Which word correctly depicts the action of stealing in the past?

'Spielen' is an action verb that typically requires the verb 'haben' as an auxiliary when forming the perfect tense. Therefore, 'Der Hund hat im Garten gespielt' (The dog played in the garden) is the correct sentence. 'Ist' is generally used with intransitive verbs, especially those depicting movement or state change, which is not the case with 'spielen'. The correct use of 'haben' and 'sein' in the right context forms a crucial part of accurately conveying meaning in the German language.

• Auxiliary Verbs

For the verb 'schreiben' (to write), 'haben' is the correct auxiliary verb in the past tense, not 'sein'. So the correct sentence is 'Er hat einen Brief geschrieben' which means 'He has written a letter'. When you use 'schreiben', it is about an action that has been done, in this case, writing a letter, thus 'haben' is used. Understanding this distinction is crucial in conveying the intended action in the German language.

• Auxiliary Verbs

The phrase indicates possession, using the genitive case. The correct definite article for feminine nouns in the genitive case is "der." Hence, the sentence should be "Die Idee der Frau ist gut," which means "The woman's idea is very good" in English.

• Cases Summary
• Genitive Case

'Wachsen' indicates a change of state (to grow) which typically requires 'sein' as the auxiliary verb in past tenses. Hence, 'Sie sind gestern sehr schnell gewachsen' (They grew very quickly yesterday) is the correct sentence. 'Haben' could be used with 'wachsen' in certain dialects or colloquial usage, but is generally considered less standard. Mastering the appropriate usage of 'haben' and 'sein' enhances the precision of expressing states and actions in the German language.

• Auxiliary Verbs

When using the verb 'fahren' in the German past tense, 'sein' is the correct auxiliary verb to indicate movement or travel, such as in 'Ich bin nach Berlin gefahren' which means 'I traveled to Berlin'. The choice of 'sein' over 'haben' is pivotal in such contexts because 'fahren' is an intransitive verb that implies a change of location, a state where 'sein' is appropriate to express the action. However, in the sentence 'Ich habe das Auto gefahren' ('I have driven the car'), it uses 'haben' because it emphasizes the action of driving a specific object – the car. Understanding the nuances of 'haben' and 'sein' helps in accurately conveying past actions and is essential for fluency in German.

• Auxiliary Verbs

The appropriate definite article for masculine nouns in the genitive case is "des." Hence, the sentence should be "Das Buch des Mannes ist sehr interessant," which in English means "The man's book is very interesting."

• Cases Summary
• Genitive Case

The phrase indicates possession, using the genitive case. The correct definite article for neuter nouns in the genitive case is "des." Hence, the sentence should be "Wegen des Wetters bleiben wir zu Hause," which means "Because of the weather, we are staying at home" in English.

• Cases Summary
• Genitive Case