In German, we often form the compound nouns: assemble two single words into a new, longer word.
Here are the main rules you need to know about forming compound nouns.
Types of Compound Nouns
Rule 1: There are several ways to create a compound noun in German. You can use the following types of speech:
- noun + noun
German
English
das Schlafzimmer
the bedroom
- verb stem + noun
German
English
das Fahrrad
the bicycle
- adjective + noun
German
English
das Hochwasser
the flooding
- adverb + noun
German
English
die Linkskurve
the left turn
- preposition + noun
German
English
der Vorort
suburb
- preposition + verb
German
English
runterspringen
to jump down
- adjective + adjective
German
English
schwarzrotgold
black-red-gold (the colors of the German flag)
Rule 2: As you can see, the last part of the compound noun always determines the gender and the number of the whole word.
Forming Compound Nouns
Rule 3: We can create compound nouns using three ways:
- Putting two words together
German
English
der Altbau
old + building = old building
- Using a connecting element between the two words
German
English
das Nummernschild
the number + the plate = the number plate
das Lieblingsessen
favorite + food = favorite food
- Using the verb in the first part of the word - in that case, we leave out the last syllable of the verb
German
English
die Malfarbe
to paint + the color = the paint color