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Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung im Verein ist kostenlos.

Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung im Verein ist kostenlos.
Our homework supervision at the club is free of charge.
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Questions & Answers about Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung im Verein ist kostenlos.

Why is it unsere and not unser or unseren?

Unsere is the possessive determiner unser- declined for feminine, singular, nominative.

  • The noun Hausaufgabenbetreuung is feminine and singular.
  • In this sentence it is the subject, so it’s in the nominative case.

Feminine singular nominative with unser- takes the ending -e → unsere.

You would get, for example:

  • Nominative: Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung ist kostenlos.
  • Dative: Mit *unserer Hausaufgabenbetreuung sind viele Eltern zufrieden.*
What gender and number is Hausaufgabenbetreuung, and how do you know?

Hausaufgabenbetreuung is feminine singular.

In German compounds, the last part decides the gender:

  • Betreuung (care, supervision) → die Betreuung (feminine)
  • So Hausaufgabenbetreuung also becomes die Hausaufgabenbetreuung (feminine).

Even though Hausaufgaben looks plural, the whole compound refers to one type of service, so it’s grammatically singular.

Why is it Hausaufgabenbetreuung with plural Hausaufgaben, not Hausaufgabe?

In many German compounds, the first part appears in the plural even if English would use a singular:

  • Hausaufgaben (homework, literally house works/tasks)
    • Betreuung (care/supervision)
  • → Hausaufgabenbetreuung = supervision/care for doing homework.

The plural Hausaufgaben is the normal word used for school homework, so it naturally appears in the compound. This is just a common pattern rather than a different grammatical rule.

What case is im Verein, and what does im stand for?

Im Verein is dative case.

  • im is the contraction of in dem:
    • in (preposition) + dem (dative singular of der Verein) → im
  • Verein is masculine: der Verein.
  • The preposition in takes dative when it describes a location (where something is), not movement (where something is going).

So im Verein = in dem Verein = in the club/association (dative masculine singular).

Why is the word order Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung im Verein ist kostenlos? Could im Verein go somewhere else?

The main rule in a German main clause is: the conjugated verb is in second position (2nd idea/slot), not necessarily 2nd word.

  • Subject (slot 1): Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung im Verein
  • Verb (slot 2): ist
  • Predicate: kostenlos

You can move im Verein for emphasis:

  • Im Verein ist unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung kostenlos. (emphasis on in the club)
  • Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung ist im Verein kostenlos. (emphasis on where it is free, possibly contrasting with somewhere else)

All of these keep ist in the second position as required.

Is im Verein part of the subject, or is it an extra phrase?

Grammatically, Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung is the subject, and im Verein is a locative adverbial (a phrase giving information about place).

So the structure is:

  • Subject: Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung
  • Adverbial (place): im Verein
  • Verb: ist
  • Predicate adjective: kostenlos
Why is it ist kostenlos and not something like gibt es kostenlos?

German often uses sein + adjective to describe a state or property:

  • ist kostenlos = is free of charge.

Es gibt ... kostenlos would be used differently, more like “there is … for free,” often followed by a noun:

  • Es gibt bei uns eine Hausaufgabenbetreuung kostenlos. (awkward, usually you’d rephrase it)

The natural way to say that a service has no cost is X ist kostenlos.

What is the difference between kostenlos, gratis, and umsonst?

All can mean free of charge, but there are nuances:

  • kostenlos – neutral, standard; very common in written and spoken German.

    • Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung ist kostenlos.

  • gratis – also “free,” often used in advertising or marketing, slightly more informal/“catchy.”

    • Die Beratung ist gratis.

  • umsonst – has two meanings:

    1. for free (free of charge): Ich habe das Buch umsonst bekommen.
    2. in vain / for nothing (wasted effort): Ich habe den ganzen Tag gearbeitet, und es war umsonst.

Because of that second meaning, kostenlos is the safest and clearest in neutral contexts.

Why isn’t there an article before Hausaufgabenbetreuung? Why not die Hausaufgabenbetreuung?

In German, possessive determiners like mein, dein, unser act like articles; you normally don’t use a definite article at the same time.

So you say:

  • unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung, not die unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung.

Compare:

  • die Hausaufgabenbetreuung (the homework supervision)
  • unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung (our homework supervision)
What exactly is a Verein? Is it the same as “club” or “association”?

Verein is usually translated as club, association, or society.

Typical examples:

  • sports clubs
  • music clubs
  • cultural associations
  • non-profit organizations

They are often formally registered (e.g. eingetragener Verein – e.V.).
In this sentence, im Verein implies that the homework support is offered as part of such an organization, not, for example, by a private company.

Could I also say vom Verein instead of im Verein? What would be the difference?

Yes, but the meaning shifts a bit:

  • im Verein – focuses on where the service takes place (inside/within the club).
  • vom Verein – focuses on who provides the service (by the club).

Examples:

  • Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung im Verein ist kostenlos.
    → The homework support that exists within the club environment is free.

  • Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung vom Verein ist kostenlos.
    → The homework support provided by the club is free (possibly in contrast to other providers).

Is Hausaufgabenbetreuung always written as one word?

Yes. In standard German, nouns in compounds are written together as one word:

  • Hausaufgaben
    • Betreuung → Hausaufgabenbetreuung

Writing it as Hausaufgaben Betreuung or Hausaufgaben-Betreuung is non-standard or at best stylistic. The correct dictionary form is Hausaufgabenbetreuung as a single noun.

Is kostenlos an adjective or an adverb here, and does it need any ending?

Kostenlos is an adjective used predicatively (after sein).

  • In predicative position (after sein, werden, bleiben), German adjectives do not take endings:
    • ist kostenlos, ist interessant, ist teuer, etc.

With a noun, in attributive position, you would add endings:

  • eine kostenlose Hausaufgabenbetreuung
  • unsere kostenlose Hausaufgabenbetreuung
What are the other forms of unser with Hausaufgabenbetreuung in different cases?

Since Hausaufgabenbetreuung is feminine singular, unser- declines like this:

  • Nominative:

    • Unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung ist kostenlos. – Our homework supervision is free.

  • Accusative:

    • Wir bieten *unsere Hausaufgabenbetreuung jeden Nachmittag an.* – We offer our homework supervision every afternoon.

  • Dative:

    • Mit *unserer Hausaufgabenbetreuung sind viele Eltern zufrieden.* – Many parents are satisfied with our homework supervision.

  • Genitive:

    • Wegen *unserer Hausaufgabenbetreuung kommen viele Kinder gern.* – Because of our homework supervision many children like to come.
Is Hausaufgabenbetreuung the same as Nachhilfe?

Not exactly, though they can overlap:

  • Hausaufgabenbetreuung – supervised time where children do their homework, often in a group, with someone helping, answering questions, and making sure tasks are done. It’s about support while doing regular homework.

  • Nachhilfe – private or small-group tutoring to improve performance in a subject, often outside of normal homework, focusing on explanations, practice, and catching up.

The sentence suggests that what the club offers is structured homework support, not necessarily full private tuition.