Breakdown of Brauchen wir einen Kompass? Ich bringe einen mit.
ich
I
ein
a, an (eine)
wir
we
brauchen
to need
mitbringen
to bring along
einer
one (sister forms: eins, eine)
der Kompass
the compass
Questions & Answers about Brauchen wir einen Kompass? Ich bringe einen mit.
Why does the second sentence use einen for 'one'? Shouldn't it be eins or einer?
Here, einen is an indefinite pronoun replacing the noun Kompass. Because Kompass is masculine (der Kompass) and is the direct object (accusative case) of what you are bringing, the pronoun needs the masculine accusative ending -en. If it were the subject of the sentence, it would be einer.
If we were talking about a neuter word like ein Zelt (a tent) instead of a compass, how would the second sentence change?
It would be Ich bringe eins mit. When replacing a neuter noun in the accusative case, the pronoun is eins. If it were a feminine noun like eine Landkarte (a map), it would be Ich bringe eine mit.
Why is mit sitting all by itself at the end of the sentence?
It is the prefix of the separable verb mitbringen (to bring along). In a standard German main clause, the conjugated part of the verb (bringe) takes the second position, and the separable prefix (mit) is kicked to the very end of the sentence.
Why is it einen Kompass in the first question rather than ein Kompass?
The verb brauchen (to need) takes a direct object, which means the noun must be in the accusative case. Since Kompass is a masculine noun, the indefinite article ein changes to the accusative form einen.
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