Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching German grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Die Orange ist reif.
Why is Die used as the article for Orange?
Because Orange is a feminine noun in German. All feminine singular nouns in the nominative case take die as their definite article.
Why is Orange capitalized in this sentence?
In German every noun is always capitalized, regardless of its position in the sentence. Since Orange is a noun, it must start with a capital letter.
What case is Die Orange in, and how can I tell?
It’s in the nominative case. You can tell because it is the subject of the sentence (the thing doing or being described), and for a feminine noun that means the article is die.
Why is the verb ist used here instead of sind, wird, or another form?
Ist is the third-person singular form of sein (to be). Since die Orange is singular, you use ist. Sind would be for plural (they are), and wird is a form of werden (to become), which would change the meaning to “The orange becomes ripe.”
Is reif an adjective or a past participle in Die Orange ist reif?