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Questions & Answers about Die Fahrkarte ist teuer.
Why is the article die used before Fahrkarte?
Fahrkarte is a feminine noun in German. In the nominative case (as the subject of the sentence), feminine singular nouns take the article die.
How do I know that Fahrkarte is feminine?
Many German nouns ending in -karte are feminine (e.g. Postkarte, Speisekarte). You can also look up the noun in a dictionary—it will be marked with f. for feminine.
What case is die Fahrkarte in, and why?
It’s in the nominative case because it functions as the subject of the verb ist (to be).
Why doesn’t teuer have an ending here?
Because teuer is used predicatively (after the linking verb sein). Predicate adjectives in German remain uninflected, so you don’t add an ending.
Could I say Eine Fahrkarte ist teuer instead?
Yes. Eine is the indefinite article for feminine nouns in the nominative. That sentence would mean “A ticket is expensive” rather than “The ticket is expensive.”
Why can’t I say Die Fahrkarte kostet teuer?
When you use kosten (to cost), you normally specify an amount:
– Die Fahrkarte kostet viel Geld. (The ticket costs a lot of money.)
You don’t follow kosten with an uninflected adjective like teuer.
How do I say “very expensive” in German?
Use the adverb sehr before the adjective:
– Die Fahrkarte ist sehr teuer.
How would I talk about multiple tickets?
The plural of Fahrkarte is Fahrkarten. You can say:
– Die Fahrkarten sind teuer. (The tickets are expensive.)
Or without a definite article:
– Fahrkarten sind teuer. (Tickets are expensive in general.)