Log inSign up

Ich kann laut singen, aber mein Bruder singt lieber leise.

Ich kann laut singen, aber mein Bruder singt lieber leise.
(I can sing loudly, but my brother prefers to sing quietly.)
FromLesson 3inHardcore German
…
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do German cases work?”
German has four grammatical cases: nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object), and genitive (possession). The case determines the form of articles and adjectives. For example, "the dog" is "der Hund" as a subject but "den Hund" as a direct object.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning German

Master German — from Ich kann laut singen, aber mein Bruder singt lieber leise to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning German freeBrowse the full course

More from this lesson

das Wetternassdarumkönnenderdie ArbeitDas Wetter ist heute sehr nass, darum kann ich nicht zur Arbeit gehen.müssen

Questions & Answers about Ich kann laut singen, aber mein Bruder singt lieber leise.

Why is laut used in this sentence, and is it an adjective or an adverb?
In German, laut can function both as an adjective (meaning loud when describing a noun) or as an adverb (meaning loudly when describing how someone does something). In Ich kann laut singen, it describes the manner in which you sing, so it’s an adverb here.
How does lieber work in this sentence, and what does it mean?
Lieber is a comparative form of gern (meaning gladly or with pleasure). It indicates a preference, so singen lieber means prefer to sing. In mein Bruder singt lieber leise, it implies he prefers singing quietly rather than loudly.
When should I use aber versus sondern?
Aber is a general conjunction that means but and can contrast two statements. Sondern is used when directly contradicting something negative stated beforehand. Since the original sentence contrasts Ich kann laut singen with mein Bruder singt lieber leise without contradicting a previous negative, aber is the correct choice here.
Is leise an adjective or an adverb in this sentence?
Just like laut, leise can serve as both. Here it describes how your brother sings. So in er singt leise, it’s functioning adverbially, meaning quietly.
Why is kann used instead of können?
Können is the infinitive (to be able to). In German, you conjugate the modal verb based on the subject. Ich requires kann, du requires kannst, and so on. So Ich kann is I can, while wir können would be we can.