Breakdown of In der neuen Stadt fühlt er sich sehr einsam.
sehr
very
in
in
neu
new
die Stadt
the city
sich fühlen
to feel (a certain way)
einsam
lonely
Questions & Answers about In der neuen Stadt fühlt er sich sehr einsam.
Why does the adjective neu end in -en here (in der neuen Stadt)?
The phrase uses the dative case because the two-way preposition in is describing a static location (answering "where?"). Stadt is a feminine noun, so its dative article is der. Whenever you use a definite article in any dative phrase, the adjective following it takes the weak ending -en.
Why is the reflexive pronoun sich necessary here? Can't I just say er fühlt sehr einsam?
In German, when you describe your own physical or emotional state, you must use the reflexive verb sich fühlen. If you use fühlen without a reflexive pronoun, it generally means to physically feel or touch an external object (for example, feeling the texture of a fabric).
Why is the word order fühlt er sich rather than fühlt sich er?
Because the sentence starts with the location (In der neuen Stadt), the verb fühlt is forced into the second position. The subject and reflexive pronoun must follow the verb. Since the subject er is a personal pronoun, it gets priority and must sit right next to the verb, pushing sich to the next available spot.
Could I use allein instead of einsam in this sentence?
It would change the meaning. Einsam describes the negative emotional feeling of being "lonely." Allein simply describes the objective, physical state of being "alone" (by yourself). Since the sentence is specifically about his emotional state (fühlen), einsam is the more natural choice.
Learn In der neuen Stadt fühlt er sich sehr einsam 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