Breakdown of Die Schärfe vom Glas ist gefährlich für die Fische.
sein
to be
der Fisch
the fish
vom
from the (von + dem) / of the (belonging to) / by the (agent in a passive clause)
für
for
das Glas
the glass
gefährlich
dangerous
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
die Schärfe
the sharpness
Questions & Answers about Die Schärfe vom Glas ist gefährlich für die Fische.
How is the noun Schärfe formed from the adjective for "sharp"?
The adjective for "sharp" is scharf. To create the abstract noun for "sharpness", German adds the suffix -e and puts an umlaut on the core vowel (changing a to ä), resulting in Schärfe. Nouns formed this way are always feminine, which is why it uses the article die.
Could I use the genitive case here instead of vom Glas?
Yes, you could say die Schärfe des Glases. Using vom (a contraction of von dem followed by the dative case) to express possession or "of the" is a very common alternative to the genitive. It sounds a bit more conversational and everyday, while the genitive sounds slightly more formal.
Why does für die Fische use the accusative case instead of the dative?
The preposition für is a strict "accusative-only" preposition, meaning it never takes the dative case. Since Fische is plural, the accusative plural definite article is simply die.
Does Schärfe also mean "spiciness" when talking about food?
Exactly! Just like the adjective scharf can mean "sharp" (like broken glass) or "spicy" (like a chili pepper), the noun Schärfe covers both physical sharpness and the heat of a spicy dish. It can also refer to the sharpness or focus of a photograph.
Learn Die Schärfe vom Glas ist gefährlich für die Fische 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