Nouns, cases and negation
Nominative: naming the subject
The nominative normally marks the subject: who or what performs the action or is being described. Definite articles: masculine der, feminine die, neuter das, plural die. Indefinite: masculine ein, feminine eine, neuter ein, no plural indefinite article.
With sein, a noun identifying the subject is also nominative: Er ist ein guter Freund. Profession/nationality labels are often used without an article: Ich bin Arzt. Sie ist Deutsche. This does not mean articles are always absent after sein: Das ist ein Arzt identifies a person.
- Example
- Der Bus kommt. Die Fahrerin ist freundlich.
- English
- The bus is coming. The driver is friendly.
- Hinglish
- Bus aa rahi hai. Driver, jo ek mahila hai, milansaar hai.
Worked example
Das Kind ist müde. Die Kinder spielen.
Hinglish: Bachcha thaka hua hai. Bachche khel rahe hain.