Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching German grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Schnee macht mich fröhlich.
Why is Schnee not preceded by an article like der?
In German, when you talk about something in general—especially uncountable, mass nouns like snow—you usually omit the article. So Schnee here means “snow” in general rather than “that particular snow.”
What case is Schnee in, and how do you recognize it without an article?
Schnee is in the nominative case because it’s the subject of the sentence. Even without an article, word order clues you in: the first noun before the verb is typically the subject in a simple German main clause.
Why does macht come right after Schnee instead of at the end of the sentence?
German main clauses follow the verb‐second (V2) rule: the finite verb must occupy the second position. Here Schnee is first, so macht comes second.
Why is mich used instead of mir?
The verb machen requires a direct object (accusative). Mich is the accusative form of ich, whereas mir is dative. Since you’re saying “_ makes me happy,” you need the direct object.
Why isn’t fröhlich declined with an ending, like adjectives normally are?
After verbs like machen, we often use a predicative adjective to describe the result or state. Predicative adjectives remain in their base form and do not take declension endings.
What’s the difference between fröhlich and glücklich?
Both can translate as “happy,” but fröhlich suggests a cheerful, lighthearted mood (“merry”), while glücklich implies a deeper, more lasting happiness or good fortune.
Could you include the article and say Der Schnee macht mich fröhlich? Would that change anything?
Yes, you can say Der Schnee macht mich fröhlich. Adding der makes it slightly more specific or poetic but doesn’t change the core meaning: “The snow makes me happy.” Omitting the article is just more neutral/generic.
What is the sentence structure here (subject, verb, object, complement)?
- Subject (Nominative): Schnee
- Verb (2nd position): macht
- Direct Object (Accusative): mich
- Predicative Complement: fröhlich