Breakdown of Mein Bruder isst heimlich Schokolade in der Küche, wenn er Stress hat.
in
in
essen
to eat
haben
to have
er
he
Questions & Answers about Mein Bruder isst heimlich Schokolade in der Küche, wenn er Stress hat.
Why is it isst and not ist? They look almost the same.
isst and ist are two different verbs:
- ist = 3rd person singular of sein (to be) → er ist = he is
- isst = 3rd person singular of essen (to eat) → er isst = he eats
In this sentence you need essen, because the brother is eating chocolate, not just existing.
So: Mein Bruder isst heimlich Schokolade … = My brother eats chocolate …
Why is there no article before Schokolade? Why not eine Schokolade?
In German, some nouns often work like mass/uncountable nouns in English:
- Schokolade can mean chocolate in general, not one single chocolate bar.
- When you mean an indefinite, uncountable amount, you normally leave out the article:
- Ich trinke Kaffee. = I drink coffee.
- Er isst Schokolade. = He eats chocolate.
You could say eine Schokolade or eine Tafel Schokolade, but that would refer to a specific item (for example one bar or one piece), not the general habit or substance.
Why is it in der Küche and not in die Küche?