Breakdown of Der Kapitän fährt das Schiff die Küste entlang.
fahren
to drive, to travel
das Schiff
the ship
die Küste
the coast
entlang
along
der Kapitän
the captain
Questions & Answers about Der Kapitän fährt das Schiff die Küste entlang.
Why is entlang at the very end of the sentence?
In German, the word entlang (along) is a special preposition. When you use it to describe moving along a route, it is placed exactly after the noun it refers to. That is why it comes right after die Küste rather than before it.
Why is die Küste in the accusative case here?
When entlang is placed after a noun to show a path or direction, it forces that noun into the accusative case. Because Küste is feminine, its accusative article remains die.
The translation says 'sailing', but doesn't fahren mean 'to drive'?
Yes, fahren is most commonly used for driving a car, but its broader meaning is to travel in or operate a vehicle. For a ship (das Schiff), fahren is the standard verb for navigating or steering it. The verb segeln exists too, but it specifically means sailing with wind and sails.
Are both das Schiff and die Küste in the accusative case?
Yes, they are! The phrase das Schiff is the direct object (the thing being steered), so it takes the accusative. The phrase die Küste is also in the accusative case because it is governed by the preposition entlang.
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