Learn Hardcore German: Im Kurs dürfen wir ein Thema für unser Referat auswählen. - In the course we may choose a topic for our presentation.

in + dem Kurs → im Kurs
This contraction is very common in spoken and written German and sounds more natural.
It still means “in the course / in class”.

You can say “in dem Kurs”, but it sounds heavier and is usually used only if you want to emphasize that specific course, for example in contrast to another one.

What case is used in “Im Kurs”, and why?

“Im Kurs” is dative:

im = in + dem (dative singular, masculine/neuter)
Kurs is masculine → der Kurs (nominative) → dem Kurs (dative)

The preposition “in” can take either accusative or dative:

Accusative = movement into something
- Ich gehe in den Kurs. – I’m going (into) the course.
Dative = location (no movement)
- Im Kurs – in the course, during the course.

Here it’s about the setting within the course (a location/situation), so dative is used.

Why is the verb “dürfen” used here? How is it different from “können” or “sollen”?

dürfen expresses permission:

dürfen = to be allowed to / may
- Im Kurs dürfen wir ein Thema auswählen.
  → We are allowed to choose a topic.

Other modal verbs mean something different:

können = can / to be able to (ability, possibility)
- Im Kurs können wir ein Thema auswählen.
  → We can choose a topic (it’s possible / we’re able to).
sollen = should / supposed to (expectation, duty)
- Im Kurs sollen wir ein Thema auswählen.
  → We should / are supposed to choose a topic.

So dürfen clearly focuses on permission from a teacher / rules.

Why is “dürfen” in the second position and “auswählen” at the end of the sentence?

This is standard German main-clause word order:

Position 1: One element (often the time or place)
- Here: Im Kurs
Position 2: The conjugated verb
- Here: dürfen
Middle field: Subject and other elements
- wir ein Thema für unser Referat
End position: The infinitive(s) and other non-finite verb forms
- auswählen

Because “dürfen” is a modal verb, it appears in the second position (conjugated: dürfen wir), and the main verb “auswählen” stays in the infinitive at the very end.

The “core” frame is:

dürfen … auswählen
and everything else is fitted in between.

Is “auswählen” a separable verb? How would it look when separated?

Yes, “auswählen” is a separable verb: aus + wählen.

Infinitive form (unsplit): auswählen
- Wir möchten ein Thema auswählen.
Finite + prefix separated (in a simple main clause without another verb):
- Wir wählen ein Thema aus. – We choose a topic.

In your sentence, the verb is in an infinitive with a modal verb (dürfen auswählen), so it remains unsplit and goes to the end:

Im Kurs dürfen wir ein Thema auswählen.
(You would not say: dürfen wir ein Thema aus wählen – that’s wrong.)

So:

With modal verbs: stay together at the end (dürfen auswählen).
With no modal verb: conjugated part in second position, prefix at the very end (Wir wählen … aus.).

What is the difference between “auswählen”, “wählen”, and “aussuchen” here?

All can mean “to choose”, but with slightly different nuances:

wählen
- Very general “to choose / to vote”.
- Often used in elections (wählen gehen = to vote).
- Wir können ein Thema wählen. – We can choose a topic.
auswählen
- More like “to select (carefully) from a given list/options.”
- Slightly more formal or precise.
- Im Kurs dürfen wir ein Thema auswählen. – We may select a topic (from given possibilities).
aussuchen
- More colloquial, everyday: “to pick out / choose (what you like).”
- Wir dürfen uns ein Thema aussuchen. – We’re allowed to pick a topic we like.

In the sentence, “auswählen” fits a somewhat formal/course context, as if you have a list of allowed topics.

Why is it “ein Thema” and not “einem Thema”?

“ein Thema” is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb auswählen (“to choose something”).

Verb: (aus)wählen – to choose something
→ That “something” is accusative.
Thema is neuter:
- Nominative: ein Thema
- Accusative: ein Thema (same form)

“einem Thema” would be dative, but there is no dative triggered here. The structure is:

Wir (subject, nominative)
wählen (verb)
ein Thema (direct object, accusative)

What does “für unser Referat” tell us grammatically?

“für unser Referat” is a prepositional phrase:

für always takes the accusative case.
Referat is neuter: das Referat.
Accusative neuter with a possessive:
- unser Referat (same form as nominative: unser)

So:

Preposition: für
Case: accusative
Article/possessive: unser (agreeing with neuter singular Referat)
Noun: Referat

Meaning-wise, it shows the purpose of the topic:
a topic for our presentation.

Why is it “unser Referat” and not “unsere Referat”?

The form of the possessive depends on the gender and number of the noun:

Referat is neuter: das Referat
Neuter singular (nominative or accusative) with a possessive unser- uses the basic form unser (no -e):
- unser Referat – our presentation (neuter singular)

Compare:

unser Kurs – our course (masculine singular)
unsere Lehrerin – our (female) teacher (feminine singular)
unsere Bücher – our books (plural)

So “unsere Referat” would be wrong because the ending -e does not match neuter singular.

What exactly does “Referat” mean here? Is it an essay or a presentation?

In a school/university context, “das Referat” usually means an oral presentation:

A talk you give in front of the class / course.
Often accompanied by slides or a handout.
Sometimes also includes a written component, but the core idea is presenting.

So “ein Thema für unser Referat” most naturally means:

“a topic for our presentation,”
not just a written essay (that would more usually be “Aufsatz”, “Hausarbeit”, “Seminararbeit”, etc. depending on level).

Why is “Kurs” capitalized? And what about “Thema” and “Referat”?

In German, all nouns are capitalized, regardless of their position in the sentence.

So:

Kurs (course) – noun → capitalized
Thema (topic) – noun → capitalized
Referat (presentation) – noun → capitalized

This is a key spelling rule:

If it’s a noun, it gets a capital letter: Im Kurs dürfen wir ein Thema für unser Referat auswählen.

Could the sentence also start with “Wir” instead of “Im Kurs”? Does that change the meaning?

Yes, you can say:

Wir dürfen im Kurs ein Thema für unser Referat auswählen.

The meaning stays the same. The change is in emphasis:

Im Kurs dürfen wir…
→ Focuses more on the setting: In this course / in class, we are allowed to…
Wir dürfen im Kurs…
→ Focuses more on “we” as the subject.

In both versions, the conjugated verb (dürfen) must stay in the second position, and the rest of the sentence elements can be moved for emphasis.

How is “dürfen” pronounced, and what does the “ü” sound like?

Pronunciation:

dürfen → roughly: DYR-fen
- dü-: like English “dy” in “dystopia” but with rounded lips.
- -r-: tapped or uvular German r, depending on region.
- -fen: like “fen” in “fen-” (as in “fence” without the ce).

The “ü” is the key:

Form your mouth like you’re saying “oo” in “food”.
While holding that lip shape, try to say “ee” (as in “see”).
That resulting sound is ü.

So dürfen ≈ [ˈdʏʁ.fən] in IPA.