Beginner Lesson S2 #24 and Declensions

[bootheryan]

I’m just having a hard time wrapping my brain around a couple of things that have to do with this lesson. One is “…an unserem neuen Projekt.â€

[vmacdougal]

The dative article is always einem (and therefore unserem) for masculine and neuter nouns. It is einer for feminine nouns, and einen for plural.

Ich kaufe meinem Vater ein Geschenk. (masculine dative)
Ich kaufe meiner Mutter ein Geschenk. (feminine dative)
Ich kaufe meinem Kind ein Geschenk. (neuter dative)
Ich kaufe keinen Kinder Geschenke. (plural dative)

But if you have another adjective after the dative article, it always takes the -en ending.

Ich kaufe meinem alten Vater ein Geschenk. (masculine dative)
Ich kaufe meiner schönen Mutter ein Geschenk. (feminine dative)
Ich kaufe meinem niedlichen Kind ein Geschenk. (neuter dative)
Ich kaufe keinen schrecklichen Kinder Geschenke. (plural dative)

That's why you get an unserem neuen Projeckt. Hope this helps!

[bootheryan]

vmacdougal: I had never learned that before but it makes a lot of sense. Thanks a lot for the clarification.

Now if someone could just tell me why "Tage" became "Tagen" in "Seit ein paar Tagen laufen Marktstudien" I'll be all set.

[katzenfloh]

Now if someone could just tell me why "Tage" became "Tagen" in "Seit ein paar Tagen laufen Marktstudien"

That's easier as it looks like: "Tagen" is dativ (plural, indefinite). Did you notice the preposition "seit" ? You must always use "seit" with dativ. That's all.

maybe helpful: the declination plural of "der Tag"
(die) Tage - (der) Tage - (den) Tagen - (die) Tage

[bootheryan]

katzenfloh: Thanks a million. Again, I had never been taught that "seit" is a trigger for the dative. You guys are great!

[vmacdougal]

Prepositions that always use the dative:
aus, außer, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu

Prepositions that always use the accusative:
durch, für, gegen, ohne, um

[bootheryan]

Thanks for the lists. You guys have been really helpful. I wonder if you wouldn't mind telling me, since "seit" triggers the dative, why I don't say, "Seit einem paar Tagen laufen Markstudien."?

[Salivia_Baker]

Prepositions that always use the dative:
aus, außer, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu

Prepositions that always use the accusative:
durch, für, gegen, ohne, um

I remember we had to learn that in school. Only it was aus, bei, mit, nach, von, zu and no außer or seit

[katzenfloh]

why I don't say, "Seit einem paar Tagen laufen Markstudien.

"ein" and "paar" belong together and "ein paar" is unchangeable. That phrase is a little special: You use it like an adjective but must not decline.

In this sentence "Tagen" is indefinite plural and has no article. "ein" and "Tagen" don't belong together or would you say "one days" in English? You can cut out "ein paar" and keep the same grammatical basic structure but you get a different meaning: "Seit (ein paar) Tagen laufen Marktstudien." ("seit Tagen" = for days) I think that's very similar to English, isn't it?

@Salivia

I had to learn this mnemonic rhyme in school: "mit, nach, von, seit, aus, zu, bei
fordern stets Fall Nummer Drei"

[Salivia_Baker]

@Salivia

I had to learn this mnemonic rhyme in school: "mit, nach, von, seit, aus, zu, bei
fordern stets Fall Nummer Drei"

that's a good Eselsbrücke.
I have to remember that.. Thank you