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'Gestern' Definition

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

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

Definition of 'Gestern' in English

Gestern - Yesterday

adverb

The adverb 'gestern' is used to describe the time or day before the current day. It specifically refers to 'yesterday' in English.

💡 Silly memory trick! To remember 'gestern,' think of it as 'guess turn.' Yesterday is the 'turn' or the day before today, and you can 'guess' what happened yesterday.

Related Words

Kurze

German Challenges

Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "warten" to mean "to wait for"?

Peter hat auf seine Freundin gewartet.

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The correct preposition to use with "warten" to convey the meaning of "to wait for" is "auf", making the expression "warten auf". The sentence "Peter hat auf seine Freundin gewartet" means "Peter waited for his girlfriend." The other prepositions cannot be used to express the act of waiting for someone. Did you know? Prepositions in German can change the case of the noun that follows them. In the case of "warten auf", the preposition "auf" requires the noun to be in the accusative case.
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Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb "warten" to mean "to wait for"?

Ich warte auf den Bus

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The correct preposition to use with "warten" to convey the meaning of "to wait for" is "auf", making the expression "warten auf". The sentence "Ich warte auf den Bus" means "I am waiting for the bus." The other prepositions cannot be used to express the act of waiting for something or someone.Did you know? Prepositions in German can change the case of the noun that follows them. In the case of "warten auf", the preposition "auf" requires the noun to be in the accusative case.
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Intermediate

Which preposition correctly pairs with the verb 'sprechen' to mean 'to talk about'?

Sie spricht immer von ihrem Bruder

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The correct preposition to use with 'sprechen' to convey the meaning of 'to talk about' is 'von'. The phrase formed is 'sprechen von'. The sentence 'Sie spricht immer von ihrem Bruder' translates to 'She always talks about her brother.' The other prepositions cannot be used to express the concept of talking about something. Note that 'sprechen von' requires the dative case.
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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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Beginner

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

Ich esse den Apfel.

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In the given sentence, "Ich esse den Apfel," the word "Apfel" is a masculine noun. In German, "Apfel" is "der Apfel" in the nominative case. In the accusative case, for masculine nouns, the definite article changes from "der" to "den." Therefore, the correct sentence is "Ich esse den Apfel," which translates to "I eat the apple" in English. Remember that the nominative masculine definite article "der" changes to "den" in the accusative. This is crucial for constructing correct sentences in German. Keep practicing to familiarize yourself with these changes.
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Intermediate

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

Ich bin nach Berlin gefahren.

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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.
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Intermediate

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

Ich bin schon zum Bahnhof gefahren.

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'Fahren' implies movement and therefore 'sein' is commonly employed as the auxiliary verb in its past tense. As a result, 'Ich bin schon zum Bahnhof gefahren', which translates to 'I have already driven to the station' is the correct sentence. Utilizing 'haben' or 'sein' accurately with verbs like 'fahren' is crucial for conveying apt meaning in German language.
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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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Intermediate

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

Meine Schwester ist zum Supermarkt gegangen.

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'Gehen' indicates movement, so 'sein' is often used as the auxiliary verb in its past tense. Therefore, 'Meine Schwester ist zum Supermarkt gegangen' ('My sister went to the supermarket') is the appropriate sentence. While 'haben' is used with most past tense verbs in German, 'sein' is used with certain intransitive verbs that indicate a change of location or state, like 'gehen'. It's these nuances that can help make your German more fluent and accurate.
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Beginner

Conjugate the modal verb "müssen" to fit the sentence

Wir müssen früh aufstehen.

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The correct form for 'müssen' in the first person plural is 'müssen'. The full translation is "We have to (must) wake up early".
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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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