'Aber' Definition

What is the meaning of the German word 'Aber'?

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The word 'Aber' is a German word that can mean 'But' in English. You can find example sentences below to help you understand how to use the word in context.

Definition of 'Aber' in English

Aber - But

conjunction

The conjunction 'aber' is commonly used in German to mean 'but.' It is used to contrast two ideas or statements.

Example Sentences:

  • Diese Entdeckung macht Niklas nervös, aber auch aufgeregt. - This discovery makes Niklas nervous, but also excited.

German Challenges

Intermediate

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

Deine Sachen wurden gestern vom Zimmer gestohlen.

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'Gestohlen' is the past participle of the German verb 'stehlen', which means 'to steal' in English. The past participle is used in this sentence to depict an action that has been done in the past - here, the stealing of the things. The other options are not recognized words in the German language or are the incorrect form of the verb 'stehlen'.
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Beginner

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb 'laufen' to mean 'to run through'?

Er läuft durch den Park

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The correct preposition to use with 'laufen' to convey the meaning of 'to run through' is 'durch', forming the phrase 'laufen durch'. The sentence 'Er läuft durch den Park' translates to 'He is running through the park.' The other prepositions are not used to express the concept of running through a place. Fun Fact: 'Laufen durch' requires the accusative case, as it typically involves a direct object – the place being run through.
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Intermediate

Which word correctly indicates multiple entities?

Im Theater sehen sie einige seltsame Kreaturen auf der Bühne.

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'Kreaturen' is the correct plural form of the noun 'Kreatur', which means 'creature' in English. In the context of the sentence, the plural is needed to refer to multiple strange entities on the stage. The other options are incorrect; 'Kreatur' is singular and doesn't match the context of indicating multiple entities. 'Kreatüre' and 'Kreature' are simply not correct forms of the noun in German.
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Intermediate

Which auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence to fit the context given?

Ich bin nach Hause gelaufen.

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'Laufen' is an action verb that indicates movement, thus it generally requires 'sein' as the auxiliary verb when forming the past tense. So, the correct sentence would be 'Ich bin nach Hause gelaufen', which means 'I ran home'. 'Haben' would generally be incorrect in this context. Understanding the appropriate application of 'haben' and 'sein' with different verbs is fundamental in constructing accurate sentences in the German language.
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Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb 'hoffen' to mean 'to hope for'?

Er hofft auf einen Sieg

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The correct preposition to use with 'hoffen' to convey the meaning of 'to hope for' is 'auf', forming the phrase 'hoffen auf'. The sentence 'Er hofft auf einen Sieg' translates to 'He hopes for a victory.' The other prepositions cannot be used to express the concept of hoping for something. Fun Fact: 'Hoffen auf' requires the accusative case.
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Beginner

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the definite article 'die' in the dative case for a plural noun.

Das Buch gehört den Kindern

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The dative case of the definite article 'die' (the) when used with plural nouns is 'den'. So, the sentence should read 'Das Buch gehört den Kindern', translating to 'The book belongs to the children' in English.
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Beginner

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the personal pronoun 'ich' in the dative case.

Die Mutter kauft mir ein Geschenk

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The dative case of the personal pronoun 'ich' (I) is 'mir'. In the sentence "Die Mutter kauft mir ein Geschenk," 'mir' is used as the indirect object, receiving the action of the verb. Here, the verb 'kaufen' (to buy) requires an indirect object to indicate to whom the gift is bought. 'Ich' changes to 'mir' in the dative case to reflect its role as the recipient of the action in the sentence.
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Beginner

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the indefinite article "a/an" in the dative case for a neuter noun.

Ich gebe einem Kind ein Spielzeug.

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The sentence indicates the indirect object in the dative case. We are giving a toy to a child. The correct form of the indefinite article for neuter nouns in the dative case is "einem." Therefore, the sentence should be "Ich gebe einem Kind ein Spielzeug," which means "I give a toy to a child" in English.
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Beginner

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the personal pronoun 'ich' in the dative case.

Sie hat mir den Schlüssel gegeben

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The dative case form of the personal pronoun 'ich' (I) is 'mir'. In the sentence "Sie hat mir den Schlüssel gegeben," 'mir' is used as the indirect object, receiving the action of the verb. Here, the verb 'geben' (to give) requires an indirect object to indicate to whom the key is given. 'Ich' changes to 'mir' in the dative case to reflect its role as the recipient of the action in the sentence.
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Beginner

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the definite article "the" in the accusative case for a Neuter noun.

Kannst du das Buch sehen?

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The word "Buch" is a neuter noun. In German, "Buch" remains "das Buch" even in the accusative case. Therefore, the correct sentence is "Kannst du das Buch sehen?" which translates to "Can you see the book?" in English.
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