Breakdown of Der Zwerg wird plötzlich unser Feind.
unser
our
plötzlich
suddenly
werden
to become / to get (change of state)
der Feind
the enemy
der Zwerg
the dwarf
Questions & Answers about Der Zwerg wird plötzlich unser Feind.
Since this lesson is about using als for roles, why is there no als before unser Feind?
The verb werden (to become) does not use als. Just like in English, you say someone becomes an enemy, not becomes as an enemy. You use als for roles and functions with other verbs, like arbeiten (to work as) or sich verkleiden (to dress up as).
What case is unser Feind, and why?
It is in the nominative case. Verbs like werden (to become), sein (to be), and bleiben (to remain) are linking verbs. They equate the subject to another noun, so both the subject and the predicate noun take the nominative case instead of the accusative.
Why is the possessive article just unser and not unserer or unseren?
Because Feind (enemy) is a masculine noun in the nominative case. For masculine nominative nouns, possessive articles (mein, dein, unser, etc.) take no ending, exactly like the indefinite article ein.
Can I put plötzlich at the beginning of the sentence?
Yes, you can say Plötzlich wird der Zwerg unser Feind. Keep in mind that the conjugated verb (wird) must always stay in the second position, so the subject (der Zwerg) has to move to the third position right after the verb.
Learn Der Zwerg wird plötzlich unser Feind and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free