Nina Schmidt ~ Vancouver German and Spanish Lessons

Tag: Vancouver

Grammar Tips: Stem Changing Verbs

A number of verbs in the Spanish language undergo a stem change in the present tense form. There are three categories of stem changing verbs and dozens of verbs in each of the three categories. These verbs must be memorized individually. Below are examples of each.

1. dormir-to sleep (o-ue)

duermo                  dormimos*                  *note: ‘nosotros’ is not changed

duermes                  x

duerme                  duermen

Other verbs that have the same change include:

volver -to return, encontrar-to find, poder-to be able to, recordar- to remember

*There is one unique verb in the Spanish language ‘jugar’ which means to play games and sports. This is the only verb which undergoes a u-ue stem change. For example, Yo juego al golf.

2. querer-to want, to like, to love (e-ie)

quiero                           queremos

quieres x

quiere                           quieren

Other verbs that have the same change include:

pensar (en) -to think (about), comenzar (a)-to begin (to) , cerrar- to close, entender- to understand

3. pedir-to ask for, to request (e-i)

pido                           pedimos

pides                           x

pide                           piden

Other verbs that have the same change include:

servir-to serve, repetir-to repeat

June 25, 2013
Grammar Tips: The German Case System Explained

Every language has some way of showing the function of nouns and pronouns within a given sentence. Some languages, such as modern English, rely heavily on word order and prepositions whereas other languages rely on declensions. Declensions are the changes that occur to the endings of articles, pronouns, possessives, adjectives, nouns etc. to show their function in a given sentence. (Changes that occur to verbs are called conjugations).

Declensions in Modern English

Modern English has retained declensions mostly in pronouns only. Look what happens to the word “he” as it goes through its three manifestations for English as its function in the sentence changes from subject, to object to possessive.

1. He is a pilot. ‘He’ as subject-the person/thing doing the action

2. I see him. ‘Him’ as object-the person/thing receiving the action

3. His friend is here. ‘His’ showing possession

Declensions in Modern German

German features one extra case to distinguish direct from indirect objects. Indirect objects receive an action indirectly; it shows to/for whom something is done. English relies on word order or prepositions to make this distinction.

Therefore, German has four cases in total each of which has been given a Latin name: subject = nominative case, direct object = accusative case, indirect object = dative case, possessive = genitive case.

1. Er ist Pilot. ‘Er’ as subject of the sentence. = nominative

2. Ich sehe ihn. ‘Ihn’ as direct object = accusative

3. Ich gebe es ihm. ‘Ihm’ as indirect object = dative

4. Das Ei des Mannes. ‘Des Mannes’ as the possessor = genitive

The advantage of the case system found in German is more flexibility with word order:

Ich sehe ihn./Ihn sehe ich. = I see him.

Objects of Prepositions:

In German, nouns and pronouns can also become objects of specific prepositions forcing them into the accusative, dative or genitive case (the nominative does not have any prepositions) depending upon the preposition used. One must memorize with which case each of the prepositions is associated.

1. Ich lebe ohne einen Hund. = Accusative

2. Ich lebe mit einem Hund. = Dative

List of Prepositions by Case:

Accusative

durch (through), entlang (along), ohne (without), um (around, at), gegen (against), für (for)

Dative

aus (from), ausser (except), bei (at, near), mit (with), nach (after), seit (since, for), von (from, by), zu (to), gegenüber (across from)

Two-Way

These prepositions may be used with either the accusative or the dative case. The accusative is used if there is motion from point A to B whereas the dative is used if there is no motion, or motion within a restricted area i.e. pacing back and forth.

in (into, in), über (over, above), an (to, onto, on), unter (under, below), auf (onto, on), vor (in front of), hinter (behind), zwischen (between), neben (next to)

Genitive

trotz (despite), während (during), wegen (because of), (an)statt (instead of)

May 27, 2013
Grammar Tips: Spanish Compound Nouns

Spanish and English generally do not create compound nouns in the same way. Examples of compound nouns in English include: open-heart, breakwater, basketball. English features adjective + noun (blackboard), verb + noun (breakwater) or noun + noun (football) combinations. English also frequently hyphenates words. The Spanish language has few hyphenated words as generally they are only used in cases of adjective + adjective or noun + noun combinations in which both elements are of equal importance, as in relaciones sino-estadounidenses (Chinese-US relations).

