Verbs and Adjectives Becoming Nouns

In German, it is possible for verbs to be transformed into nouns by adding the definite article "das" in front of the verb's infinitive form. This process is known as nominalization, and the resulting noun represents the action or process described by the verb.

For example, the verb "backen" means "to bake," but when "das" is added to the front, it becomes:

Verbs Becoming Nouns (das Backen, das Sonnen)

You can turn verbs into nouns. When they are used as nouns, they are capitalized. These nominalized verbs are formed from the infinitive and are always neuter (das).

They usually correspond to the gerund (-ing) form in English.

Adjectives Becoming Nouns (ein Fremder, der Schöne)

You can also turn adjectives into nouns. This is done when it's obvious what noun we mean, so we can leave it out without confusion.

Some masculine and feminine nouns that designate people are sometimes formed from adjectives or participles used as adjectives.

Neuter nouns formed from adjectives refer to ideas, concepts, or abstractions:

Note: adjective nouns are always capitalized and take the same endings that they would have as adjectives.