Breakdown of Dieses Gebäude erfüllt keinen Zweck.
kein
no, not any
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
das Gebäude
the building
erfüllen
to fulfill
der Zweck
the purpose
Questions & Answers about Dieses Gebäude erfüllt keinen Zweck.
How does the noun Zweck relate to our current lesson on the suffixes -haft and -mäßig?
You can add the suffix -mäßig to der Zweck to create the common adjective zweckmäßig. This means functional, practical, or expedient (literally: in accordance with its purpose). You could express a similar idea to this sentence by saying the building is nicht zweckmäßig.
The English translation says the building 'serves' no purpose. Why does the German use erfüllt instead of dient?
The phrase einen Zweck erfüllen is a fixed collocation in German, translating literally to 'to fulfill a purpose.' You can actually use the verb dienen (to serve), but it requires a dative object. If you used dienen, the sentence would have to be: Dieses Gebäude dient keinem Zweck.
Why is it keinen Zweck rather than kein Zweck?
Zweck is a masculine noun (der Zweck). Since it is the direct object of the verb erfüllen in this sentence, it takes the accusative case. The accusative ending for a masculine negative article is -en, giving us keinen Zweck.
What is the difference between der Zweck and das Ziel? Could I use Ziel here?
You wouldn't use Ziel here. Der Zweck refers to the utility, function, or intended reason for something to exist, which fits an inanimate object like a building perfectly. Das Ziel refers to a destination, target, or a goal that someone actively strives to reach.
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