Notes to remember German Grammar When using IS, when you say something ISO something, when x is y, it is always nominative. Form of "to be" (sein) is nominative. Subject of sentence is always nominative. Nouns always need articles except when it is a general idea. Nominative: subject always nom "Der Hund Läuft". Nouns that don't do anything except refer to the subject of the sentence "Der Hund ist ein Schäferhund". Nouns of address "Meine Damen und Herren!" Dative: men, people, humans, species, location, no movement and specific dative prepositions. Something can react. Wo. Akkusative: something cannot react (includes greetings, observations, stalking). Movement. Specific akk prepositions. Wohin. The expression "es gibt". Direct objects: ther person or thing is acted upon, known or owned by the subject "Ich sehe den Hund". Mögen/möchten are akkudativ. Rule: time before place Du gehst zu der Schule becomes Du gehst zur Schule Bitte, iss mit dem geschlossenem Mund becomes Bitte, iss mit geschlossenem Mund (geschlossenem absorbs dem). Important: past tense in German is perfekt tense. Consists of AUXILLARY (always Haben or Sein, Sein is used for change of state or movement) and a PARTICIPLE (always at end of sentence and the word usually has a GE beginning, gekommen, geschlossen etc)