Breakdown of Das Kind trägt eine Mütze und dicke Stiefel auf dem zugefrorenen See.
ein
a, an (eine)
das Kind
the child
und
and
tragen
to carry, to wear
auf
on / to (down/up to a level)
dick
thick / fat
der See
the lake
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
zufrieren
to freeze over
die Mütze
the beanie
der Stiefel
the boot
Questions & Answers about Das Kind trägt eine Mütze und dicke Stiefel auf dem zugefrorenen See.
How is zugefrorenen formed, and why is it used before a noun here?
It is the past participle (Partizip II) of the verb zufrieren (to freeze over). In German, past participles can be placed directly before a noun to describe a completed state, functioning exactly like a normal adjective. Here, it describes the lake's state as being completely frozen.
Why does zugefrorenen have an -en ending?
Because it is acting as an adjective, it must follow adjective declension rules. The preposition auf is followed by the dative article dem here. Whenever an adjective follows a dative definite article like dem, it takes the weak ending -en.
I recognize frieren (to freeze). What does the prefix zu- change in zufrieren?
The separable prefix zu- often carries the idea of closing or sealing something shut. While frieren means to be cold or to freeze generally, zufrieren specifically means a body of water has frozen over, creating a solid, closed surface of ice.
Why do we use the dative auf dem See instead of the accusative auf den See?
The two-way preposition auf takes the accusative only if the action involves moving towards a new destination (answering to where?). Since the entire action of wearing the winter clothes is happening within one location (answering where?), we use the dative case.
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