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Questions & Answers about Der Unterricht ist online.
Why is the noun Unterricht preceded by der?
The German word Unterricht (meaning “instruction” or “lesson”) is a masculine noun, so in the nominative case it takes the definite article der. Unlike English mass nouns like “education” or “instruction,” German often requires the article for abstract or collective concepts.
Is online an adjective or an adverb here?
In the sentence Der Unterricht ist online., online functions as a predicative adjective (sometimes called an adverbial adjective) that describes the state of Unterricht. Because it follows a form of sein and describes a condition, it remains uninflected.
Why is online not capitalized or declined?
Predicative adjectives in German are never declined. Also, online is a loanword used adverbially here, so it follows the lower‑case convention for adverbs and indeclinable adjectives.
Why do we use ist (to be) instead of hat (to have) or another verb?
We use sein (to be) when describing a state or condition. Since being “online” describes the current state of the lesson rather than possession or an action, ist is the correct choice.
Could we say Unterricht ist online without the article der?
Omitting the article (Unterricht ist online) is grammatically understandable but uncommon. German typically uses the definite article with abstract or institutional nouns like Unterricht, even when speaking in general. Without der, the phrase sounds more casual or telegraphic.
Can we move online to a different position in the sentence?
Yes. While “Der Unterricht ist online.” places the predicative complement at the end (the default for predicate adjectives/adverbs), you could also say:
- Online ist der Unterricht. (emphatic inversion)
- Der Unterricht findet online statt. (using stattfinden)
Changing word order or construction may shift the emphasis or style.
What’s the difference between Unterricht and Klasse?
- Unterricht refers to the activity or process of teaching (a lesson, instruction).
- Klasse refers to a class of students or a grade level (the group, not the teaching itself).
So if you mean “the lesson is online,” you use Unterricht, not Klasse.
How do you form the question “Is the lesson online?” in German?
Invert the subject and verb:
Ist der Unterricht online?
This is the standard way to ask for confirmation.