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Questions & Answers about Ich habe einen neuen Job.
Why is einen used instead of ein in this sentence?
Job is a masculine noun and functions as the direct object of the verb haben. In German, the indefinite article for masculine nouns changes from ein to einen in the accusative case, which is why we say einen neuen Job.
Why does the adjective neu change to neuen in this sentence?
Adjectives in German adjust their endings based on the gender, case, and number of the noun they modify. Since Job is masculine and in the accusative case, the adjective neu receives the -en ending following the mixed declension rule with an indefinite article, resulting in neuen.
How is the verb habe correctly conjugated in this sentence?
The verb haben (to have) is conjugated as habe in the first person singular present tense. Because the subject Ich means "I," the correct form is habe, yielding the meaning "I have."
What is the sentence structure of Ich habe einen neuen Job?
The sentence follows a typical German main clause structure: subject, verb, and then object. Ich is the subject, habe is the verb (placed in the second position), and einen neuen Job is the object in the accusative case. This is similar to the English word order in simple declarative sentences.
Is Job a native German word or a loanword, and what alternatives exist?
Job is a loanword adopted from English and is widely used in modern German, especially in casual and business contexts. Alternatives like Stelle or Arbeit may also be used to refer to employment, depending on the context and formality.
How would the adjective and article change if the noun were feminine instead of masculine?
For a feminine noun in the accusative case with an indefinite article, the article remains eine, and the adjective takes the ending -e rather than -en. For example, if you were to say Ich habe eine neue Stelle, Stelle is feminine so the adjective becomes neue instead of neuen.
Why is the finite verb placed in the second position in this sentence?
In German main clauses, the finite verb always occupies the second position. In Ich habe einen neuen Job, the subject Ich is first, followed by the finite verb habe in the second slot, which then precedes the rest of the sentence. This rule is a core part of German sentence structure.