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Komposita — Compound Nouns (zusammengesetzte Nomen)

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📺 Instructional Video

An instructional video explaining this grammar topic with practical examples.

🎯 Lesson Goals

  • Understand how German forms compound nouns and why they are useful
  • Learn the basic rules for building compounds (first part + second part)
  • Recognize common patterns (noun + noun, adjective + noun, verb stem + noun, etc.)
  • Avoid typical mistakes like incorrect linking elements

📚 Core Rules

  1. Basic Structure: A compound noun joins two (or more) words together without a space. The first part modifies the second, giving it a more specific meaning. Example: Wohnzimmer = Wohn (living) + Zimmer (room) → "living room".
  2. Common Types:
  3. Noun + Noun (e.g., Hausaufgabe – house + task → homework)
  4. Adjective + Noun (e.g., schwarz‑Weiß – black‑white → black‑white)
  5. Verb Stem + Noun (e.g., Waschmaschine – wash + machine → washing machine)
  6. Preposition/Prefix + Noun (e.g., Nachmittag – after + noon → afternoon)
  7. Linking Elements: Sometimes a small element is added between parts, such as -er, -ung, -heit, -schaft to help pronunciation and indicate the relationship.

⚠️ Common Error: Writing a space between the parts (e.g., "Haus Aufgabe") is wrong. The correct form is a single word without spaces.

✅ Examples

  • das Wohnzimmer — Wohn (living) + Zimmer (room) → living room
  • die Sonnenblume — Sonne (sun) + Blume (flower) → sunflower
  • der Staubsauger — Staub (dust) + Sauger (sucker) → vacuum cleaner
  • die Kindergärten — Kinder (children) + Gärten (gardens) → kindergartens
🔤 Lektion 13: Selbstständig arbeiten — Working Independently 🔤 Exercises Lektion 13: Selbstständig arbeiten (Working Independently)

📝 Interactive Exercises

✏️ Fill in the blank with the correct word: Write only one word in each field.

# Question Answer
1 What is the compound noun for living + room?
2 What is the compound noun for sun + flower?
3 What is the compound noun for dust + sucker?
4 What is the compound noun for children + gardens?

✏️ Fill in the blank with the correct word: Write only one word in each field.

# Question Answer
1 Build a compound noun from power + vehicle.
2 Create a compound for bike (use the base word Fahrrad as the answer).
3 Form a compound from wash + machine.
4 Combine speed + limit into a German compound noun.