Compound nouns in German
Sign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for freeSign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for freeWe offer both private lessons and organized group courses
Sign up for free to get all available courses or contact one of our teachers yourself!
Our offer
Compound nouns are nouns that are composed out of two or more words and then build a new word with sometimes a new meaning.
In German, it is very common to assemble several existing words to create new ones. The compound can be made from nouns, adjectives, verbs or an invariable element (prepositions). There is no limit of the number of the associated words. Following, you can find several rules to build a compound noun.
Take online language lessons with a professional teacher
Keep in mind: The last word always determines the gender, the number and the case of the compound noun. It is also the only one to decline depending on the case.
The emphasis is always on the first word of the compound noun, but not always on the first syllable.
To understand the meaning of compound word read from right to left. Here are some examples.
First noun | Second noun | Compound word |
---|---|---|
die Orangen - oranges | der Saft - juice | der Orangensaft - orange juice |
das Wasser - water | die Flasche - bottle | die Wasserflasche - water bottle |
There exist different combinations of compound words:
Associated nouns can be understood as simple or compound nouns. Here are some examples.
First noun | Second noun | Compound noun |
---|---|---|
das Hotel | das Zimmer | das Hotelzimmer - hotel room |
der Zahn | die Bürste | die Zahnbürste - tooth brush |
der Fußball | die Weltmeisterschaft | die Fußballweltmeisterschaft - world cup |
Some compound nouns are build out of the radical of a verb and another noun. Here are some examples.
Verb | Noun | Compound noun |
---|---|---|
essen | das Zimmer | das Esszimmer - dining room |
schreiben | die Maschine | die Schreibmaschine - typewriter |
laufen | der Schritt | der Laufschritt - double quick |
You can also form a compound noun out of an adjective or a particle and a noun. Have a look.
Adjective/participle | Noun | Compound noun |
---|---|---|
groß | die Stadt | die Großstadt - big city |
rot | der Kohl | der Rotkohl - red cabbage |
gebraucht | der Wagen | der Gebrauchtwagen - used car |
Some nouns are composed of an invariable element, often a preposition, and a noun. Here are some examples.
Invariable element/preposition | Noun | Compound noun |
---|---|---|
vor | der Ort | der Vorort - suburb |
aber | der Glaube | der Aberglaube - superstition |
To connect two nouns and to build a new noun, the first one needs an additional suffix. Either you have to add -s or -es or sometimes you have to use the plural forms of the first word.
Here you can find some examples for the juncture with -s or -es.
First noun | Second noun | Compound noun |
---|---|---|
der Staat | das Examen | das Staatsexamen - state examination |
der Liebling | die Farbe | die Lieblingsfarbe - favorite colour |
die Arbeit | die Kraft | die Arbeitskraft - worker |
This rule applies to all of the nouns with the suffix: -keit, -heit, -schaft, -ung, -ion, -tät, -ling, -tum.
Often the first noun is pluralized before being associated to with another noun. Here you can find some examples.
First noun | Second noun | Compound noun |
---|---|---|
die Kranken | die Schwester | die Krankenschwester - nurse |
die Straßen | die Lampe | die Straßenlampe - street lamp |
die Suppen | der Löffel | der Suppelöffel - tablespoon |
You know everything about compound nouns in German. Now you can practise them with some exercises.
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
Learning a foreign language is a beautiful and awe-inspiring journey which is not strange to me.
Growing in Europe and living in Canada has shaped my thinking abilities to see beyond the surface of individual’s potential to study. It remodeled my senses in a special way to be able to respond with tact and compassion to the needs of my students. In the same time it taught me the value of persistence and creativity. These abilities have helped me to master the art of teaching. Every student makes me a better friend, family member and a person.
So far, I've helped different age groups to converse freely, to read, understand and love both English and Bulgarian. Beside that, my students not just improve their grades at school. Some of them became English teachers themselves.
No two students are exactly alike. That's why I mostly use personalized learning method. It builds a learning experience that addresses the unique abilities of each student.
Another method of teaching that I use is Learning by experiment. In that way students learn by doing. I create experiences for them to see the concepts in action. I found out that students tend to remember better when they see and then discuss what they learn from what they saw.
Beside these methods you will enjoy Modeling, Mistakes, Feedback and one of my top methods: Lesson Objective Transparency. When I clearly state my lesson goals and write it on the board, then you will feel relax because you will know what you are working towards.
Please, be assured you won’t regret giving me the opportunity to help you!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Didi is a very friendly and experienced teacher. She makes her lesson very interesting and easy to follow. She loves teaching and supports her students during their learning path.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
My name is Christina and I provide German & French language lesson for children and adult beginners or intermediate who want to strengthen their language skills, improve the grammar knowledge, enrich the vocabulary and get into the German culture! I can teach in English or French!
