Breakdown of Ich lese die Mitteilung im Bus.
ich
I
lesen
to read
der Bus
the bus
im
in the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
Questions & Answers about Ich lese die Mitteilung im Bus.
Why is it die Mitteilung and not der Mitteilung?
Because Mitteilung is a feminine noun in German.
- Nominative singular feminine uses the article die: die Mitteilung
- In this sentence, die Mitteilung is the direct object (the thing being read), so it is in the accusative case.
For feminine nouns, nominative and accusative are both die, so it looks the same:
- Nominative: die Mitteilung (the message is doing something)
- Accusative: ich lese die Mitteilung (I am doing something to the message)
Der would be masculine nominative (e.g. der Bus), not correct for Mitteilung.
What case is die Mitteilung, and why?
Die Mitteilung is in the accusative case.
- It is the direct object of the verb lesen – it is the thing being read.
- In German, the direct object of most action verbs is accusative.
So:
- Subject (nominative): ich (I)
- Verb: lese (read/am reading)
- Direct object (accusative): die Mitteilung (the message)
- Adverbial phrase of place (dative after a preposition): im Bus (in/on the bus)
Why is it im Bus and not ?