Breakdown of Die Stadt ist groß und schön.
sein
to be
und
and
groß
big / tall
schön
beautiful
die Stadt
the city
Questions & Answers about Die Stadt ist groß und schön.
Why don't the adjectives groß and schön have endings, like große or schöne?
When adjectives come after the verb sein (to be) to describe the subject, they stay in their basic dictionary form. In German, we only add endings when the adjective comes directly in front of the noun, like in die große Stadt (the big city).
What is that strange letter in groß that looks like a capital B?
That is called an Eszett or sharp S. It sounds exactly like the s sound in the English word hiss. German uses it after long vowels, so seeing it tells you that the o in groß is pronounced with a long, drawn-out sound.
How important are the two dots over the o in schön?
They are very important! Those dots are called an Umlaut, and they change both the sound and the meaning of the word. While schön means beautiful, the word schon without the dots is a completely different word that means already.
Is there a rule for why Stadt uses the feminine article die?
There is no simple rule for this specific word, so you just have to memorize that it is die Stadt. As a beginner, it is always best to learn every new German noun together with its article so you naturally remember its gender.
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