I had experince in teaching German, English and French to foreign people so I do have a lot of useful learning material I can provide you to make it easier!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Christina is very helpful in correcting my grammar and sentence structures and providing materials to learn new vocabulary.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I am a German native speaker who loves languages and am passionate about teaching others. I work as language teacher in a school, teach adults at the German Culture Center and prepare my students for all types of official language exams. I love my job and always seek to make it as much fun as possible.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
My experience with Melanie has been very positive, Melanie is a very qualified teacher and you can tell that from the beginning: very professional, very good methodology, diversity in material, etc. A real one on one experience as she focused together with learning of language in identification and correction of student weaknesses. My kid is engaged with her classes as he says are useful and fun, his progress in learning German has been noticed by all. I also like her flexibility to have classes during the weekends, that is a great emergency door. I am happy !! Highly recommended!!!
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I am a German native speaker who loves languages and am passionate about teaching others. I work as language teacher in a school, teach adults at the German Culture Center and prepare my students for all types of official language exams. I love my job and always seek to make it as much fun as possible.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I recommend Her; My teacher Melanie is a dynamic and friendly teacher, very knowledgeable, flexible and open to discussions on any subject. available to check my exercises and flexible regarding class time slots. Very nice experience! She immediately understood my goals and was able to help me improve my skills. I recommend her to anyone who wants to take and pass their exams and improve their German skills.
Melanie A.
Hello Douaa, thank you. I am happy that I could help you and I had fun. I wish you all the best.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
For me, learning German was a nightmare and I was certain that I will never learn the language. Sara sure did prove me wrong. With her, learning German became fun. I always wait with excitement for our next session. She drastically imporved my skills in a few months and most importantly, I made a good friend along the way. Ich kann mit Sicherheit sagen, dass Sara die Beste ist
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi, I am Christin!
After training as a pastry chef and studying business administration, I traveled a lot and discovered my interest in languages. To find out more about teaching languages, I decided on further training at the Goethe Institute and completed it. During the Goethe Institute "Learn to teach German" course I was able to give individual language lessons and actively support the examination preparation for the Goethe certificate.
My lessons are needs-oriented. That means that learning goals are discussed with you and based on your level of knowledge. Whether grammar, sentence structure, pronunciation, expression or the practice of communication situations: German as a foreign and second language classes are flexible and take place in a group or one-to-one lessons with individual support and are based on your wishes and requirements. The teaching of content and topics takes place according to the respective language level. Building vocabulary, grammar and means of speaking are structured and conveyed logically building on each other. Let's get to know each other in a free trial class. I am looking forward to meeting you!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello, Wie gehts? Ich heiße Anna! What can I say? Learning German language isn´t easy but I´m happy to say that I´ve chosen the right teacher for me. She is very nice and patient. She happily answered all my questions and explain things in a way you can understand easily. She gives you different homeworks in which sometimes I can´t submit on time because I´m currently undergoing surgery and therapy but she is so understanding about it. Now, I somewhat understand some German writings I´ve read without translating it, and i´m just so happy that I am making progress. Thanks Christin!
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi, I am Christin!
After training as a pastry chef and studying business administration, I traveled a lot and discovered my interest in languages. To find out more about teaching languages, I decided on further training at the Goethe Institute and completed it. During the Goethe Institute "Learn to teach German" course I was able to give individual language lessons and actively support the examination preparation for the Goethe certificate.
My lessons are needs-oriented. That means that learning goals are discussed with you and based on your level of knowledge. Whether grammar, sentence structure, pronunciation, expression or the practice of communication situations: German as a foreign and second language classes are flexible and take place in a group or one-to-one lessons with individual support and are based on your wishes and requirements. The teaching of content and topics takes place according to the respective language level. Building vocabulary, grammar and means of speaking are structured and conveyed logically building on each other. Let's get to know each other in a free trial class. I am looking forward to meeting you!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Christin is a great teacher. She is very helpful and flexible, and her lessons are always varied and interesting. I'd recommend her to everyone who'd like to learn German!
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Montse is always energetic and interesting, she always tailor the lections on the attendants level, always keeping an eye on trying to be original and fun. Easily a 5 Star Teacher.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I am a German native speaker who loves languages and am passionate about teaching others. I work as language teacher in a school, teach adults at the German Culture Center and prepare my students for all types of official language exams. I love my job and always seek to make it as much fun as possible.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Melanie gave me a three week German crash course in preparation for a A2+/B1 exam. She is well organised, patient, very knowledgeable and pedagogic. In addition to clear explanations, she has a wide variety of resources at her disposal to explain different grammar rules and concepts. I highly recommend using her services.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I am thrilled by my teacher Dani. She is nice, positive and does a great job.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello !
