Diminutive (-lein, -chen) in German
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A diminutive is a tranformed noun, which expresses a smaller, cuter or younger of the noun. The nouns are transformed by the suffixes -lein or -chen. The diminutive is an informal way of expression.
For example:
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To form the diminutive of noun you have to add the suffixes -chen or -lein. In addition the vowel of radical is transformed into an Umlaut (ä,ö,ü). The gender of all diminutives is always neuter. The plural form do not have an additional ending in all cases.
This table shows you the declension and the transformation of the diminutive with the help of the noun: das Haus - das Häuslein (house).
singular | plural | |
---|---|---|
nominative | das Häuslein | die Häuslein |
accusative | das Häuslein | die Häuslein |
dative | dem Häuslein | den Häuslein |
genitive | des Häusleins | der Häuslein |
This table shows you the declension and the transformation of the diminutive with the help of the noun: die Maus - das Mäuschen (mouse).
singular | plural | |
---|---|---|
nominative | das Mäuschen | die Mäuschen |
accusative | das Mäuschen | die Mäuschen |
dative | dem Mäuschen | den Mäuschen |
genitive | des Mäuschen | der Mäuschen |
The diminutives are used to describe something young, cute or small.
They are also often used in fairy tales.
Example:
Spieglein, Spieglein an der Wand, Wer ist die Schönste im ganzen Land? - Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?
Rotkäppchen - little red riding hood
You have learned a form of nouns to express little or very cute things. Go on and practice knew knowledge. Try our fun and interactive exercises.
Fill in the missing diminutive!
Recap:
The diminutive is built by adding the suffixes -chen or -lein to the ending of a noun. The gender of all diminutives is neuter. Like all nouns, diminutives have to be adapted to their case. Diminutive nouns don't have a additional ending in plural.
1. Transform the noun in the brackets to a diminutive noun with the ending -lein.
huscht ins Loch. (Maus, Nominative)
(The little mouse scurries into the hole.)
Gib die Hand. (Zicke, Dative)
(Give the miss the hand.)
steht auf der Wiese. (Schaf, Nominative)
(The sheep is in the meadow.)
Loch ist im Keller. (Maus, Genitive)
(The hole of the mouse is in the basement.)
Ich mag . (Buch, Accusative)
(I like the little book.)
2. Transform the noun in the brackets to a diminutive noun with the ending -chen.
ist hoch! (Summe, Nominative)
Ich geb das dort drüben. (Mann, Dative)
Haus ist in der Nebenstraße. (Mann, Genitive)
steht im Garten. (Mann, Nominative)
Ich mag nicht! (Mann, Accusative)
Fill in the missing diminutive!
1. Ending -chen
die Maus - das
der Vogel - das
das Haus - das
die Dose - das
die Rose - das
das Pferd - das
der Mann - das
das Haus - das
die Summe - das
2. Ending -lein
die Dose - das
die Rose - das
das Pferd - das
der Mann - das
das Haus - das
die Summe - das
der Kuss - das
Fill in the missing diminutive!
Recap:
The diminutive is built by adding the suffixes -chen or -lein to the ending of a noun. The gender of all diminutives is neuter. Like all nouns, diminutives have to be adapted to their case. Diminutive nouns don't have a additional ending in plural.
1. Transform the noun in the brackets to a diminutive noun with the ending -lein.
huscht ins Loch. (Maus, Nominative)
(The little mouse scurries into the hole.)
Gib die Hand. (Zicke, Dative)
(Give the miss the hand.)
steht auf der Wiese. (Schaf, Nominative)
(The sheep is in the meadow.)
Loch ist im Keller. (Maus, Genitive)
(The hole of the mouse is in the basement.)
Ich mag . (Buch, Accusative)
(I like the little book.)
2. Transform the noun in the brackets to a diminutive noun with the ending -chen.
ist hoch! (Summe, Nominative)
Ich geb das dort drüben. (Mann, Dative)
Haus ist in der Nebenstraße. (Mann, Genitive)
steht im Garten. (Mann, Nominative)
Ich mag nicht! (Mann, Accusative)
Fill in the missing diminutive!
1. Ending -chen
die Maus - das
der Vogel - das
das Haus - das
die Dose - das
die Rose - das
das Pferd - das
der Mann - das
das Haus - das
die Summe - das
2. Ending -lein
die Dose - das
die Rose - das
das Pferd - das
der Mann - das
das Haus - das
die Summe - das
der Kuss - das
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Hello =)
My name is Karolin and since the beginning of 2017, while I was still living in Chile, I've been giving online classes. I really enjoy my work and it gives me the privilage to get to know people from all around the world, which is amazing.
Both in English and in German, I teach classes for beginners and advanced students. I speak Spanish fluently, but as I lived in Chile for around 5 years, both my pronounciation and my choice of words are influenced by that. I learned and teach the european Spanish but only for beginners (A1/A2). But if you don't mind the chilenean influence, I do teach to a higher level as well.
If you'd like to get to know me and my teaching methods, just contact me and we will do a free trial lesson (please do NOT by a lesson before the trial lesson, not every teacher is good for every student).
See you soon!
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Hello, my name is Katerina und I’m a qualified German teacher with 8 years teaching experience.
I would like to help you to master the German language. You will get your personal online lesson via Skype.
If you are interested in learning this world language, just contact me –
I’m looking forward to getting to know you!
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A very nice and motivated teacher. Thank you Katerina for your support with the German language.
Katerina B.
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Dear Edivania, thank you for the nice words. It is a pleasure to work with you.
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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.
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I speak several languages (English, German, French, Spanish) and I keep learning some (Polish and Portuguese) so I am aware of how fun and also frustrating (at times) the process can be.
For me, learning a language is like falling in love, you get to discover details and awesome facts about one culture and mentality.
If you want to learn Romanian, English or German, I will make sure you will enjoy it!
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Hello,
my name is Veronika and I am a student in Florence at the academy of fine arts. I have been in Italy for three years and I really like the Italian language. In school i learned english and during journeys i used to speak a lot of english so i'm also able to teach in english.
I am from Germany so I am a German native speaker. I have already taught German to some of my friends and would love to teach my language to more people as well. At the beginning I would like to do grammar lessons and the most used words to deepen the basic knowledge of the language. Then I will continue to have conversations in German to increase vocabulary and to give confidence in dialogue and in any case in speaking the language in real scenarios. The most important thing by learning a new language is to learn it through hearing and speaking. Being difficult at first to formulate sentences will then become easier and easier and thus you arrive at a fluent and confident way to speak the new language.
For myself I learned Italian three years ago with this method so I also know what it is like to learn a language and I can help you with my teaching to learn German that way.
I can not wait to start!
greetings Veronika
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Thank you, Josè !! Congratulations on passing the exam!
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