Die Lehrerin erklärt Grammatik Schritt für Schritt.

to explain

Breakdown of Die Lehrerin erklärt Grammatik Schritt für Schritt.

• Schritt für Schritt: step by step
• die Lehrerin: the teacher (female)
• die Grammatik: the grammar

Questions & Answers about Die Lehrerin erklärt Grammatik Schritt für Schritt.

What does the article die tell me about Lehrerin?

It shows that Lehrerin is feminine and in the nominative singular (the subject). Note: die could also be plural, but the singular verb erklärt makes it clearly singular here. The ending -in in Lehrerin also marks the feminine form.

What are the corresponding masculine, plural, and gender‑neutral terms for Lehrerin?

• Masculine: der Lehrer
• Feminine plural: die Lehrerinnen
• Gender‑neutral/common: die Lehrkraft (plural die Lehrkräfte). You may also see inclusive forms like Lehrer:innen.

Why is there no article before Grammatik?

School subjects and abstract fields are often used without an article when speaking in general terms. So Grammatik here means grammar as a subject in general. If you add an article, you usually make it specific (for example, previously mentioned or a particular grammar).

What case is Grammatik in?

Accusative singular. Erklären takes a direct object (what is explained), so Grammatik is the thing being explained. With an article, you would see it as die Grammatik (accusative feminine stays die).

What tense and form is erklärt?

Present tense, 3rd person singular of erklären. Mini‑paradigm:

• ich erkläre
• du erklärst
• er/sie/es erklärt
• wir erklären
• ihr erklärt
• sie/Sie erklären

Can this also mean the teacher is explaining (right now)?

Yes. German present tense covers both simple and progressive meanings. If you want to stress the ongoing action, add gerade: Die Lehrerin erklärt gerade Grammatik.

Why is the verb in second position, and can I change the word order?

German main clauses follow the verb‑second rule. The subject is first here, so the finite verb erklärt comes second. You can front another element for emphasis, keeping the verb second:

• Schritt für Schritt erklärt die Lehrerin Grammatik. (Focus on the manner)

Where does Schritt für Schritt typically go, and do I need hyphens?

It’s an adverbial of manner. Common placements:

• After the object: Die Lehrerin erklärt die Grammatik Schritt für Schritt.
• Right after the verb: Die Lehrerin erklärt Schritt für Schritt die Grammatik. No hyphens in adverbial use. Use hyphens only when it’s attributive before a noun: eine Schritt‑für‑Schritt‑Erklärung.

What’s going on inside Schritt für Schritt grammatically?

It’s a fixed expression meaning step by step. Für governs the accusative, but since Schritt is singular without an article, you don’t see a change in form. Alternatives: schrittweise, nach und nach, Stück für Stück.

Why are Lehrerin, Grammatik, and Schritt capitalized?

All nouns are capitalized in German. In fixed phrases like Schritt für Schritt, the nouns remain capitalized. Verbs and prepositions (erklärt, für) stay lowercase.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

• Lehrerin: long first vowel [leh-], the German r is guttural for many speakers: leh-re-rin.
• erklärt: long ä like the vowel in English air (but tenser).
• Grammatik: stress on the last syllable: gram-ma-TIK.
• Schritt: Sch is like English sh; the vowel is short.

How is erklären different from lehren or unterrichten?

• erklären = to explain (giving a clear account or clarification)
• lehren/unterrichten = to teach (conduct instruction). You could say Die Lehrerin unterrichtet Grammatik, which is broader than erklärt Grammatik.

How do I say who she explains it to?

Add a dative indirect object (someone) and keep Grammatik as the accusative direct object (something):

• Singular: Die Lehrerin erklärt dem Schüler Grammatik.
• Plural: Die Lehrerin erklärt den Schülern Grammatik.

How do I make the object more specific, like the grammar of German?

Add an article and modifier:

• Die Lehrerin erklärt die deutsche Grammatik Schritt für Schritt. Here, die marks specific grammar, and deutsche agrees with Grammatik (feminine singular).

How would the sentence look in the plural?

• Feminine plural: Die Lehrerinnen erklären Grammatik Schritt für Schritt.
• Masculine/mixed plural: Die Lehrer erklären Grammatik Schritt für Schritt. Note the plural verb erklären.

How do I negate, and where does nicht go?

• Negate the manner: Die Lehrerin erklärt Grammatik nicht Schritt für Schritt. (She explains it, but not step by step)
• Negate the whole statement: Die Lehrerin erklärt Grammatik nicht. To negate the noun phrase entirely, you can also say: Die Lehrerin erklärt keine Grammatik. (not any grammar)