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Breakdown of Wir bewahren die Münzen im Portemonnaie auf.
in
in
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
wir
we
das Portemonnaie
the wallet
die
the; (plural, accusative)
die Münze
the coin
aufbewahren
to keep
Questions & Answers about Wir bewahren die Münzen im Portemonnaie auf.
Why is “auf” at the end of the sentence?
Because aufbewahren is a separable-prefix verb. In a main clause, the finite verb goes in position 2 and the separable particle moves to the end.
- Main clause: Wir bewahren die Münzen im Portemonnaie auf.
- Yes/no question: Bewahrt ihr die Münzen im Portemonnaie auf?
- Subordinate clause (not separated): … weil wir die Münzen im Portemonnaie aufbewahren.
- With a modal/infinitive (not separated): Wir wollen die Münzen im Portemonnaie aufbewahren.
What’s the difference between “aufbewahren” and “bewahren” on its own?
- aufbewahren = to keep/store something somewhere for safekeeping. Example: Ich bewahre die Quittungen auf.
- bewahren = to preserve/maintain/protect (often abstract or with “vor”). Examples: Ruhe bewahren; jemanden vor Schaden bewahren; Gott bewahre! Using just bewahren in your sentence would shift the meaning away from “store/keep in a place.”
Why is it “die Münzen” and not “den Münzen”?
Because “die Münzen” is a direct object in the accusative plural. The article “die” is both nominative and accusative plural. “Den Münzen” is dative plural and would be used after dative prepositions (e.g., mit den Münzen) or as an indirect object.
What case does “im” take, and why?
“Im” = “in dem.” The preposition in is two-way:
- Dative for location (where?): im Portemonnaie (= in dem Portemonnaie).
- Accusative for motion (into where?): ins Portemonnaie (= in das Portemonnaie).
What gender is “Portemonnaie,” and are there spelling variants?
It’s neuter: das Portemonnaie. Hence dative singular dem Portemonnaie → im Portemonnaie. Accepted spelling variants include Portemonnaie and the simplified Portmonee.
Could I say “ins Portemonnaie” instead of “im Portemonnaie”?
Yes, but it changes the meaning:
- im Portemonnaie (dative) = located in the wallet (where).
- ins Portemonnaie (accusative) = into the wallet (motion). Example: Wir stecken/legen die Münzen ins Portemonnaie.
Can I move “im Portemonnaie” earlier in the sentence?
Yes. Word order in the middle field is flexible for emphasis, but the particle auf still stays last.
- Die Münzen bewahren wir im Portemonnaie auf. (object emphasized)
- Im Portemonnaie bewahren wir die Münzen auf. (place emphasized; verb still 2nd) “Wir bewahren im Portemonnaie die Münzen auf” is possible but sounds less neutral.
How do I conjugate “aufbewahren” in common tenses?
- Present: ich bewahre … auf, du bewahrst … auf, er/sie/es bewahrt … auf, wir bewahren … auf, ihr bewahrt … auf, sie/Sie bewahren … auf.
- Perfect: haben + past participle aufbewahrt → Wir haben die Münzen im Portemonnaie aufbewahrt.
- Simple past (rarer in speech): Wir bewahrten die Münzen im Portemonnaie auf.
What’s the difference between “aufbewahren,” “aufheben,” and “behalten”?
- aufbewahren: store something safely somewhere. Wir bewahren die Münzen im Portemonnaie auf.
- aufheben: keep something (often to not throw it away) or pick something up; can also mean “to abolish” in legal contexts. Ich hebe den Kassenzettel auf.
- behalten: keep/retain (not give away). Ich behalte das Wechselgeld.
Is it okay to say “Wir halten die Münzen im Portemonnaie”?
It’s understandable but unnatural. halten usually means “to hold.” For “keep/store,” use aufbewahren. Alternatively, for “leave them there,” you could say: Wir lassen die Münzen im Portemonnaie.
Are there regional alternatives to “Portemonnaie”?
Yes:
- der Geldbeutel (South Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
- die Geldbörse (general)
- die Brieftasche (often a wallet for notes/cards; may or may not include a coin pocket) All are widely understood.
How do I pronounce “Münzen” and “Portemonnaie”?
- Münzen: the ü is like French “u” (lips rounded). Roughly “MYN-tsen.”
- Portemonnaie: from French; roughly “port-mo-NAY” in German rhythm (no written accent in German).
Why are “Münzen” and “Portemonnaie” capitalized?
All nouns are capitalized in German. “Wir” is capitalized because it starts the sentence.
Is “aufbewahren” reflexive or does it require extra prepositions?
No reflexive pronoun needed. It’s a transitive verb: you aufbewahren something (accusative object), optionally specifying a place with a preposition like in:
- Wir bewahren die Münzen im Portemonnaie auf.
- Sie bewahrt ihren Schmuck im Safe auf.
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