'An' Definition

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

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

Definition of 'An' in English

An - At

preposition

The preposition 'an' is commonly used in German to indicate the location or target of an action. It is often translated as 'at' or 'to' in English, depending on the context.

Example Sentences:

German Challenges

Beginner

Which verb completes the sentence to mean 'wear'?

Sie trägt immer schöne Kleider.

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In the context of the sentence, the word 'trägt' is a German verb that means 'wears' in English. The subject 'sie' (she) and the context of clothes makes 'trägt' the only suitable choice among the given options since all the other options are not connected with the context.
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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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Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "denken" to mean "to think of"?

Ich denke an dich.

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The correct preposition to use with "denken" to convey the meaning of "to think of" is "an", forming the phrase "denken an". The sentence "Ich denke an dich" translates to "I am thinking of you." The other prepositions are not used to express the concept of thinking of someone or something. Fun Fact: "Denken an" requires the accusative case, as it typically involves a direct object – the thing or person being thought of.
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Beginner

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

Ich helfe ihm immer, wenn er Hilfe braucht.

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The dative case form of the personal pronoun 'er' (he) is 'ihm'. In the sentence, 'ihm' is used as the indirect object, receiving the action of the verb. 'Er' changes to 'ihm' in the dative case to reflect its role as the recipient of the action in the sentence.
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Intermediate

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

Mein Bruder ist gestern schwimmen gegangen.

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Since 'schwimmen' can imply motion when combined with 'gehen,' 'sein' is used as the auxiliary verb in 'Mein Bruder ist gestern schwimmen gegangen,' translating to 'My brother went swimming yesterday.' This usage of 'sein' is due to the motion indicated by 'gegangen.' Understanding when to use 'haben' or 'sein' with verbs like 'schwimmen' in different contexts is key for German fluency.
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Beginner

Conjugate the modal verb "sollen" to fit the sentence below. Important to note that we are using the third person plural or formal address here.

Sie sollen das Buch lesen.

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The correct form for 'sollen' in the third person singular or formal address is 'sollen'. The full translation of the sentence is "You should read the book" or "They should read the book". Fun fact - this sentence would also be correct with 'soll' if we were using the third person singular 'sie' to mean 'she'.
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Beginner

Conjugate the modal verb "müssen" to fit the sentence below

Sie müssen das Buch lesen, es ist unglaublich.

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The correct form for 'müssen' in the third person formal or plural is 'müssen'. For the sentence "Sie müssen das Buch lesen, es ist unglaublich.", the full translation is "You have to (must) read the book, it is incredible"
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Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "danken" to mean "to thank for"?

Sie bedankt sich für den Brief.

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The verb "bedanken" is a reflexive verb in German, meaning it is used with a reflexive pronoun. In this case, "sich bedanken" is used to express the act of giving thanks. The correct preposition to use with "sich bedanken" for conveying the meaning of "to thank for" is "für". Therefore, the sentence "Sie bedankt sich für den Brief" translates to "She thanks [herself] for the letter," more naturally expressed in English as "She gives thanks for the letter" or "She is thankful for the letter." The use of "für" is crucial in this context to indicate what the person is thanking for.
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Beginner

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

Der Lehrer hat uns die Hausaufgaben aufgegeben

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The dative case form of the personal pronoun 'wir' (we) is 'uns'. In the sentence "Der Lehrer hat uns die Hausaufgaben aufgegeben," 'uns' is used as the indirect object, receiving the action of the verb. Here, the verb 'aufgeben' (to assign) requires an indirect object to indicate to whom the homework is assigned. 'Wir' changes to 'uns' in the dative case to reflect its role as the recipient of the action in the sentence.
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Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "sich freuen" to mean "to be happy about"?

Ich freue mich über mein Geburtstagsgeschenk

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The correct preposition to use with "sich freuen" to convey the meaning of "to be happy about" is "über", making the expression "sich freuen über". The sentence "Ich freue mich über mein Geburtstagsgeschenk" means "I am happy about my birthday gift.".
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