Das Sofa im Wohnzimmer ist sehr bequem.

The sofa in the living room is very comfortable.

Breakdown of Das Sofa im Wohnzimmer ist sehr bequem.

• sein: to be
• in: in
• dem: the
• sehr: very
• das Sofa: the sofa
• das Wohnzimmer: the living room
• bequem: comfortable

Questions & Answers about Das Sofa im Wohnzimmer ist sehr bequem.

Why is im used instead of in dem?

In German, im is simply a contracted form of in dem. It works just like how in English you can contract do not into don’t. So im Wohnzimmer literally comes from in dem Wohnzimmer, meaning in the living room. It’s more common to use im in everyday speech and writing.

What is the gender of Sofa, and why is the article das used?

Sofa is a neuter noun in German, which is why we use the neuter article das before it. Some words in German follow historical patterns or have come to be associated with particular genders, and Sofa is one of those neuter words.

Could I also use the word Couch in this sentence, and would it change anything?

Yes, you can say Die Couch im Wohnzimmer ist sehr bequem. In that case, Couch is typically feminine, so you’d say die Couch instead of das Sofa. The meaning would effectively stay the same: you’re describing a comfortable piece of furniture where you can sit.

Is there a difference between bequem and gemütlich?

Bequem usually emphasizes physical comfort, like how soft or supportive a piece of furniture is. Gemütlich is more about the overall cozy or pleasant atmosphere. When describing a sofa, both bequem and gemütlich can apply, but bequem focuses more on how comfortable it feels when you sit or lie down.

Why do we use ist (is) instead of something like liegt (lies) or steht (stands)?

In German, you could say something like Das Sofa steht im Wohnzimmer (the sofa stands in the living room) to describe its position, but if you want to emphasize the property of being comfortable, ist (is) is the straightforward choice. Steht and liegt can describe where the sofa is in relation to the room, but ist focuses on the statement about its comfort.