German · A2 · Family moment
Our little seed corner in German
Create a cosy growing corner and talk about where seeds, plants and gardening things are. Use in, auf, neben and unter with the dative to describe stationary locations.
What you'll learn
- Describe where seeds, seedlings and gardening things are.
- Use dem with masculine and neuter location nouns, and der with feminine location nouns.
- Recognise im as the short form of in dem.
- Ask where something is using familiar location phrases.
German phrases for our little seed corner
Die Samen sind im kleinen Topf.
The seeds are in the little pot.
Im means in dem. The pot is the location.
Unsere Pflanze steht auf der Fensterbank.
Our plant is on the windowsill.
Auf der Fensterbank describes where the plant stands.
Die Gießkanne steht unter dem Tisch.
The watering can is under the table.
Use unter dem Tisch for this stationary location.
Steht das Tablett neben dem Fenster?
Is the tray next to the window?
Neben dem Fenster means next to the window.
Im Eimer ist etwas Erde.
There is some soil in the bucket.
Im Eimer means in dem Eimer.
Die Pflanze hat ein winziges Blatt.
A tiny leaf is on the plant.
German naturally expresses a leaf growing on a plant as: The plant has a tiny leaf.
Der größere Topf steht neben der Tür.
The bigger pot is next to the door.
Neben der Tür describes the pot's location.
Unsere Setzlinge stehen in der Sonne.
Our seedlings are in the sunshine.
In der Sonne is the natural German expression for in the sunshine.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
der Samen, die Samen
seed
The singular and plural forms look the same.
der Topf, die Töpfe
pot
Here, a pot for growing plants.
die Pflanze, die Pflanzen
plant
die Fensterbank, die Fensterbänke
windowsill
die Gießkanne, die Gießkannen
watering can
der Tisch, die Tische
table
das Tablett, die Tabletts
tray
das Fenster, die Fenster
window
die Erde
soil
Normally used without a plural in this meaning.
der Eimer, die Eimer
bucket
das Blatt, die Blätter
leaf
die Tür, die Türen
door
der Setzling, die Setzlinge
seedling; young plant
A young plant ready to be planted or grown on.
die Sonne, die Sonnen
sun
In der Sonne means in the sun or sunshine. Usually singular in everyday use.
Stationary locations: where is it?
Use the dative after in, auf, neben and unter when describing where something is. These phrases answer Wo? (Where?). The location can be expressed with ist or sind, or with steht or stehen for things standing in a place.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| in | in + dative | Die Samen sind im Topf. — The seeds are in the pot. |
| on | auf + dative | Die Pflanze steht auf der Fensterbank. — The plant is on the windowsill. |
| next to | neben + dative | Der Topf steht neben der Tür. — The pot is next to the door. |
| under | unter + dative | Die Gießkanne steht unter dem Tisch. — The watering can is under the table. |
Choosing dem or der
Choose the article to match the noun naming the location, not the thing located there. Masculine der and neuter das become dem; feminine die becomes der.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine location | der Tisch → dem Tisch | unter dem Tisch — under the table |
| Neuter location | das Fenster → dem Fenster | neben dem Fenster — next to the window |
| Feminine location | die Fensterbank → der Fensterbank | auf der Fensterbank — on the windowsill |
The everyday short form im
In dem is usually shortened to im. In der stays as two words.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| In dem becomes im | in dem → im | im Eimer — in the bucket |
| In der stays unchanged | in der | in der Sonne — in the sunshine |
More examples
Wo steht die Gießkanne? — Unter dem Tisch.
Where is the watering can? — Under the table.
The answer gives a stationary location.
Die Samen sind auf dem Tablett.
The seeds are on the tray.
Das Tablett becomes dem Tablett after auf for a location.
Der Eimer steht neben der Gießkanne.
The bucket is next to the watering can.
Der matches the feminine location noun Gießkanne, not Eimer.
Die Setzlinge sind im Topf.
The seedlings are in the pot.
Use im because the location noun is der Topf, even though there are several seedlings.