Breakdown of Sie verkauft ein altes Regal und wir kaufen ein neues Bett.
ein
a, an (eine)
sie
she
und
and
kaufen
to buy
wir
we
alt
old
neu
new
das Bett
the bed
verkaufen
to sell
das Regal
the shelf
Questions & Answers about Sie verkauft ein altes Regal und wir kaufen ein neues Bett.
Why do the adjectives get an "-es" ending (altes, neues)?
Both Regal (shelf) and Bett (bed) are neuter nouns (das Regal, das Bett). In this sentence, they are the direct objects, which puts them in the accusative case. When a neuter noun in the accusative follows the indefinite article ein, its adjective takes an -es ending.
If these nouns are in the accusative case, why is the article just ein and not einen?
The article only changes to einen for masculine nouns. Because Regal and Bett are neuter, the indefinite article ein looks exactly the same in the accusative case as it does in the nominative (subject) case. The adjective's -es ending is what steps up to show the neuter gender!
Is there an easy way to remember the difference between kaufen and verkaufen?
Yes! kaufen means "to buy". Adding the prefix ver- completely flips the meaning to "to sell" (verkaufen). You will see this ver- prefix flip meanings for other verbs too, like mieten (to rent) and vermieten (to rent out).
Could Sie verkauft also mean "They sell" or "You sell"?
No, and the verb ending is the clue! The verb is conjugated as verkauft (with a -t ending), which tells us that Sie must mean "she". If it meant "they" or the formal "you", the verb would keep the -en ending: Sie verkaufen.
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