Question 1

Why is the plural of Säugling formed with just an -e (die Säuglinge)?

Accepted Answer

Nouns ending in the suffix -ling are predictably masculine (like der Säugling). They also follow a very reliable plural rule: you simply add an -e to the end, never an extra umlaut or an -en. So, der Säugling becomes die Säuglinge.

Question 2

How does the suffix -ling affect the meaning of Säugling?

Accepted Answer

The suffix -ling is often attached to verb stems or adjectives to describe a person characterized by that action or trait. Here, it is combined with a modified stem of the verb saugen (to suck, to nurse). Literally, a Säugling is a "nursing one," which translates to an infant or baby.

Question 3

Both Erwachsenen and Säuglinge are plural direct objects here. Why do they have different endings?

Accepted Answer

While Säugling is a standard noun with a fixed plural ending, Erwachsene is a nominalized adjective (an adjective acting as a noun). Because of this, it still follows adjective declension rules. After the definite plural article die, the required adjective ending is -en, giving us die Erwachsenen.

Question 4

How do we use nicht nur ... sondern auch in a sentence like this?

Accepted Answer

This is a two-part coordinating conjunction meaning "not only ... but also." In this sentence, it directly connects the two accusative objects (die Erwachsenen and die Säuglinge) without changing the overall word order. The modal verb müssen stays in the second position, and the main verb retten is pushed to the very end of the sentence.

Wir müssen nicht nur die Erwachsenen, sondern auch die Säuglinge retten.

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