To avoid the use of hyphens, Spanish often uses phrases in place of single words, such tigre que come hombres (man-eating tiger). For the majority of its translations for the equivalent of English compound nouns, Spanish relies on the preposition ‘de’ to function as a bridge between words, such as the following word for iceberg: la montaña de hielo (que flota en los mares del norte) = the mountain of ice (that floats in the seas of the North).

Specially constructed compound nouns

An interesting subcategory of compound nouns in Spanish exists in which the third person singular of the present tense of the verb is coupled with a plural noun. These nouns are nearly always masculine in gender and form the plural by simply changing the article. As in the word for can opener, singular: el abrelatas, plural: los abrelatas. Some of these specially designed compounds are for items around the house, tools and parts of the car while others are more figurative and even humorous. Here is a sampling:

abrelatas — can opener (it opens cans)

calentalibros — bookworm (he/she warms books)

comecocos — something that confuses or brainwashes (it eats coconuts)

cuidaniños — babysitter (he/she cares for children)

cumpleaños — birthday (it fulfills years)

espantapájaros — scarecrow (it scares birds)

lavaplatos — dishwasher (it washes dishes)

matafuegos — fire extinguisher (it kills fires)

matasanos — medical quack (he/she kills healthy people)

parabrisas — windshield (it stops breezes)

parachoques — bumper (it stops crashes)

paraguas* — umbrella (it stops water) *the extra ‘a’ has been dropped

picapleitos — shyster lawyer (he/she encourages lawsuits)

quitamotas — flatterer (he/she removes defects)

quitasol — sunshade (it removes the sun)

rascacielos — skyscraper (it scratches skies)

rompecabezas — puzzle (it breaks heads)

salvavidas — lifeguard, various safety devices (it saves lives)

tragamonedas — slot machine, vending machine (it swallows coins)

April 18, 2013
Grammar Tips: German Compound Nouns

One unique feature of the German language is its ability to create extremely long compound nouns. While this can seem daunting at first, it’s simply a matter of breaking down the noun into its component parts to understand its meaning. For example, Busfahrerin (Bus + fahrer + in). The first word here shows the mode of transport, the second the action (fahren = to drive), and finally the female suffix (-in) shows the gender of the driver.

German compound nouns can take one of numerous formats:

1. nouns only: der Milchmann

2. adjective + noun: die Großmutter

3. verb stem + noun: die Waschmaschine

4. Preposition + noun: die Vorlesung

Learning to interpret compound nouns:

Here is an example of a long compound noun in German:

das Fussballweltmeisterschaftsqualifikationsspiel

1. To start, it’s helpful to break up the word into its component parts:

das Fuss-ball-welt-meister-schaft-s*-qualifikations-spiel (*sometimes an extra letter is inserted for ease of pronunciation)

2. Now let us translate the independent parts:

foot-ball-world-master-ship-qualification-game

3. Now let us translate into English:

World Cup soccer qualifying game!

4. Now try to translate the following compound nouns into English:

die Blumentopferde

die Gutenachtgeschichte

die Rufnummernanzeige

der Organspenderausweis

March 5, 2013
Grammar Tips: Special Expressions with ‘to have’

Certain common expressions in both Spanish and German use the verb ‘to have’. Below is a list of common expressions in which Spanish and German function in this manner. As these expressions do not always translate literally into English, they are best memorized.

Spanish expressions with the verb ‘tener’

1. To ask how old someone is you say:

¿Cuántos años tienes? – -> How many years do you have?

