Breakdown of Ein selbstbestimmtes Leben ist für uns alle wichtig.
sein
to be
ein
a, an (eine)
alle
all, everyone
wichtig
important
uns
us
für
for
das Leben
the life
selbstbestimmt
self-determined
Questions & Answers about Ein selbstbestimmtes Leben ist für uns alle wichtig.
Why does selbstbestimmtes end in -es?
It is an adjective formed from a past participle. Because it modifies the neuter noun das Leben in the nominative case and follows the indefinite article ein (which has no ending here), it takes the strong neuter ending -es.
How could we use the absolute comparative (this lesson's topic) to say "a rather self-determined life" here?
You would change the adjective to ein selbstbestimmteres Leben. In German, using the comparative form without a direct comparison (the absolute comparative) softens the meaning to "fairly", "somewhat", or "rather". You simply add the comparative -er- before the neuter adjective ending -es.
Why is it für uns alle and not für uns allen?
The preposition für strictly requires the accusative case. The pronoun uns is accusative, and alle just tags along in the exact same case. The accusative plural form is alle. If you used a dative preposition like von, it would change to von uns allen.
Why doesn't the adjective wichtig have an ending?
Adjectives only take declension endings when they come directly before a noun. Because wichtig comes after the linking verb ist to describe the subject, it acts as a predicate adjective and remains in its uninflected base form.
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