Breakdown of Der Preis eines Laptops ist hoch.
sein
to be
ein
a, an (eine)
der Laptop
the laptop
hoch
high
der Preis
the price
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
Questions & Answers about Der Preis eines Laptops ist hoch.
Why is it eines Laptops and not ein Laptop?
This is the genitive case! We use it to show possession or relationship, similar to saying "of a" or using an apostrophe-'s in English. Because Laptop is masculine (or neuter), the indefinite article ein changes to eines in the genitive case.
Wait, does the -s on Laptops mean it's plural?
Not here! While Laptops is also the plural form, in this sentence the -s is a grammatical ending for the genitive case. Masculine and neuter singular nouns usually add an -s or -es in the genitive. Because of the article eines, we know eines Laptops means "of a laptop" (singular), not "of laptops".
Is there another way to say "of a laptop" without using the genitive?
Yes! In everyday spoken German, people often avoid the genitive and use von plus the dative case instead: Der Preis von einem Laptop. However, using the genitive (eines Laptops) is considered more elegant and is standard for written German.
Why doesn't hoch have an ending, like hoher?
Adjectives only get endings when they are placed directly in front of a noun (like in the phrase ein hoher Preis). When an adjective comes after the verb (like ist hoch), it stays in its basic, uninflected form.
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