Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching German grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Das Konzert endet pünktlich.
Why is das used here instead of der or die?
The word das is the definite article for neuter nouns in the nominative case. “Konzert” is a neuter noun, so it takes das as its subject article.
Why is Konzert capitalized?
In German all nouns are capitalized, regardless of their position in a sentence. This is one of the core orthographic rules in German.
What tense is endet, and what is its infinitive?
Endet is the 3rd person singular present indicative form of the verb enden (infinitive). It literally means “it ends.”
Why is the verb endet in second position?
German main clauses follow the verb-second (V2) rule: the finite verb must occupy the second syntactic slot. Whatever element (subject, adverb, object) comes first, the verb stays in position two.
What part of speech is pünktlich, and why isn’t it inflected?
Here pünktlich functions as an adverb modifying the verb endet. German adverbs are uninflected, so you don’t add any endings.
Why is there no preposition like “on” for “on time”?
In English you say “end on time,” but German uses the adverb pünktlich directly without any preposition.
Could we say Das Konzert pünktlich endet?
No—this word order would violate the V2 rule. If you want to emphasize pünktlich, you can say Pünktlich endet das Konzert, keeping the verb in the second slot.
Could I use beenden instead of enden?
No. beenden is a transitive verb (requires a direct object: jemand beendet etwas). Enden is intransitive, which is what you need when something (like a concert) ends by itself.
How do I pronounce the umlaut in pünktlich?
The ü in pünktlich is pronounced [ʏ], similar to the French “u.” Round your lips as if for “oo,” but articulate “ee.” The full word sounds like [ˈpʏŋktlɪç].