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'Etwas' Definition

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

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

Definition of 'Etwas' in English

Etwas - Something

pronoun

The pronoun 'etwas' is commonly used in German to refer to an unspecified or unknown thing. It can be translated as 'something' in English.

💡 Silly memory trick! To remember 'etwas,' think of it as 'a few things.' It represents an unknown or unspecified thing, so it could be thought of as a few possibilities or options.

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German Challenges

Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "schreiben" to mean "to write to"?

Sie schreibt einen Brief an ihren Freund.

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The correct preposition to use with "schreiben" to convey the meaning of "to write to" is "an", forming the phrase "schreiben an". The sentence "Sie schreibt einen Brief an ihren Freund" translates to "She is writing a letter to her friend." The other prepositions are not used to express the act of writing to someone.
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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

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

Ich entdecke den Brief unter einem Stapel alter Bücher.

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The word "Brief" is a masculine noun in German. In German grammar, "Brief" is "der Brief" in the nominative case. However, when a masculine noun is used in the accusative case, the definite article changes from "der" to "den." Therefore, in the sentence "Ich entdecke den Brief unter einem Stapel alter Bücher," which translates to "I discover the letter under a pile of old books" in English, "den Brief" correctly uses the accusative case for the masculine noun "Brief."
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Beginner

Conjugate the modal verb "mögen" to fit the sentence

Du magst Schokoladeneis.

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In German, the verb "mögen" (to like) in the second person singular (informal) form is "magst." Therefore, the correct translation of "You like chocolate ice cream" into German is "Du magst Schokoladeneis."
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Beginner

Conjugate the modal verb "wollen" to fit the sentence.

Ihr wollt tanzen lernen

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The correct form for 'wollen' in the second person plural is 'wollt'. The full translation is "You (plural) want to learn to dance".
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Beginner

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

Ich habe dir bereits die Einladung gegeben

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The dative case form of the personal pronoun 'du' (you) is 'dir'. In the sentence, 'dir' is used as the indirect object, receiving the action of the verb. Here, the verb 'gegeben' ("given" - to give) requires an indirect object to indicate to whom the book is given. 'Du' changes to 'dir' 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 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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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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Intermediate

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the possessive adjective 'sein' in the genitive case.

Die Katze seiner Schwester ist süß.

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The genitive case form of the possessive adjective 'sein' corresponding to a feminine noun is 'seiner'. In the sentence 'Die Katze seiner Schwester ist süß', 'seiner' is used to show possession, indicating that the sister is the owner of the cat. The noun 'Schwester' is feminine and singular; therefore, 'sein' takes the form 'seiner' to match the gender, number, and case of the noun it modifies.
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Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "kaufen" to mean "to buy for"?

Ich kaufe ein Geschenk für meine Freundin

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The correct preposition to use with "kaufen" to convey the meaning of "to buy for" is "für", making the expression "kaufen für". The sentence "Ich kaufe ein Geschenk für meine Freundin" means "I am buying a gift for my girlfriend." The other prepositions cannot be used to express the act of buying something for someone. Remember: In German, prepositions can change the case of the noun that follows them. In the case of "kaufen für", the preposition "für" requires the noun to be in the accusative case.
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German Topics

Prepositional Verbs Accusative Prepositions Modal Verbs Cases Summary Accusative Case Dative Case Genitive Case Auxiliary Verbs Personal Pronouns Cases Dative Prepositions Coordinating Conjunctions Subordinating Conjunctions

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