Learn Hardcore German: Viele Einwohner spielen gern im Park. - Many inhabitants like to play in the park.

Viele is a quantifier that directly modifies a plural noun and takes the place of an article. In German, when you use words like viel, einige, mehrere, or mehr, you do not add another article (e.g. die or ein). So Viele Einwohner means “many inhabitants” without an extra die.

What is the plural form of Einwohner, and why doesn’t it look different from the singular?

The singular is der Einwohner and the plural is die Einwohner. This noun forms its plural without an additional ending—only the article changes from der (sing.) to die (pl.). Many German nouns in the masculine and neuter category simply add -n or nothing at all.

Why is the verb spielen used here instead of spielt?

Because the subject Viele Einwohner is plural, we use the 3rd person plural form of spielen, which is spielen (stem spiel + -en). If it were singular—say, Einwohner spielt—you’d use spielt (stem + -t).

What role does gern play in this sentence, and why does it come right after the verb?

gern (or gerne) is an adverb meaning “gladly” or “with pleasure,” and it turns spielen (“to play”) into “to like to play.” In German word order, adverbs of manner typically follow the conjugated verb:
– Subject – Verb – Manner (adverb) – …
Thus spielen gern = “like to play.”

Is there any difference between gern and gerne?

No significant difference in meaning. gerne can sound slightly more formal or emphatic in some regions, but both are interchangeable. You can say spielen gern or spielen gerne with the same effect.

Why is it im Park instead of in den Park?

im is a contraction of in dem, putting Park in the dative case, which German uses to indicate location (“in the park”). If you used in den Park (accusative), it would imply motion toward the park (“into the park”).

What other common contractions like im should I know?

Several two-word preposition + dem or der combinations contract in German:
• an dem → am
• bei dem → beim
• von dem → vom
• zu der → zur
• zu dem → zum

What’s the nuance between Einwohner and Bewohner?

Both mean “resident” or “inhabitant,” but:
• Einwohner refers to all people officially living in a town or country (statistical, population count).
• Bewohner often highlights individual occupancy (e.g. Bewohner eines Hauses = “occupants of a house”) and can sometimes imply a more personal or local sense.