Das Licht scheint durch das Fenster.

the window

Breakdown of Das Licht scheint durch das Fenster.

• scheinen: to shine
• das Licht: the light
• durch: through, by

Questions & Answers about Das Licht scheint durch das Fenster.

Why is it das Licht and not die Licht or der Licht?

In German, every noun has a fixed grammatical gender. Licht happens to be neuter, so it always takes the article das in the singular: das Licht. This is something you largely have to memorize, often together with the noun (for example: das Licht, die Lampe, der Scheinwerfer).

Why is there also das in das Fenster?

Fenster is also a neuter noun in German, so it uses the same article das in the singular: das Fenster. The fact that both nouns take das is just coincidence; they are both neuter. Not all nouns ending in -er are neuter, but Fenster is.

Why is the verb scheint and not scheinen here?

The infinitive (dictionary form) is scheinen. In the present tense, for er/sie/es (third person singular), it is conjugated as scheint. Since das Licht is singular (like es), the correct form is scheint: Das Licht scheint ….

In English we say The light is shining. Why is it just scheint and not something like ?