Breakdown of Mein Bruder macht selten Sport.
machen
to make, to do
mein
my
der Bruder
the brother
selten
rarely / rare
der Sport
the sports
Questions & Answers about Mein Bruder macht selten Sport.
Why does selten come right after the verb?
In German, adverbs of frequency (like selten, oft, or immer) usually come right after the conjugated verb. In this sentence, it steps directly behind the verb macht.
Where does selten fit in with the other frequency adverbs?
Selten means "rarely" or "seldom". On the frequency scale you are learning, it sits right between manchmal (sometimes) and nie (never).
Why do we say macht Sport instead of "spielt Sport"?
In English you might "play sports", but in German, the standard phrase is Sport machen (literally "to make sport"). You only use spielen (to play) for specific games, like Tennis spielen (to play tennis).
Why is the first word Mein and not Meine?
Bruder (brother) is a masculine noun, and he is the subject of this sentence. For masculine subjects, the word for "my" is Mein. You would use Meine for feminine nouns, like Meine Schwester (my sister).
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