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Für die Außerirdischen sind wir nur Winzlinge.

Für die Außerirdischen sind wir nur Winzlinge.
To the aliens, we are only tiny creatures.
From Lesson 467:Nouns ending in -ling (-ling)·German

Breakdown of Für die Außerirdischen sind wir nur Winzlinge.

sein
to be
wir
we
für
for
nur
only
der Außerirdische
the alien
der Winzling
the tiny creature

Questions & Answers about Für die Außerirdischen sind wir nur Winzlinge.

How does the suffix -ling dictate the gender and plural of Winzlinge?
The suffix -ling automatically makes the noun masculine in the singular (der Winzling). For the plural, these nouns always follow a regular pattern by just adding -e, which gives us die Winzlinge.
How is the noun Winzling formed?
It is built from the adjective winzig (tiny) and the suffix -ling. This suffix is commonly attached to adjectives or verb stems to create a masculine noun for a person or creature that embodies that trait, similar to der Feigling (coward) from feige (cowardly).
Why does Außerirdischen end in -en in this sentence?
Außerirdisch is an adjectival noun, meaning it is an adjective acting as a noun. Because it is in the plural and follows the definite plural article die, it takes the standard weak adjective ending -en.
Why does the verb sind come before the subject wir?
The prepositional phrase Für die Außerirdischen takes up the first position in the sentence. Because German strictly requires the conjugated verb in the second position, sind comes next, pushing the subject wir to the third position.

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