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Questions & Answers about Das Essen ist fertig.
What part of speech is Essen here? How can I tell it’s a noun and not the verb “to eat”?
Because it’s capitalized and preceded by the article das, Essen is a noun meaning “the food” or “the meal.” The verb essen (“to eat”) is lowercase and never takes an article.
Why is the article das used with Essen? Is Essen neuter?
Yes. In German every noun has a grammatical gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter). Essen is neuter, so it takes the definite article das: das Essen.
Can I say “Essen ist fertig” and leave out the article?
In very casual speech you might hear “Essen ist fertig,” but standard German requires the article: Das Essen ist fertig. Omitting das sounds abrupt or like a headline.
Why doesn’t fertig get an ending (like fertiges)?
When an adjective follows a linking verb (is used predicatively), it remains uninflected: ist fertig. If you use it attributively (directly before a noun), it must be inflected: das fertige Essen.
Why is ist in the second position rather than at the end?