Ich stehe barfuß auf dem Teppich.

Ich stehe barfuß auf dem Teppich.
I stand barefoot on the carpet.
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Questions & Answers about Ich stehe barfuß auf dem Teppich.

Why is auf followed by dem Teppich (dative) here, rather than den Teppich (accusative)?
Auf is one of the so-called “two-way” (Wechsel) prepositions, taking accusative for direction (motion onto something) but dative for location (where something is). Since ich stehe describes a static position (I am standing on the carpet), we use the dative: auf dem Teppich.
What part of speech is barfuß, and why doesn’t it change its form here?
Barfuß is originally an adjective meaning “bare-foot.” In Ich stehe barfuß..., it’s used adverbially (describing the manner of standing). As an adverb (or predicative adjective), it stays unchanged: you don’t decline it like a regular attributive adjective.
Why isn’t barfuß capitalized?
In German, only nouns are capitalized. Since barfuß here functions as an adverb/adjective, it remains lowercase.
What’s the difference between stehen and stellen?

Both come from the English “stand,” but in German:

  • stehen = to stand (intransitive, describing someone/something being upright)
  • stellen = to place/put (transitive, you place something somewhere)
    So Ich stehe = “I am standing,” while Ich stelle das Buch auf den Tisch = “I put the book on the table.”
Why not say Ich bin barfuß auf dem Teppich (“I am barefoot on the carpet”)?
You could say Ich bin barfuß auf dem Teppich, but it’s less idiomatic if you want to emphasize the action/position of standing. Using stehen makes clear you’re standing barefoot; using bin simply states a condition (you are barefoot there) without the nuance of position.
Can I replace barfuß with ohne Schuhe?
Yes: Ich stehe ohne Schuhe auf dem Teppich means the same basic idea (“I stand without shoes…”). Barfuß is just a more concise, idiomatic single word for “without shoes.”
What is the letter ß in barfuß?
The ß is called Eszett or sharp S. It represents a double “s” sound after long vowels or diphthongs. Thus barfuß is pronounced [bar-foos].
Could the word order change? For example, Ich stehe auf dem Teppich barfuß?
Yes, you could say Ich stehe auf dem Teppich barfuß, but it places extra emphasis on barfuß and sounds a bit less neutral. The most natural order for manner (barfuß) + location (auf dem Teppich) is exactly as given: Ich stehe barfuß auf dem Teppich.