Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching German grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Der Hund ist lustig.
What role does ist play in the sentence "Der Hund ist lustig"?
ist is the conjugated form of the verb sein (to be) in the present tense. It functions as a linking verb that connects the subject (Der Hund) with the predicate adjective (lustig), which describes the subject.
Why is the noun Hund preceded by the definite article Der?
In German, every noun has a grammatical gender. Hund is a masculine noun, and when it is the subject (in the nominative case), the appropriate definite article is der.
Why does the adjective lustig appear without any ending or declension in this sentence?
Because lustig is used as a predicate adjective following a linking verb, it remains in its uninflected (base) form. In German, adjectives are only declined when they directly modify a noun (attributive position), not when they come after the verb as a predicate.
What case is Der Hund in, and how can we tell?
Der Hund is in the nominative case. This is because it serves as the subject of the sentence. In German, the subject of a sentence is always in the nominative case, and for masculine nouns in this case the definite article is der.
Why must the verb ist always appear in the second position in such a sentence?