Breakdown of Die Kinder lieben die großen Bauernhöfe.
das Kind
the child
groß
big / tall
lieben
to love
der Bauernhof
the farm
Questions & Answers about Die Kinder lieben die großen Bauernhöfe.
Why does the adjective großen end in -en here?
This is a perfect example of plural adjective endings! When an adjective describes a plural noun (Bauernhöfe) and comes after a definite plural article (die), it gets an -en ending. This also applies if you use a plural possessive article (like seine großen Bauernhöfe) or a plural negative article (keine großen Bauernhöfe).
How is the plural word Bauernhöfe formed?
Bauernhof is a compound noun made of der Bauer (the farmer) and der Hof (the courtyard/farm). In German compound nouns, the very last word determines the gender and the plural. Because the plural of der Hof is die Höfe, the compound plural becomes die Bauernhöfe.
What case is die großen Bauernhöfe in?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the sentence (the thing being loved by the children). Fortunately, the plural accusative looks exactly the same as the plural nominative (the subject case): the article is die and the adjective ending is -en in both.
Why does großen keep the ß character instead of using a double 's'?
In standard German, the ß (Eszett) is used after long vowel sounds, like the 'o' in groß. A double 's' is only used after short vowel sounds (like the 'a' in das Wasser). Since the 'o' remains a long sound when we add the -en ending, the ß stays.
Learn Die Kinder lieben die großen Bauernhöfe and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free