Breakdown of Der kleine Knopf sitzt unter dem Bildschirm neben dem Mikrofon.
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
klein
small
sitzen
to sit
unter
under
neben
next to
der Bildschirm
the screen
der Knopf
the button
das Mikrofon
the microphone
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Questions & Answers about Der kleine Knopf sitzt unter dem Bildschirm neben dem Mikrofon.
Why is Der used before kleine Knopf? Can't it be Die Knopf or Das Knopf?
Knopf is a masculine noun in German. In the nominative singular, masculine nouns take der as their definite article. That’s why it’s der kleine Knopf rather than die Knopf or das Knopf.
Why does the adjective kleine end in -e instead of -er?
After a definite article (der) adjectives follow the weak declension. For masculine nominative, the weak ending is -e, giving you kleine. If you dropped the article, you’d need the strong ending and say kleiner Knopf.
Why is Knopf capitalized but kleine is not?
German orthography dictates that all nouns (like Knopf) are always capitalized, while adjectives (like kleine) and other parts of speech remain lowercase unless they start a sentence.
Why is the verb sitzt used here? Couldn’t we use liegt or steht for an inanimate object?
In German, sitzen can describe objects that are fixed or attached—buttons “sit” on a device. Liegen or Stehen might work in some contexts, but sitzt is the idiomatic choice for something mounted or plugged in.
Why is it unter dem Bildschirm and not unter den Bildschirm?
Unter is a two-way preposition. For static location (“where?”) it takes the dative case; for movement (“where to?”) it takes the accusative. Here the button is statically located under the screen, so you use the dative: dem Bildschirm.
Why is neben dem Mikrofon also in the dative case?
Same principle: neben is another two-way preposition. Since the sentence describes a static position next to the microphone, it uses dative (dem Mikrofon).
Do I need a comma between unter dem Bildschirm and neben dem Mikrofon?
No. These are consecutive prepositional phrases giving location. In German, you don’t separate simple series of prepositional phrases with commas.
Could I swap the order to say Der kleine Knopf sitzt neben dem Mikrofon unter dem Bildschirm?
Yes, it’s grammatically correct, but it shifts emphasis. The original stresses “under the screen” first, then adds “next to the microphone.” Reversing it highlights the microphone relation.
Why does the verb sitzt come in the second position instead of at the end of the sentence?
This is a main clause, and German main clauses follow the verb-second (V2) rule: the finite verb must occupy the second position. That’s why sitzt sits right after Der kleine Knopf.
Is Knopf the only word for button in German? What about Taste?
Both exist. Knopf generally means a physical button or knob you push or turn (e.g., on a device). Taste refers more to keys or buttons you press (e.g., on a keyboard or remote). The context usually tells you which one to choose.