Recently, someone asked me a question about the usage of “zum”.

But there are more prepositions of place in German that work exactly like “zu” = preposition of place “to”; an = prep. of place “at” / “by”; in = prep. of place “in” / “into”

The general rule is: You can contract the preposition with the following direct article. The direct article is either “der” (feminine, dative) or “dem” (masculine and neuter, dative) or “die” (feminine, accusative), “den” (masculine, accusative) or “das” (masculine, accusative).

German prepositions trigger certain cases. The ones in the subject line either trigger the dative or the accusative.

zu + definite article “der” (fem., dative) -> zur

zu + def. article “dem” (masc./neut., dat.) -> zum

an + def. art. “dem” (masc./neut., dat.) -> am

an + def. art. “das” (neut., acc.) -> ans

in + def. art. “dem” (masc./neut., dat.) -> im

in + def. art. “das” (neut., acc.) -> ins

Jeez! This must have been confusing! :-O

To review the basic rules how to form the comparative and superlative in German read this post :)

Here’s now a list of irregular forms, which you have to learn by heart. Fortunately there aren’t too many ;)

gut - besser - am besten = good - better - best

viel - mehr - am meisten = much - more - most

bald - eher - am ehesten = soon - sooner - soonest

gern - lieber - am liebsten = gladly - more gladly - most gladly

nah - näher - am nächsten = near - nearer - nearest

hoch - höher - am höchsten = high - higher - highest

So ein (masculine)….! = What a….!

1.) Idiot

2.) Depp (yes - Johnny Depp translates to Johnny Dork LOL)

3.) Trottel

4.) Hohlkopf (literal: empty head)

5.) Quatschkopf (literal: nonsense head)

6.) Schwachkopf (literal: weak head)

7.) Vollpfosten

8.) Blödmann

9.) Dummkopf

10.) Volltrottel

1.) die Toilette

2.) das Klo

3.) der Topf (literal: pot)

4.) das (stille) Örtchen (literal: (silent) little place)

5.) der Thron (literal: throne)

6.) der Lokus

7.) die Pipibox (literal: pee box)

8.) das WC

9.) das Scheißhaus (vul.) (literal: shit house)

10.) der Kackstuhl (vul.) (literal: shit chair)

Du bist…. [‘du: ‘bist] = You’re…

1.) schön [‘ʃø:n]

2.) wunderschön

3.) bildschön

4.) hübsch [‘hʏpʃ]

5.) bildhübsch

EDIT: Some of you asked me to explain the pronunciation of these words. As you can see, I’ve already added phonetic transcriptions in the [] brackets for “du bist”, “schön” and “hübsch” to help you understand the pronunciation.

Maybe you have problems with “bild-” and “wunder-“. Here’s how you pronounce those two:

[‘bilt] [‘vundɐ] - now you just have to combinate the phonetic transcriptions. e.g.

wunderschön = [‘vundɐʃø:n] (sounds like “voondashain”)

bildhübsch = [‘bilthʏpʃ] (sounds like “bilthuepsh”) (ü like in the French word rue)

I hope this is a bit clearer now :)

1.) von Zeit zu Zeit = from time to time
2.) kommt Zeit kommt Rat = time will tell
3.) in letzter Zeit = lately
4.) Zeit ist Geld = time is money
5.) die Zeit vergeht wie im Fluge = time flies
6.) mit der Zeit = over the years
7.) Alles zu seiner Zeit! = All in good time!
8.) Ach du liebe Zeit! = Dear me!
9.) eine Frage der Zeit = a matter of time
10.) Die Zeit ist um. = Time is up.

Prepositions of time:

bis = until

nach = after

seit = since; for

um = at

vor = before; ago

während = during

Prepositions of place:

auf = on

aus = out of

bei = at; near

durch = through

hinter = behind

in = in; inside

in der Nähe von = near / close to

neben = next to

vor = in front of

über = over

unter = under; below

zwischen = between

An anomynous reader has recently asked me to provide some basic religious / Christian vocabulary. So here’s a small list.

1.) die Wiederauferstehung = resurrection

2.) die Messe (-n) = mass

3.) das Kreuz Christi = the Cross

4.) die Kreuzigung = cruxifiction

5.) Christi Geburt = Nativity

6.) das Gebet (-e) = prayer

7.) beten (reg.) = (to) pray

8.) predigen (reg.) = (to) preach

9.) der Pfarrer (“) / Priester (“) = pastor / priest

10.) der Papst = the Pope