Breakdown of Wie entkernt man einen Granatapfel?
ein
a, an (eine)
wie
how
man
one / you (impersonal)
entkernen
to pit
der Granatapfel
the pomegranate
Questions & Answers about Wie entkernt man einen Granatapfel?
What does the prefix ent- tell us about the verb entkernen?
The inseparable prefix ent- often indicates removing something or reversing an action. Because der Kern means "the seed", "the pit", or "the core", the verb entkernen logically means to remove the seeds or pit.
Why use the pronoun man here instead of du or Sie?
man is an impersonal pronoun meaning "one", "you", or "people in general". It is perfect for general instructions or questions where you aren't asking a specific person, but rather asking "How is this generally done?". Note that it is lowercase and has only one "n", unlike the noun der Mann (the man).
Why is it einen Granatapfel and not just ein Granatapfel?
The pomegranate is the direct object of the sentence—the thing being pitted—so it takes the accusative case. Because the core noun is der Apfel, we know the compound noun der Granatapfel is masculine. This means the article ein must change to einen in the accusative.
Does Granatapfel literally mean "grenade apple"?
Basically, yes! It is a compound noun made from Granat (which relates to garnet or a grenade) and Apfel (apple). Breaking down compound nouns is a great way to memorize German vocabulary. Interestingly, the weapon "grenade" (die Granate) was historically named after the pomegranate because its scattered seeds look like shrapnel.
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