Breakdown of Ich verteidige meinen Schützling.
ich
I
mein
my
verteidigen
to defend
der Schützling
the protégé
Questions & Answers about Ich verteidige meinen Schützling.
How can I guess the gender of Schützling without looking it up?
Nouns ending in the suffix -ling are predictably masculine. Because it is the direct object of this sentence, it takes the masculine accusative ending, resulting in meinen Schützling.
What is the plural of Schützling?
How is the word Schützling built?
It comes from the noun der Schutz (protection) or the verb schützen (to protect). The suffix -ling is often used to describe a person characterized by a specific action or trait, making a Schützling someone who is under protection.
Why does the root word Schutz get an umlaut in Schützling?
When the suffix -ling is added to a root word containing an a, o, or u, that vowel usually shifts to an umlaut (ä, ö, or ü). You can see this same pattern in der Flüchtling (refugee) which comes from die Flucht (escape).
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