative in these uses.
• Numbers from 13 to 19 are usually formed with -zehn.
• Most multiples of ten use -zig.
• Numbers such as 21 follow the pattern “unit + und + multiple of ten”: einundzwanzig.
• Wie viel is used with uncountable nouns.
• Wie viele is used with countable plural nouns.