Nominative and Accusative What is the subject of a sentence? The subject of a sentence is the person or thing that is “doing” the verb. To find the subject, look for the verb and ask “Who or what is doing?” (substitute the verb for “doing” -- Who or what is singing? Who or what is sleeping?) Subjects are always in the NOMINATIVE CASE. What is the direct object of a sentence? The direct object receives the action of the verb. To find the direct object, look for the verb and ask “Who or what is being verbed?” (as in Who or what is being kicked? Who or what is being read?) Direct objects take the ACCUSATIVE CASE. For example: The woman sees the girl. The woman is the subject & is nominative.  the girl is the direct object and is accusative. The girl sees the woman. The girl is the subject and is nominative.  the woman is the direct object & is accusative. Kevin Rudd is the Prime Minister. Kevin Rudd is the subject and is nominative. the Prime Minister is ALSO nominative because it follows “to be” (is).

Nominative Masc. Der Tisch ist braun. (The table is brown.) Fem. Die Lampe ist neu. (The lamp is new.) Neut. Das Fenster ist offen. (The window is open.) Plural Die Bücher sind interessant. (The books are interesting.) or Masc. Das ist der Tisch. (That is the table.) All of the nouns above are in the nominative case because they are the subjects of the sentences or because they follow the verb “sein.”

Accusative  Masc. Ich sehe den Tisch. Ich habe einen Tisch. I see the table. I have a table. Fem. Ich sehe die Lampe. Ich habe eine Lampe. I see the lamp. I have a lamp. Neut. Ich sehe das Fenster. Ich habe ein Fenster. I see the window. I have a window. Plural Ich sehe die Bücher. Ich habe keine Bücher. I see the books. I have no books. The nouns above are all in the accusative case because they are direct objects.

To summarise in a few words: Nominative case is used: - for the subjects of sentences  - after any form of the verb “to be”  Accusative case is used:    - for direct objects (the thing being hit, being read, being had) - after accusative prepositions

Table Summary: der ein die eine das keine den einen dem einem einer Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural Nominative der ein die eine das keine Accusative den einen Dative dem einem einer keinen

Some more examples: Ich schlage meinen Bruder. I hit my brother. Ich frage den Lehrer. I am asking the (male) teacher. Meine Mutter liebt mich. My mum loves me.

Remember: pronouns change in the accusative case too! Nominative Accusative ich I mich me du you dich you er he, it ihn him, it sie she, it sie her, it es it wir we uns us ihr you (plural) euch you (plural) sie they sie them Sie you (formal)

Und jetzt ihr! (and now you!) Circle all nouns in the nominative, and underline all nouns in the accusative. 1. I meet them on Tuesday. 2. He plays the piano. 3. They invited me. 4. Run Lola Run is a German movie. 5. Paul hit the ball. 6. I am sleeping. 7. Martin and Petra like books. 8. Is that a Mercedes? 9. Have you seen a Shakespeare play? 10. Donald owns a hotel and a car. them Und jetzt ihr! (and now you!)

1. I meet them on Tuesday. 2. He plays the piano. 3. They invited me. 4. Run Lola Run is a German movie. 5. Paul hit the ball. 6. I am sleeping. 7. Martin and Petra like books. 8. Is that a Mercedes? 9. Have you seen a Shakespeare play? 10. Donald owns a hotel and a car.

Er Buch Ich Kaffee Martin CDs Peter Stift Cola & Bier Now practice identifying subjects and objects in these German sentences. 1. Er hat ein Buch. Subjekt = ________ Objekt = _______ 2. Ich trinke Kaffee. Subjekt = ________ Objekt = _______ 3. Martin kauft CDs. Subjekt = ________ Objekt = _______ 4. Peter hat den Stift. Subjekt = ________ Objekt = _______ 5. Herr Schmidt trinkt eine Cola und ein Bier. Subjekt = ________ Objekt = _______ 6. Unsere Großeltern sprechen Deutsch. Er Buch Ich Kaffee Martin CDs Peter Stift Cola & Bier Herr Schmidt Deutsch Großeltern

Remember: a direct object is having something done to it. Firstly, use a dictionary to find out the case of these nouns. Put a m, f or nt in the brackets at the end of each sentence. Then, fill in the appropriate forms of the, a, my & no/not any (you choose which word to use). Translate each sentence into English. Remember: a direct object is having something done to it. Eg: Ich habe einen Apfel. (m) I have an apple. Wir kaufen _________ Wagen. (_____) Ich nehme _________ Zeitung. (_____) Wir sehen _________ Hund. (_____) Wir besuchen _________ Mann. (_____) Du brauchst _________ Buch. (_____) Ich lese _________ Uhr. (_____) Sie treffen _________ Freundin. (_____) Jane bekommt _________ Brief. (_____) Ich fahre _________ Motorrad. (_____) Bob hat _________ Auto. (_____) einen m

Antworten Wir kaufen einen Wagen. (m) We buy a car. Ich nehme eine Zeitung. (f) Wir sehen einen Hund. (m) Wir besuchen einen Mann. (m) Du brauchst ein Buch. (nt) Ich lese eine Uhr. (f) Sie treffen eine Freundin. (f) Jane bekommt einen Brief. (m) Ich fahre einen Motorrad. (m) Bob hat ein Auto. (nt) We buy a car. I take a newspaper. We see a dog. We visit a man. You need a book. I read a clock. They meet a (female) friend. Jane receives a letter. I drive a motorbike. Bob has a car.