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Das Angebot ist kostenlos.

Das Angebot ist kostenlos.
The offer is free of charge.
FromLesson 21inHardcore German
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Breakdown of Das Angebot ist kostenlos.

sein
to be
das Angebot
the offer
kostenlos
free of charge

Questions & Answers about Das Angebot ist kostenlos.

What part of speech is kostenlos, and what does it mean?
Kostenlos is an adjective meaning free or cost-free. It describes something that does not cost money. It can also function adverbially in colloquial speech (e.g. Das gibt’s kostenlos = “That’s free of charge”).
Why isn’t kostenlos declined here? Shouldn’t it be kostenloses Angebot?

In Das Angebot ist kostenlos, kostenlos is used predicatively after the verb sein. Predicative adjectives in German remain in their base (uninflected) form. If you place the adjective attributively before a noun, you must decline it according to gender, case and number:

  • ein kostenloses Angebot (neuter, nominative singular)
  • eine kostenlose Probe (feminine, nominative singular)
Why is Angebot preceded by das? How do I know it’s neuter?
German nouns have one of three genders: masculine, feminine or neuter. Angebot (offer) is a neuter noun, so its definite article in the nominative case is das. Unfortunately there’s no rule that always tells you the gender—you simply learn each noun with its article: das Angebot, die Anfrage, der Verkauf.
What are some synonyms for kostenlos, and how do they differ?

Common synonyms include:

  • gratis: informal, from Latin; often used in advertising (“gratis Probe”).
  • kostenfrei: very similar to kostenlos, perhaps a bit more formal (“kostenfreie Lieferung”).
  • umsonst: can mean either “free of charge” or “in vain”; context decides (“Der Eintritt ist umsonst” vs. “Das war umsonst”).

In most formal or neutral contexts, kostenlos and kostenfrei are interchangeable to stress “no cost.”

How do I decline Angebot in other cases?

Singular of das Angebot:
• Nominative (subject) – das Angebot
• Genitive (possession) – des Angebots
• Dative (indirect object) – dem Angebot
• Accusative (direct object) – das Angebot

Plural (die Angebote):
• Nom. – die Angebote
• Gen. – der Angebote
• Dat. – den Angeboten
• Akk. – die Angebote

Can I turn this into a question? How would I ask “Is the offer free?”

Yes. In German you invert the subject and verb:
Ist das Angebot kostenlos?

How do I pronounce Das Angebot ist kostenlos?

Approximate phonetic guide (IPA):
/ das ˈanɡəˌboːt ɪst ˈkɔstn̩loːs /

Stress falls on the second syllable of Angebot (an-GE-bot) and on the first syllable of kostenlos (KOS-ten-los).

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“How do German cases work?”
German has four grammatical cases: nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object), and genitive (possession). The case determines the form of articles and adjectives. For example, "the dog" is "der Hund" as a subject but "den Hund" as a direct object.

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