Breakdown of Die hochmütige Frau begehrt nichts anderes als das Gold.
die Frau
the woman
das Gold
the gold
hochmütig
haughty
nichts anderes als
nothing but
begehren
to desire
Questions & Answers about Die hochmütige Frau begehrt nichts anderes als das Gold.
Why does anderes have an "-es" ending in this phrase?
After indefinite pronouns like nichts (nothing) or etwas (something), the following adjective acts like a neuter noun and takes a strong ending. That gives us the -es in anderes.
Does the phrase have to include anderes, or can I just say nichts als?
You can absolutely say nichts als das Gold. Adding anderes (literally "nothing else than") just makes the sentence more emphatic, stressing that she cares about absolutely no other alternative.
What case is das Gold taking after als?
It takes the accusative case. The word als acts as a linking bridge that copies the case of whatever is being compared. Since she desires nichts (the direct object, making it accusative), das Gold mirrors that and is also accusative.
Why is the article das used before Gold here? We wouldn't usually say "the gold" in English.
In German, abstract nouns and materials (like Gold, Silber, or Geduld) often take the definite article when they are meant in an absolute or highly conceptual sense. Here, it emphasizes that gold is the ultimate overarching concept she craves.
Learn Die hochmütige Frau begehrt nichts anderes als das Gold and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free