I am a teacher of French as a Foreign Language (FLE), with a Master's degree in Training Engineering, specialising in FLE, Professional French and International Cooperation. Your needs are individual: we evaluate them together and I propose you an adapted learning based on my experience as a student as well as in a professional situation. No traditional pedagogy, we will use IT tools (TICE) to live a playful experience, inscribed in the action pedagogy, communicative method. I will accompany you whatever your level, including in the preparation for the exams for which I am qualified (France Education International, ex CIEP, DELF/DALF).
It is the exchange that is important, we move forward together.
Passionate about this profession, it is the diversity of intercultural exchanges that enriches my practice, a necessary complement to my activity in training engineering. I need to keep in touch with learners, so see you soon!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Isabel is a french teacher who is qualified and has a great deal of experience. She has taught in different countries including the USA and Japan, and counts with different learning materials to help achieve different objectives.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello everyone and a big warm welcome to all the fellow language learners,
My name is Katerina, I’m a native Russian speaker and a foreign language teacher from St Petersburg, Russia. I’ve always been addicted to learning foreign languages, be it English, German, Spanish, Turkish or Arabic, so turning my passion into my job was just a matter of time. I have a Master’s degree in linguistics which taught me to understand the way the mechanism of a language works and thus to help my students see the logics behind the grammar rules. Being a constant language learner enables me to see the process from both sides and to predict the difficulties my students might face. The fact that I’m not a native speaker of English or German means I’ve been through exactly the same language-learning journey you’re about to take, and thanks to my personal experience as a student, I can make this road smooth for you.
I've had students of all ages, from pre-school kids to senior generation, and I feel comfortable working with both beginners and those who are eager to take their learning process to a new level. In my classes I encourage you to talk in the language we’re studying as much as possible, putting every single bit of knowledge into practice right away. If you’re a Russian-learner, I’d be glad to prove it to you that you can absolutely nail my mother-tongue - and yes, you’ll be able to make a small talk in Russian by the end of the first class even if you’re an absolute beginner! We’ll be focusing on the topics that are most relevant to your goals, while discovering the language and getting to know more about the culture of people who speak it.
I offer a short free trial class, for us to give each other a smile and discuss our teaching pattern, in order to ajust it to your goals and make our lessons the bee's knees :) See you soon!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Ekaterina writes new words and sentences learnt during the lesson. She has got a very nice attitude and great accent! A pleasure to work with... yes, even in German!!!!!
Ekaterina V.
![]()
Dear Silvia, thank you very much for your feedback! It's a real pleasure to have classes with you, and I hope you find them useful!
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello!
My name is Tahereh and I'm a resident of Spain. I have a degree in Hispanic Philology and I am also accredited in DELE C2. I have a Master's degree in Latin American Studies and I am currently finishing a PhD in Cultural Studies at the University of Santiago de Compostela.
I am an accredited DELE examiner at levels A1 and A2; B1 and B2; C1 and C2 by the Instituto Cervantes. I have taken teacher training courses in ELE (Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language) given by the Instituto Cervantes and other Spanish academic institutions and I hold the title of certified teacher of Spanish as a Foreign Language.
I specialise in EFE (Teaching Spanish for Specific Purposes) and I am a certified teacher by the Instituto Cervantes as well as other Spanish universities.
I have more than 7 years of experience as a Spanish teacher both at university and in language schools.
I use modern learning methodologies based on a previous analysis of my students' needs. I make use of all kinds of interactive, didactic materials with a cultural component, making the class dynamic as well as fun and above all adapted to the interests and needs of the student.
My mother tongue is Persian (Farsi) and I also speak English (B2), Portuguese (A2), Galician (B1) and Arabic (A1).
I invite you to a free 30-minute trial lesson.
I hope to meet you soon and to help you improve your language skills.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Tahereh is a Spanish teacher who is ready to take you to the next level. She has good quality learning materials, great certifications and lots of experience with all kinds of audiences.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi, everyone! I'm Marissa. I'm a native speaker of English from the United States. I'm currently living in Istanbul, Turkey and I can speak Turkish. I can also understand basic Spanish. I received my teaching certification in 2011 and I've been teaching ever since. I have experience working with students from all over the world, in language schools, kindergarten, exam preparation centers, and online, not only as a teacher but also as an education coordinator.
I offer my students a very structured program to help them improve their overall English level. In our trial lesson, I will evaluate your level and we will discuss your goals. I will then provide you with a coursebook and supplementary materials suitable for your level and needs. We will use these both together in class and outside of class for homework. We will cover all necessary skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation) but we will give special attention to whatever your weaknesses may be.
Alternatively, if you are not looking for such an intensive program, I also offer guided conversation practice. I am flexible! Just write me and we can start working on a plan for you. I'm looking forward to meeting you soon. :)
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Marissa is a very friendly teacher. She adapts her lessons to her students and helps them reach their goals.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Domenica has a lot of teaching experience and can adapt the lesson to her students. She is really enthusiastic and she really loves teaching.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials