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Questions & Answers about Ich wähle online neue Rezepte und ergänze meine Einkaufsliste.
What does wähle mean in this context?
wähle is the 1st person singular present form of wählen, which means “to choose” or “to select.” Here it simply tells us “I choose” (or “I select”) new recipes.
Why is there no article before neue Rezepte?
German does not have an indefinite article in the plural. You cannot say “eine Rezepte.” Instead you either use no article at all (as here) or add words like einige (“some”). So neue Rezepte means “new recipes” (indefinite, plural).
How do we know neue Rezepte is in the accusative plural, and why does the adjective end in -e?
- Case: It’s the direct object of wähle, so it’s accusative.
- Number/Gender: Rezepte is plural.
- Adjective ending: With no article in the plural accusative, German uses the “strong” declension. The ending for plural adjectives in both nominative and accusative strong declension is -e, hence neue.
What is the role of online here, and why does it sit between the verb and the object?
online is an adverb of manner (“in an online environment”). In German main clauses, adverbs typically occupy the “middle field” (Mittelfeld) between the finite verb (wähle) and the rest of the sentence. You could also place online at the end (“Ich wähle neue Rezepte online…”), but between verb and object is very common.
Could I say im Internet instead of online?
Yes.
- online is a loanword used adverbially.
- im Internet is a prepositional phrase meaning the same thing.
Both are correct:
• Ich wähle im Internet neue Rezepte…
• Ich wähle online neue Rezepte…
What does ergänze mean and why is it used here?
ergänze is 1st person singular of ergänzen, meaning “to supplement,” “to complete,” or “to add missing parts.” Here it means “I add items (that I’ve just chosen) to my shopping list.”
What case is meine Einkaufsliste, and why is the possessive meine used instead of mein?
- Case: meine Einkaufsliste is the direct object of ergänze, so it’s accusative.
- Gender/Number: Einkaufsliste is singular feminine.
- In both nominative and accusative feminine singular, mein takes the ending -e, giving meine.
How is Einkaufsliste formed?
It’s a compound noun made of Einkauf (“purchase” or “shopping”) + Liste (“list”). In German you simply glue them together: Einkaufsliste = “shopping list.”
Why is there no comma before und?
When und connects two verbs that share the same subject in one main clause (here: “wähle … und ergänze …”), you do not use a comma. Commas before und only appear in lists or when und links two independent clauses for clarity—neither applies here.