Breakdown of Mein kleiner Bruder erzählt gern einen Witz nach dem anderen.
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
nach
after
mein
my
gern
gladly
der Bruder
the brother
erzählen
to tell
klein
little
der Witz
the joke
der Andere
the other
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Questions & Answers about Mein kleiner Bruder erzählt gern einen Witz nach dem anderen.
What is the role of erzählt in this sentence?
erzählt is the third-person singular present form of the verb erzählen (to tell). It serves as the main action in the sentence: “tells.”
What does gern add to erzählt?
gern means “gladly” or “with pleasure” and expresses that someone likes doing something. So erzählt gern translates to “likes to tell.”
Why is gern placed after erzählt?
In a German main clause, adverbs of manner (like gern) typically follow the finite verb. The usual order is: Subject – Verb – Adverb – Object.
Why is einen Witz in the accusative case?
erzählen takes a direct object (what is being told). The direct object in German is in the accusative case, so ein Witz becomes einen Witz when it’s singular masculine.
Why is the noun Witz singular in einen Witz nach dem anderen even though he tells many jokes?
This is an idiomatic expression meaning “one joke after another.” Each segment is referred to in the singular (one joke), even though it happens repeatedly.
What does nach dem anderen literally mean, and why is dem anderen in the dative?
Literally it’s “after the other.” The preposition nach always takes the dative case, so der andere (nominative) becomes dem anderen (dative).
Why is the adjective kleiner used instead of kleinerer or kleinen in mein kleiner Bruder?
mein functions like the indefinite article ein. In nominative masculine singular after an article or possessive, adjectives take the strong ending -er, hence kleiner.
Could you say erzählt gern Witze instead? How does it differ?
Yes. erzählt gern Witze means “he likes telling jokes” in general. It doesn’t convey the continuous “one after another” nuance of einen Witz nach dem anderen.
When would you use erzählen von instead of a direct object?
Use erzählen von + dative when you describe telling about someone or something (the content or topic), e.g. Er erzählt von seinen Ferien (“He tells about his vacation”). With a direct object (accusative), you usually tell jokes, stories, news, etc.
Is einen Witz hinter dem anderen also correct?
Yes. hinter can also mean “one after the other” and requires the dative (hinter dem anderen). However, einen Witz nach dem anderen is the more common idiom for jokes.