Breakdown of Wir bringen frische Blumen in die Stadt.
in
in
wir
we
die Stadt
the city
frisch
fresh
die Blume
the flower
bringen
to bring
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Questions & Answers about Wir bringen frische Blumen in die Stadt.
Why is the verb bringen used in its form “bringen” instead of “bringt” or “bringe”?
The verb bringen means “to bring.” In this sentence, the subject is Wir (we), which requires the first-person plural present tense form. In German, the conjugation for “we” with bringen remains bringen, so no change is needed.
Why is the prepositional phrase in die Stadt using “die” instead of “der,” and what does that tell us about its case?
The preposition in can govern either the accusative or the dative case. When expressing motion or a destination—as in “bringing something into the city”—it takes the accusative. For feminine nouns in the accusative case, the definite article is die. In contrast, if the sentence described a static location, it would use the dative case (“in der Stadt”).
How is the word order in the sentence Wir bringen frische Blumen in die Stadt determined?
In German main clauses, the finite verb always occupies the second position. Here, the subject Wir comes first, followed by the finite verb bringen. The remainder of the sentence—frische Blumen (the direct object) and in die Stadt (the prepositional phrase indicating direction)—follows. This follows the typical Subject–Verb–Object/Adjunct order used in basic German sentences.
What role does the adjective frische play, and how is it correctly declined in this sentence?
Frische is an attributive adjective modifying the plural noun Blumen (flowers), which is the direct object in this sentence. In German, adjectives taking no preceding article in the plural form use strong endings. For the accusative plural, the ending remains “-e” (the same as in the nominative plural), making frische the correct form here.
Can this sentence be rearranged or rephrased without changing its meaning, and how might that affect the case usage or word order?
Yes, the sentence can be rephrased for emphasis. For example, placing the prepositional phrase at the beginning—In die Stadt bringen wir frische Blumen—is grammatically correct. Although this shifts the emphasis to the destination, the case governed by the preposition in (requiring the accusative die Stadt) does not change. The word order adjustments mainly affect the flow or focus of the sentence while the grammatical rules remain consistent.