Breakdown of Das Becken ist lang und die Länge bestimmt den Filter und die Strömung.
sein
to be
und
and
lang
long
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
bestimmen
to determine, to decide
das Becken
the tank
die Länge
the length
der Filter
the filter
die Strömung
the current
Questions & Answers about Das Becken ist lang und die Länge bestimmt den Filter und die Strömung.
How does the adjective lang change into the noun die Länge here?
To create an abstract noun from a short adjective, German often adds the suffix -e and applies an umlaut to the stem vowel (a, o, and u become ä, ö, and ü). Here, lang (long) becomes die Länge (the length). All nouns formed this way are feminine.
Does Becken always mean tank?
No, Becken broadly refers to a basin or bowl-shaped structure. Depending on the context, it can mean a swimming pool (Schwimmbecken), a washbasin (Waschbecken), the anatomical pelvis, or, as in this sentence's context about filters and currents, an aquarium tank.
Why is it den Filter instead of der Filter?
The phrase den Filter und die Strömung acts as the direct object of the verb bestimmt (determines), so it must be in the accusative case. Because Filter is a masculine noun (der Filter), the definite article changes to den in the accusative.
How do we know the gender of Strömung?
Strömung (current or flow) is created by adding the suffix -ung to the stem of the verb strömen (to flow). Every German noun ending in -ung is feminine, so it takes the article die in both the nominative and accusative cases.
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