…
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 GermanMaster German — from Es gibt hier viel Wasser 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
More from this lesson
Questions & Answers about Es gibt hier viel Wasser.
Why does the sentence start with Es gibt rather than another expression?
Es gibt is a fixed German phrase that translates to there is or there are in English. Even though es literally means "it," this is an idiomatic structure, so you should use Es gibt when pointing out the existence of something.
Can I use Es ist here instead of Es gibt?
Not if you want to convey the idea that something exists. Es ist can mean it is, focusing on describing rather than indicating existence. If you’re just saying, There is a lot of water, Es gibt is the correct way.
Why is viel used here instead of viele?
Viel is used with uncountable nouns (like Wasser). Viele is used with countable nouns (e.g., viele Fische for many fish). Since Wasser is uncountable, viel is the correct choice.
Can I change the word order to Hier gibt es viel Wasser?
Yes! German word order is flexible. Hier gibt es viel Wasser is perfectly valid and actually quite common. It puts the emphasis on hier first. Both versions are correct.
How would I emphasize that there is really a lot of water here?
You could use an intensifier such as sehr:
Es gibt hier sehr viel Wasser.
Or, to sound more colloquial, you might say:
Hier gibt es echt viel Wasser!