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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.

Related Words

Fragt

German Challenges

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

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

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

Sie trinkt den Tee.

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In the given sentence, "Sie trinkt den Tee," the word "Tee" is a masculine noun. In German, "Tee" is "der Tee" in the nominative case. In the accusative case, for masculine nouns, the definite article changes from "der" to "den." Therefore, the correct sentence is "Sie trinkt den Tee," which translates to "She drinks the tea" in English. Remembering these definite article changes in the accusative case is crucial for accurate sentence construction. Practice using the correct article forms for masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns to improve your German language skills.
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Beginner

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

Er mag Wienerschitzel, es ist sein Lieblingsessen.

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The correct form for 'mögen' in the third person singular is 'mag'. For the sentence "Er mag Wienerschitzel, es ist sein Lieblingsessen.", the full translation is "He likes Wienerschitzel, it's his favourite food."
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Beginner

What is the correct form of the definite article "the" in the genitive case for a Neuter noun?

Wegen des Wetters bleiben wir zu Hause

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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.
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Intermediate

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

Der Hund hat im Garten gespielt.

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'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.
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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 preposition correctly pairs with the verb "sprechen" to mean "to speak with"?

Er spricht mit seinem Vater

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The correct preposition to use with "sprechen" to convey the meaning of "to speak with" is "mit", making the expression "sprechen mit". The sentence "Er spricht mit seinem Vater" means "He is speaking with his father". The other prepositions are not suitable to express the act of speaking with someone.
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Beginner

What is the right form of the definite article "the" in the genitive case for a Masculine noun?

Das Buch des Mannes ist sehr interessant.

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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."
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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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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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