Breakdown of Ein bequemer Sessel steht im Wohnzimmer.
in
in
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
stehen
to stand
das Wohnzimmer
the living room
bequem
comfortable
der Sessel
the armchair
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Questions & Answers about Ein bequemer Sessel steht im Wohnzimmer.
Why is bequemer spelled with -er instead of -es or -en?
In German, adjectives change their endings based on gender, case, number, and the presence or absence of an article. Here, Sessel is masculine singular in the nominative and is preceded by the indefinite article ein, so the adjective takes the mixed-declension ending -er. An ending of -es would be for neuter nominative, and -en would appear in other cases (e.g., accusative masculine or dative).
What case is Ein bequemer Sessel in and how can I tell?
It’s in the nominative case because it functions as the subject of the sentence—the entity performing the action (steht). You can recognize the nominative here by the form of the article (ein) and the adjective ending (-er), both of which match masculine nominative singular patterns.
Why is steht in the second position in the sentence?
German main clauses follow the verb-second (V2) rule: the finite verb must occupy the second slot in the sentence. Since the first slot is filled by Ein bequemer Sessel, the verb steht comes immediately after.
Why is im used before Wohnzimmer, and what is it a contraction of?
im is a contraction of in dem. When in indicates location (where something stands), it takes the dative case. Wohnzimmer is a neuter noun, so its dative article is dem, giving in dem, which contracts in everyday German to im.
Could I write in dem Wohnzimmer instead of im Wohnzimmer?
Yes. in dem Wohnzimmer is grammatically correct, but German typically contracts in dem to im in both speech and writing for greater fluency and brevity.
Why are Sessel and Wohnzimmer capitalized in German?
German orthography requires that all nouns be capitalized, regardless of their position in a sentence. Therefore Sessel (armchair) and Wohnzimmer (living room) always start with a capital letter.
Why do we use the indefinite article ein here? Can it be omitted?
In standard German, singular countable nouns generally need an article (definite or indefinite). You can’t omit it as you sometimes can in English (“I have car”). Only in special contexts—like headlines, notes, or telegram style—might you drop the article. Here, ein is required to form a complete, grammatically correct sentence.
What is the difference between Sessel and Stuhl?
A Sessel is an upholstered armchair, often with armrests and cushioning, designed for comfort. A Stuhl is a regular chair without significant padding or upholstery, typically used at a table.
Could I say Ein bequemer Sessel ist im Wohnzimmer instead of Ein bequemer Sessel steht im Wohnzimmer?
You can use ist, but it shifts the nuance. ist simply indicates existence or location (“there is a comfortable armchair”), while steht emphasizes the armchair’s upright position. Also, existential statements more naturally use the Es ist construction or start with the locative phrase: Im Wohnzimmer ist ein bequemer Sessel.