Der Bauer öffnet früh den Stall, damit die Kühe auf die Wiese gehen können.

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Breakdown of Der Bauer öffnet früh den Stall, damit die Kühe auf die Wiese gehen können.

• früh: early
• können: can
• öffnen: to open

Questions & Answers about Der Bauer öffnet früh den Stall, damit die Kühe auf die Wiese gehen können.

Why is it der Bauer and not den Bauer or dem Bauer?

Der Bauer is the subject of the sentence – the person who performs the action of opening the stable.

In German, the subject takes the nominative case.
For a masculine noun like Bauer, the definite article in each case is:

• Nominative: der Bauer – subject (who opens?)
• Accusative: den Bauer – direct object (whom does someone see / help / love?)
• Dative: dem Bauer – indirect object (to/for whom?)

Since the farmer is doing the action (opening), he must be in nominative: der Bauer.

Why is den Stall and not der Stall?

Den Stall is the direct object in the sentence – it is what is being opened.

German marks the direct object with the accusative case.
For a masculine noun like Stall, the definite article changes:

• Nominative (subject): der Stall – e.g. Der Stall ist groß. (The stable is big.)
• Accusative (direct object): den Stall – e.g. Er öffnet den Stall. (He opens the stable.)

In Der Bauer öffnet früh den Stall, the stable is not doing anything; it is being acted on.
So accusative is required: den Stall.

Why is früh placed between and ? Could I say ?