Breakdown of Mein kleiner Bruder erzählt gern einen Witz nach dem anderen.
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
nach
after
mein
my
gern
gladly
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.