Question 1

Does Apparat only mean a scientific "apparatus" in German?

Accepted Answer

While it often means a scientific or technical "apparatus" or "machine," der Apparat is also widely used to refer to household appliances, gadgets, or historically a telephone (as in the phrase am Apparat, meaning "on the phone").

Question 2

Why do we use the genitive case des Professors here instead of vom Professor?

Accepted Answer

Des Professors is standard written German for expressing possession ("the professor's"). In everyday spoken German, you will often hear the dative alternative vom Professor, but by the B2 level, you are expected to comfortably use this genitive construction in writing.

Question 3

Could I put the possessor before the noun, like des Professors Apparat?

Accepted Answer

You might see that in old literature, but in modern German, a regular noun in the genitive almost always goes directly after the noun it possesses. The main exception is proper names with no article, which go before the noun (like Marias Apparat).

Question 4

How would we apply this lesson's topic to say "We most likely saw the professor's apparatus" using dürfen?

Accepted Answer

You would use the Konjunktiv II form dürften in the second position, and put the past infinitive at the end: Wir dürften den Apparat des Professors gesehen haben. This subjective use of dürfen expresses a very strong assumption or high probability.

Wir haben den Apparat des Professors gesehen.

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