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Am Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp.

Am Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp.
At the end of the month, money is tight.
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Questions & Answers about Am Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp.

What does am mean in this sentence, and why is it written like that?

am is a contraction of an dem.

  • an = at/on (a preposition that takes the dative case here)
  • dem = the (dative singular, masculine or neuter)

So an dem Ende → am Ende = at the end.

German very often contracts an dem to am in everyday language, both spoken and written.

Why is it des Monats and not something like dem Monat?

des Monats is the genitive case, which often corresponds to English “of the …”.

  • Ende (end) is a noun that very commonly uses the genitive to show “the end of something”:
    • das Ende des Monats = the end of the month
    • das Ende des Jahres = the end of the year
    • das Ende des Films = the end of the film

So:

  • des = genitive singular article for masculine/neuter nouns (here: der Monat → des Monats)
  • Monats = genitive form of Monat, with the -s ending

dem Monat would be dative, and that would be used after certain prepositions like mit, nach, bei, etc., but Ende itself calls for the genitive here: Ende des Monats.

What case is Ende in, and why?

Ende is in the dative case here because of the preposition an:

  • The full phrase under the hood is an dem Ende des Monats.
  • an can take dative or accusative; with a time expression like this, it takes dative.
  • Ende is a neuter noun: das Ende.
  • Dative singular neuter article is dem, so: an dem Ende → am Ende.

So:

  • am Ende = at the end (dative)
  • des Monats = of the month (genitive, showing whose end)
Why does the verb ist come after Am Ende des Monats instead of after das Geld?

German has a strong verb-second rule in main clauses:

  • The finite verb (here: ist) must be in second position in the clause, not necessarily the second word.

In the sentence:

  • Am Ende des Monats = one long element (a time phrase)
  • ist = the verb (must be in second position)
  • das Geld knapp = the rest of the clause

So the structure is:

  1. First element: Am Ende des Monats
  2. Second element (the verb): ist
  3. Everything else: das Geld knapp

You could also say:

  • Das Geld ist am Ende des Monats knapp.

That’s also correct. The difference is only in emphasis and rhythm, not grammar.

Can I also say Das Geld ist am Ende des Monats knapp, and is there any difference?

Yes, Das Geld ist am Ende des Monats knapp is completely correct.

Both sentences mean the same:

  • Am Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp.
  • Das Geld ist am Ende des Monats knapp.

Subtle difference:

  • Starting with Am Ende des Monats puts more emphasis on the time: As for the end of the month – that’s when money is tight.
  • Starting with Das Geld puts more emphasis on the money: As for the money – at the end of the month it’s tight.

Grammatically, both are fine; it’s just a matter of what you want to highlight first.

What exactly does knapp mean here? Is it the same as wenig?

In this context, knapp means scarce, tight, or in short supply.

  • Das Geld ist knapp. = Money is tight / There’s not much money / Money is scarce.

Comparison:

  • wenig Geld = little money, a small amount (more neutral, quantitative).
  • Geld ist knapp = money is barely enough, almost not enough. It suggests you are close to running out or have to be careful.

Other common uses of knapp:

  • knapp bei Kasse sein = to be short of money
  • knappe Zeit / Die Zeit ist knapp. = time is short / we don’t have much time
  • ein knapper Sieg = a narrow victory

Note: in ist das Geld knapp, knapp is a predicate adjective and stays in its basic form (no ending).

Why do we say das Geld and not just Geld without an article?

Both das Geld and Geld without an article are possible in German, but they feel slightly different:

  • das Geld here refers to the money you have available, your specific household money.

    • Am Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp.
      → At the end of the month, my/our/the money (that we have) is tight.

  • Geld without article is more general or abstract:

    • Geld ist wichtig. = Money is important (in general).
    • Geld ist knapp. = Money is scarce (as a general statement, or in some general situation).

In this sentence, das Geld sounds more like the money in my account / my budget at the end of the month, which fits the typical everyday context.

Can I use a plural like die Gelder instead of das Geld?

Usually no, not in this everyday sense.

  • das Geld is a mass noun, uncountable in this meaning: the money you possess.
  • die Gelder does exist, but it’s used more in formal or bureaucratic contexts and means funds, financial resources from different sources:
    • EU-Gelder = EU funds
    • öffentliche Gelder = public funds

In the sentence about personal finances, you should use das Geld, not die Gelder:

  • Am Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp. ✅
  • Am Ende des Monats sind die Gelder knapp. ❌ (sounds wrong in normal conversation)
Why does Monat become Monats? What’s the rule?

Monats is the genitive singular of der Monat.

For many masculine and neuter nouns, the genitive singular is formed by:

  • article des
    • noun + -s (or -es)

Examples:

  • der Tag → des Tages (of the day)
  • der Monat → des Monats (of the month)
  • das Jahr → des Jahres (of the year)

So:

  • das Ende des Monats = the end of the month

This is a very common pattern you’ll see with time expressions in German.

Is there a shorter or alternative way to say Am Ende des Monats?

Yes, several alternatives are common and natural:

  1. Am Monatsende ist das Geld knapp.

    • Monatsende is a compound noun: Monat
      • Ende.
    • Means the same as am Ende des Monats, just more compact.

  2. In spoken language you may also hear:

    • Am Ende vom Monat ist das Geld knapp.
      This uses vom (von dem) instead of the genitive des Monats.
      It’s colloquial, not best for formal writing, but very common in speech.

Standard written German would prefer Am Ende des Monats or Am Monatsende.

Can I say Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp without am?

Yes, that is possible and idiomatic:

  • Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp.

Here, Ende des Monats functions as a time adverbial without a preposition. This is quite common with certain time phrases:

  • Nächste Woche fahre ich weg.
  • Anfang des Jahres haben wir viel gearbeitet.
  • Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp.

The meaning is the same as Am Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp.
Using am feels a bit more explicit (at the end of the month), while Ende des Monats is slightly more telegraphic but still standard.

In English I might say “Money gets tight at the end of the month.” Why does German just use ist and not something like wird?

German often uses the simple present (ist) where English uses gets / becomes to talk about regular or typical developments over time.

  • Am Ende des Monats ist das Geld knapp.
    Literally: At the end of the month the money is tight.
    Natural English: Money gets tight at the end of the month.

You could say in German:

  • Am Ende des Monats wird das Geld knapp.

This emphasizes the process of becoming tight a bit more. But for a regular, repeated situation, ist is very normal and sounds less “dramatic” than wird, just like stating a recurring fact.