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Im Onlinelexikon finde ich heute schnell die Bedeutung von diesem Wort.

Im Onlinelexikon finde ich heute schnell die Bedeutung von diesem Wort.
In the online dictionary I quickly find the meaning of this word today.
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Questions & Answers about Im Onlinelexikon finde ich heute schnell die Bedeutung von diesem Wort.

Why is it “Im Onlinelexikon” and not “In dem Onlinelexikon”?

“Im” is just the contracted form of “in dem”.

  • in
    • dem (dative, neuter singular) → im

So:

  • Im Onlinelexikon = In dem Onlinelexikon = in the online dictionary

This kind of contraction is very common and usually preferred in spoken and written German:

  • an + dem → am (am Tisch)
  • zu + der → zur (zur Schule)
  • zu + dem → zum (zum Arzt)

You could say “In dem Onlinelexikon”, but it sounds a bit heavier and is usually only used if you want to stress dem (for example, to contrast this dictionary with another one).

Why does the sentence start with “Im Onlinelexikon” instead of “Ich”? Is that allowed?

Yes, that’s completely normal in German. German main clauses obey the verb-second (V2) rule:

  • The finite verb (here: finde) must be in second position.
  • First position can be almost any one element: subject, time phrase, place phrase, object, etc.

So both are correct:

  • Im Onlinelexikon finde ich heute schnell die Bedeutung von diesem Wort.
  • Ich finde heute im Onlinelexikon schnell die Bedeutung von diesem Wort.

In the first version, the place (Im Onlinelexikon) is emphasized: In the online dictionary, I (do this).
In the second, Ich is neutral/default and the sentence sounds more like a simple statement with no special emphasis.

What you cannot say is:

  • ✗ Im Onlinelexikon ich finde heute schnell … (verb is not in second position)
Why does the verb “finde” come right after “Im Onlinelexikon”?

Because of the V2 rule in German:

  1. First position: Im Onlinelexikon (a prepositional phrase = 1 element)
  2. Second position: finde (finite verb)
  3. The rest (subject, adverbs, objects, etc.) goes after the verb: ich heute schnell die Bedeutung von diesem Wort

So the structure is:

  • [Im Onlinelexikon] [finde] [ich heute schnell die Bedeutung von diesem Wort].
  • [Field 1] [Verb] [“middle field” with everything else]

You can move different parts into the first field for emphasis, but the finite verb must stay second.

What is the rule for the order of “heute” and “schnell”? Could I say “schnell heute” instead?

General guideline in German: in the “middle field” (between verb and final elements), adverbials often follow a rough order:

Time – Manner – Place (TMP)

In the sentence:

  • heute = time
  • schnell = manner (how)

So “heute schnell” matches this pattern: time → manner.

  • Im Onlinelexikon finde ich heute schnell die Bedeutung von diesem Wort. ✅ (very natural)

“… finde ich schnell heute …” is possible but sounds marked or unusual in neutral speech. It might be used for special emphasis, but you would rarely choose this word order as a learner.

So, as a safe rule of thumb:
Put time adverbs like heute before manner adverbs like schnell.

Why is it “von diesem Wort” and not “von dieses Wort”?

Because the preposition von takes the dative case in modern standard German.

  • von
    • dative → “from / of”

Wort is neuter, so the dative forms are:

  • definite article: dem Wort
  • demonstrative: diesem Wort

So:

  • von diesem Wort = of this word / from this word (dative neuter singular)

“von dieses Wort” would incorrectly mix von (which needs dative) with dieses (genitive/accusative form). The correct endings of dies- (singular) are:

  • Nominative: dieses Wort
  • Accusative: dieses Wort
  • Dative: diesem Wort
  • Genitive: dieses Wortes / dieses Worts
Could I say “die Bedeutung dieses Wortes” instead of “die Bedeutung von diesem Wort”? Is there a difference?

Yes, you can say that, and it’s very natural:

  • die Bedeutung von diesem Wort
  • die Bedeutung dieses Wortes / dieses Worts

Both mean essentially the same: the meaning of this word.

Nuance:

  • Genitive construction (die Bedeutung dieses Wortes/Worts)

    • Sounds a bit more compact and often a bit more formal/written.
    • Common in books, articles, and careful writing.

  • von + dative (die Bedeutung von diesem Wort)

    • Common in everyday speech and also fine in writing.
    • Slightly more conversational.

For most contexts, both are acceptable. If you want more formal written German, prefer the genitive: “die Bedeutung dieses Wortes”.

Is “von diesem Wort” dative or genitive?

It is dative.

  • The preposition von always takes the dative in standard modern German.
  • diesem Wort is dative neuter singular.

German used to use more genitive, and sometimes you see “von” used in ways that feel “genitive-like” in meaning, but grammatically it’s still von + dative, not genitive.

So:

  • die Bedeutung dieses Wortes → genitive without preposition
  • die Bedeutung von diesem Wort → preposition von
    • dative
Why is “Onlinelexikon” one word and why is it capitalized?

In German:

  1. Nouns are always capitalized.

    • Onlinelexikon names a thing (a dictionary), so it’s a noun → capitalized.

  2. German likes to create compound nouns by gluing words together.

    • Online
      • Lexikon → Onlinelexikon

Spelling variants:

  • Onlinelexikon
  • Online-Lexikon

Both are accepted; the version without hyphen is very typical in German compounds.

The gender comes from Lexikon:

  • das Lexikon → das Onlinelexikon
  • Dative singular: dem Onlinelexikon → im Onlinelexikon
What tense and person is “finde”, and how is “finden” conjugated?

“finde” is:

  • Present tense
  • Indicative mood
  • 1st person singular

So “ich finde” = I find / I am finding.

Conjugation of finden (present tense):

  • ich finde
  • du findest
  • er/sie/es findet
  • wir finden
  • ihr findet
  • sie/Sie finden

In your sentence:

  • Ich finde heute schnell … → I quickly find … today.
Can I move “schnell” to other positions in the sentence? Does the meaning change?

You can move “schnell”, but word order affects emphasis and sometimes naturalness.

Some common variants:

  1. Im Onlinelexikon finde ich heute schnell die Bedeutung von diesem Wort.

    • Neutral; schnell is an adverb in the middle field, modifying finde.

  2. Im Onlinelexikon finde ich schnell heute die Bedeutung von diesem Wort.

    • Unusual in neutral speech; sounds marked, as if you’re stressing today in a special way.

  3. Im Onlinelexikon finde ich die Bedeutung von diesem Wort heute schnell.

    • Also possible, but the focus shifts slightly; heute schnell at the end can sound like a stressed comment (“today quickly”).

  4. Ich finde heute im Onlinelexikon schnell die Bedeutung von diesem Wort.

    • Also natural; subject-first, then time, place, manner.

The basic meaning (that the act of finding is fast) stays the same, but the focus and rhythm change.
As a learner, stick with:

  • Subject or time/place in first position
  • Verb in second
  • Then heute (time) before schnell (manner) in the middle field.