Word
Ein alter Mann verkauft Blumen in der Stadt, und er ist sehr freundlich.
Meaning
(An old man is selling flowers in the city, and he is very friendly.)
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of Ein alter Mann verkauft Blumen in der Stadt, und er ist sehr freundlich.
der Mann
the man
sein
to be
und
and
in
in
Questions & Answers about Ein alter Mann verkauft Blumen in der Stadt, und er ist sehr freundlich.
Why is it alter and not alte before Mann?
In German, when you use an indefinite article (ein) in the nominative case with a masculine noun (Mann), the adjective (alt) takes the ending -er to become alter. This declension pattern is part of the strong adjective endings used after indefinite articles.
Why do we say in der Stadt instead of in die Stadt?
Because in der Stadt implies being located within the city (dative case for location). in die Stadt would describe motion towards the city (accusative case for direction). In the sentence, the man is actually selling flowers in the city, so it’s a location, requiring the dative: in der Stadt.
What does the verb verkauft tell us about the tense?
Verkauft is in the present tense. In German, the simple present tense can express both the English simple present (he sells) and the present progressive (he is selling). So here, ein alter Mann verkauft Blumen can be understood as an old man sells flowers or an old man is selling flowers.
Why is it und er ist sehr freundlich and not something like und er sehr freundlich?