Breakdown of Meine Schwester wohnt am Rand der Stadt und fährt wöchentlich in die Innenstadt.
und
and
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
wohnen
to live
die Stadt
the city
in
into
mein
my
die Schwester
the sister
fahren
to go
an
at
die
the; (feminine, accusative)
der
the; (feminine, genitive)
die Innenstadt
the city center
der Rand
the edge
wöchentlich
weekly
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Questions & Answers about Meine Schwester wohnt am Rand der Stadt und fährt wöchentlich in die Innenstadt.
What does the word am mean here, and why not im?
am is the contraction of an dem and generally means “at the,” often used for borders/edges or vertical surfaces. im is in dem and means “in the,” used for being inside something. Since she lives at the edge of the city, you say am Rand (der Stadt), not im Rand.
What case is der Stadt in am Rand der Stadt, and why?
der Stadt is genitive singular (feminine), meaning “of the city.” The structure is: am Rand (dative: an + dem Rand) + a genitive noun that specifies whose edge it is: der Stadt. So literally: “at the edge of the city.” Colloquially you might hear am Rand von der Stadt, but the genitive der Stadt is the standard, tighter form.
Why is it in die Innenstadt and not in der Innenstadt?
Because in takes:
- accusative for movement/direction: in die Innenstadt (going into the center),
- dative for location: in der Innenstadt (being/working in the center). Here it’s movement, so accusative (die).
Does fährt mean she is driving the vehicle herself?
Not necessarily. fahren means “to travel by vehicle” in general (car, bus, train, bike). To emphasize she’s the driver, say sie fährt Auto or sie fährt den Bus. If she’s just using a vehicle (not necessarily driving), say sie fährt mit dem Bus/mit dem Auto.
Why use wohnt and not lebt?
- wohnen = reside/dwell at a place or address (more specific to housing).
- leben = live (be alive; live one’s life) and can also mean to live in a place, but it’s broader. Both are possible here, but wohnt is the precise verb for residence.
Could I say am Stadtrand instead of am Rand der Stadt?
Yes. am Stadtrand (compound noun) is very common and concise. am Rand der Stadt is equally correct and perhaps a touch more descriptive. You may also see the more formal am Rande der Stadt.
Where should wöchentlich go, and are other positions possible?
Default: put time before place, so … fährt wöchentlich in die Innenstadt is perfect. Variations:
- Wöchentlich fährt sie in die Innenstadt (time up front for emphasis).
- … fährt sie jede Woche in die Innenstadt (using a phrase instead of the adverb). Placing wöchentlich at the very end sounds marked or clunky.
What’s the difference between wöchentlich and jede Woche?
They both mean “weekly.” wöchentlich is a single-word adverb and can feel slightly more formal or written. jede Woche is very common in everyday speech. No real difference in meaning here.
Why is there no comma before und?
In German, you typically do not put a comma before und when it simply links two main clauses that share the same subject (which is omitted in the second clause): Meine Schwester … und (sie) fährt …. A comma may appear if additional comma-requiring structures are present, but not here.
Why is it und fährt and not und sie fährt?
German allows you to omit the repeated subject in a coordinated clause when it’s the same as in the first clause. Both are correct:
- … und fährt wöchentlich … (subject omitted)
- … und sie fährt wöchentlich … (subject repeated, often for clarity or emphasis)
Can I say zur Innenstadt or ins Zentrum instead of in die Innenstadt?
- ins Zentrum (in + das) is a natural synonym for going into the center area.
- zur Innenstadt (zu + der) focuses on heading toward the area rather than into it; it’s understandable but less common than in die Innenstadt for this meaning. For entering the central district, in die Innenstadt or ins Zentrum is best.
What are the genders and key forms for Stadt and Innenstadt?
Both Stadt and Innenstadt are feminine. Relevant forms:
- Nominative/Accusative singular: die Stadt, die Innenstadt (e.g., in die Innenstadt)
- Dative singular: der Stadt, der Innenstadt (e.g., in der Innenstadt)
- Genitive singular: der Stadt, der Innenstadt (e.g., am Rand der Stadt)
How does fahren behave in the past tense?
- Intransitive motion uses sein: Sie ist in die Innenstadt gefahren (she went/traveled by vehicle).
- Transitive “to drive something” uses haben: Sie hat den Bus gefahren (she drove the bus). Principal parts: fahren – fährt – fuhr – ist/hat gefahren.