Breakdown of Mein Familienname ist lang.
sein
to be
mein
my
lang
long
der Familienname
the surname, the family name
Questions & Answers about Mein Familienname ist lang.
Why is it just lang and not langer, since Familienname is a masculine noun?
In German, adjectives only get special endings when they come directly before the noun they describe (like ein langer Name). When the adjective comes after a verb like ist, it acts as a predicate and stays in its basic dictionary form.
How do I know the gender of a combined word like Familienname?
The gender of a German compound noun is always determined by its very last part. Here, the last part is der Name (the name), which is masculine. Because the whole word becomes masculine, we use the masculine possessive Mein instead of the feminine Meine.
Why is there an extra n in the middle of Familienname?
When combining words to make a compound noun (like Familie and Name), German often inserts a linking letter to make the new word easier to pronounce. Here, an n is added to connect the two words smoothly.
Are Familienname and Nachname exactly the same thing?
Yes, they mean the same thing and are used interchangeably. Nachname literally means 'after-name' (last name), while Familienname translates directly to 'family name'. You will hear both and see both on official forms.
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