Questions & Answers about Es sind zehn Grad.
Why does the sentence use sind (are) instead of ist (is)?
In English, we say 'It is ten degrees.' But in German, the verb matches the quantity being talked about. Since ten degrees is a plural amount, German uses the plural verb sind (are). It literally translates to 'It are ten degrees.'
Why doesn't the word Grad have a plural ending?
In German, most masculine and neuter nouns used for measurement or currency don't change their form when they follow a number. So it stays zehn Grad (ten degrees), just like you would say zehn Euro.
How does zehn fit into the compound numbers from this lesson?
zehn is the base number ten. When building compound numbers in the teens, you combine the single digit and zehn into one word, like vierzehn (fourteen). For higher tens, you use -zig, like zwanzig (twenty).
Why is Grad capitalized here?
In German, every noun is capitalized regardless of where it appears in the sentence. Since Grad (degree) is a noun, it must be capitalized.
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