Archive for June, 2009

German Horoscopes

Posted on June 27th, 2009 in 102 | No Comments »

Hopefully you’ll all have fun with this exercise. Today’s post will be about a German (Deutsche) Horoscope (Horoskope). Try and see if you can understand everything. Obviously this is just made up, so don’t take it too seriously if your sign is less than what you desired.

Steinbock (22. Dezember – 19. Januar) : Der Steinbock ist loyal und wohltätig. Sie sind die Humanisten. Menschen die in diesem Zeichen geboren sind, sind sowohl ehrgeizig als auch diszipliniert.

Wassermann (20. Januar – 18. Februar) : Sie sind rebelliöse Menschen denn sie haben kein starres Lebenskonzept.

Fische (19. Februar -20. März) : Sie sind individualistisch. Die Kombination ihres organisatorischen Talents und ihrem Fleißiläßt sie ihre Ziele erreichen.

Widder (21. März – 19. April) : Sie sind unabhängig. Sie sind kritisch mit Menschen die nicht so ehrgeizig sind wie sie.

Stier (20. April – 20. Mai) : Stiere können sehr indirekt und zerstreut sein. Sie sind extrem höflich da sie wissen daß man im Leben nicht weiterkommt wenn man sich Feinde schafft.

Zwillinge (21. Mai – 21. Juni) : Sie sind diplomatisch und freundlich. Sie amüsieren gerne und flirten gerne aber sind sie kontrolliert und rational.

If you all want to, you can post the English translations in the comments section. For now this is all I have. I’ll post the rest of the horoscope later.

Post from: German Blog

 

Answers to the Plurals Exercise

Posted on June 24th, 2009 in 106 | No Comments »

der Ingenieur = engineer. Answer: die Ingenieure = engineers

der Diamant = diamond. Answer: die Diamanten = diamonds

der Schuh = shoe. Answer: die Schuhe (shoes)

der Millionär = millionaire. Answer: die Millionäre (millionaires)

der Koffer = suitcase. Answer: die Koffer (suitcases)

der Apfel = apple. Answer: die Äpfel (apples)

das Kleid = dress. Answer: die Kleider (dresses)

der Wald = forest. Answer: die Wälder (forests)

der Park = park. Answer: die Parks (parks)

der Mythos = myth. Answer: die Mythen (Myths)

das Tempus = tense. Answer: die Tempora (tenses)

die Firma = firm. Answer: die Firmen (firms)

die Bank = bench. Answer: die Bänke (benches)

die Bank = bank. Answer: die Banken (banks)

die Regelmäßigkeit = regularity. Answer: die Regelmäßigkeiten (regularities)

die Durchsage = announcement. Answer: die Durchsagen (announcements)

die Klinik = clinic. Answer: die Kliniken (clinics)

Post from: German Blog

 

A hectic holiday to Malaysia

Posted on June 20th, 2009 in 134 | No Comments »

Have been back to Malaysia for three days now. Strangely this time I’m not feeling quite as hot as what I used to want to believe. Although it is still very hot, about 34 degree Celcius! I think I’m trying to condition myself to learn how to adapt back to the hot and humid weather, [...]

Quiz Time!

Posted on June 20th, 2009 in 110 | No Comments »

I’ll provide the singular endings, you provide the plural endings.

der Ingenieur = engineer

der Diamant = diamond

der Schuh = shoe

der Millionär = millionaire

der Koffer = suitcase

der Apfel = apple

das Kleid = dress

der Wald = forest

der Park = park

der Mythos = myth

das Tempus = tense

die Firma = firm

die Bank = bench

die Bank = bank

die Regelmäßigkeit = regularity

die Durchsage = announcement

die Klinik = clinic

 

Post from: German Blog

 

Plural Endings Continued

Posted on June 18th, 2009 in 114 | No Comments »

