Day 66 - Adjectives as Nouns Flashcards
At a bar you might hear the phrase, “I’ll take a cold one.” In English, to make an adjective into a noun, words like one, thing, man, woman are added.
German doesn’t require this and can simply use the adjective. However, you must add the adjective ending based on the noun being represented.
Study the following example:
I’ll take a cold one.
Ich nehme ein Kaltes.
Notice one, which represents beer, is omitted in German, and Kaltes is capitalized because it became a noun.
The adjective ending -es comes from the accusative neutral das Bier.
To illustrate this further, think of the movie The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
If the title was referring to a good man, a bad man, and an ugly man, the title would be: Der Gute, der Böse, und der Hässliche.
However, if the title was referring to the idea or concept of good, bad, and ugly idealism, it would be Das Gute, das Böse, und das Hässliche.
Because of this confusion, the title in German is actually Zwei glorreiche Halunken (Two Glorious Scoundrels). Apparently the third guy was lost in translation.
- EHRGEIZIG…ambitious
- GRAUSAM…cruel / terrible
- ANGENEHM…pleasant / agreeably
- GROßHERZIG…generous / noble
- BESCHEIDEN…modest / humble
- LAUNISH…moody / cranky
- STOLZ…proud
- ZUVERLÄSSIG…reliable / dependable
- STUR…stubborn
- KOMISCH…comical / weird / strange
LUSTIG, WITZIG…funny
*Komisch is a bit different than comical. Often people use this word to mean strange or weird. You can use it to mean funny, but only if that thing is funny because it is strange. If something is funny use lustig or witzig.
Die Nachtigall
Bescheiden verborgen im buschichten Gang
Erhob Philomele den Zaubergesang,
Er schildert der Treue beglückenden Lohn
In hallenden Schlägen, im wirbelnden Ton.
Sanft gleitet die Stimme aus schwellender Brust,
Als Hauch der Gefühle, als Zeuge der Lust;
Ach horcht! wie der Seufzer der Sehnsucht verhallt,
Wenn lieblicher Einklang der Seelen erschallt.
So, Freunde, verhallte manch himmlisches Lied,
Wenn Cynthias Feuer die Finsterniß schied,
Es wehte mit Frieden uns wonnigen Schmerz
Aus Schwingen der Töne ins fühlende Herz.
The nightingale
Hiding modestly in the bushes by the path
Philomel struck up her magical song,
It describes the gratifying rewards of fidelity
With echoing chimes, in swirling notes.
The voice glides gently out of a swelling breast,
As the breathing of sensitive feelings, as a witness to pleasure;
Oh, listen to how the sighing of longing dies away
When the loving harmony of souls rings out!
Similarly, friends, many a heavenly song died away
When Cynthia’s fire cut through the darkness.
A blissful pain brought peace as it wafted
Into our feeling hearts on the wings of music.
- The ambitious ones achieve more.
Die Ehrgeizigen erreichen mehr.
- He is a really cruel one.
Er ist ein ganz Grausamer.
- He is a pleasant one.
Er ist ein Angenehmer.
- The generous ones are friendly.
Die Großherzigen sind freundlich.
- I don’t know even one modest one.
Ich kenne keinen einzigen Bescheidenen.
bescheiden (Mench)
Bescheiden = acc. masc.
einzigen = acc. masc.
keinen = acc. masc.
- She is a moody one.
Sie ist eine Launische.
- The proud often have a weakness.
Die Stolzen haben oft eine Schwachstelle.
- I need a dependable one.
Ich brauche einen Zuverlässigen.
- The billy goat is really a stubborn one.
Der Ziegenbock ist echt ein Sturer.
- The comedian is really a comical one.
Der Komiker ist ein ganz Komischer.