For some neuter nouns the plural endings…

end in -e : das Jahr (s) = die Jahre (p). Meaning = year/years

end in -er : das Kind (s) = die Kinder (p). Meaning = child/children

end in an umlaut + er : das Glas (s) = die Gläser (p). Meaning = glass/glasses

end in -en : das Auge (s) = die Augen (p). Meaning = eye/eyes

have no change in the plural : das Mädchen (s) = die Mädchen (p). Meaning= girl

Some English adopted words will end in -s in the plural : die Party (s) = die Partys. Meaning = party/parties

Some nouns that end in -us or -um may end in -en : das Museum (s) = die Museen (p). Meaning = museum/museums

Nouns ending in -ma may end in -men in the plural : das Thema (s) = die Themen (p). Meaning = topic/topics or subject/subjects

There are certain nouns that are only used in the plural : Leute (people)

Post from: German Blog

 

Plural Forms

Posted on June 15th, 2009 in 118 | No Comments »

The plural endings for masculine nouns can take on various endings in the plural form. (s) = singular. (p) = plural. (d) = definition.

Some nouns end in -e : der Arm (s) = die Arme (p). (d) = arm/arms

Some end in -en : der Junge (s) = die Jungen (p). (d) = boy/boys

Some end in an umlaut + e in the plural form : der Ball (s) = die Bälle (p). (d) = ball/balls

Umlaut + -er ending : der Mann (s) = die Männer (p). (d) = man/men

Some end in only an umlaut : der Vater (s) = die Väter (p). (d) = father/fathers

Some have no change in the ending : der Spiegel (s) = die Spiegel (p). (d) = mirror/mirrors

And now the plural ending for feminine nouns:

Can end in -en : die Zeitung (s) = die Zeitungen (p). (d) = newspaper/newspapers

Can end in -nen in the plural (especially for nouns ending in -in) : die Amerikanerin (s) = die Amerikanerinnen (p). (d) = American (woman)/Americans (women)

Can end in umlaut + -e : die Nacht (s) = die Nächte (p). (d) = night/nights

Can end in just an umalut in the plural : die Mutter (s) = die Mütter. (d) = mother/mothers

 

Post from: German Blog

 

When to use Articles

Posted on June 11th, 2009 in 122 | No Comments »

German and English use the articles in similar ways, however there are some exceptions. Just because you see a noun doesn’t mean you should always attach an article in front of it.

In German, it’s common to see articles used after a preposition (die Präposition) : in der Nacht (at night)

With parts of the body : die Augen (eye)

With  an institution (die Anstalt) or organization (die Organisation) : die Schule (school)

With clothing (die Bekleidung) : das Hemd (shirt)

Measurements : das Kilo (kilo)

Name of a country (die Heimat) : die USA (USA)

Month (der Monat) : der Juni (June)

Seasons : der Sommer (summer)

Famous people or historical figures : die dietrich ([Marlene] Dietrich)

Streets : die Beethovenallee (Beethovan Street)

General/vague/abstract nouns : das Leben (life)

Fixed expressions : in der Tat (in fact)

*Articles in German are not used with instruments : Er spielt Piano (he plays piano)

Also not used with professions and nationalities after the verbs sein, werden and bleibenEr ist Doktor (he’s a doctor)

Post from: German Blog

 

Aegon Championships at the Queen’s Club

Posted on June 9th, 2009 in 138 | No Comments »

Took a day off to the Queen’s Club in London to watch the Aegon Championships today. It used to be called Stella Artois Championships. Anyway it was the first time I went to the Queen’s Club in West Kensington. The venue is much smaller than Wimbledon. But I think there are more ground courts sitting [...]

Growing sunflowers

Posted on June 5th, 2009 in 142 | No Comments »

It’s been quite a hectic month. Travelled with my family, in a group of 7, to Scandinavia and Poland. Travelling up and down London for work, and meeting up with friends as well…
So am really looking forward to this weekend, to indulge myself a bit of “relaxation” It’s spring time and I’ve just planted [...]