Tengo 20 años. – -> I have 20 years.

2. To talk about pain in the body you say:

¿Tienes dolor de cabeza? – -> Do you have pain of head?

3. To talk about sensations:

¿Tienes frío/hambre? – -> Do you have cold/hunger?

4. Idiomatic expressions:

tener miedo de . . . . . . – -> to have fear of . . . . . .

tener interés en . . . . . . – -> to have interest in . . . . . .

tener ganas de . . . . . . – -> to feel like  . . . . . .

tener razón – -> to be correct

tener prisa – -> to be in a hurry

tener celos – -> to be jealous

tener éxito – -> to be successful

tener suerte – -> to be lucky

tener lugar – -> to take place

tener que – -> to have to

German expressions with the verb ‘haben’

1. To talk about pain in the body you say:

¿Hast du Kopfschmerzen? – -> Do you have a headache?

2. To talk about sensations:

¿Hast du Hunger/Durst? – -> Do you have hunger/thirst?

3. Idiomatic expressions:

haben Angst vor . . . . . . – -> to have fear of . . . . . .

haben Lust auf . . . . . . – -> to feel like  . . . . . .

haben Interesse an . . . . . . – -> to have interest in . . . . . .

Recht haben – -> to be correct

Eile haben – -> to be in a hurry

Heimweh haben   – -> to be homesick

Glück haben – -> to be lucky

January 29, 2013
Cultural Corner: Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead or El día de los muertos is a Mexican national holiday celebrated every year on the first two days of November. On these dates Mexicans remember family members and friends who have passed away. Modern practices are a blend of pre-Columbian beliefs and the Catholic observance of All Souls’ Day. While the Day of the Dead is also observed in other Hispanic countries, here we will focus on Mexican traditions.

In Mexican culture, death is accepted as part of life. The Day of the Dead is seen as not only a chance to reconnect with lost loved ones, but also for the living to make fun of death and celebrate having lived through another year. Rather than a somber tone, this holiday has the air of a celebration with people telling humorous anecdotes about the deceased and perhaps even singing or reciting their favorite songs, poems or jokes.

Commonly, families go together to cemeteries to visit with the souls of the departed. Upon arrival, they clean the grave and build altars on the tombs or tumbas. This altar includes many offerings or ofrendas such as the favourite foods and beverages of the deceased, family photos, votive candles, incense or copal and flowers, particularly Mexican marigolds. In the case of children, small toys and candies are given. The hope is that these items will attract the missing souls back for a short time so that they may enjoy time with them once again. In some areas of Mexico, people even spend the night at the cemetery and set out an extra pillow and blanket for the departed.

Alters are also commonly built in people’s homes, schools and workplaces. Symbols of Christianity, such as the cross or photos of the Virgin Mary, are also sometimes incorporated. Families spend weeks every year constructing these colourful alters, to view some click here. The most common symbol of the Day of the Dead is the skull. Bakeries compete to see who can make the most popular pure sugar treat in the shape of a small skull called a calaverita. Symbols associated with the Day of the Dead are present in Mexican culture throughout the year as they are seen to bring good luck. Similar celebrations are found in other countries of Latin America, and even within Mexico there are regional differences in customs of observance. For ideas on how to celebrate El día de los muertos in Vancouver check out this link.

October 24, 2012
Grammar Tips: Muy vs. Mucho and Bueno vs. Bien

Many students struggle with the differences between muy/mucho and bueno/bien. At least part of the blame lies in English, as its speakers have come to use adjectives as adverbs in everyday speech. For example:

Question: “How are you?” Answer: “I’m good, thanks.”

When asking how someone is doing you are asking for their state of being. Therefore an adverb should be used in the answer as it is modifying the verb ‘to be.’ However, in English we generally respond using an adjective. The same exchange in Spanish is as follows:

Question: “¿Cómo estás?” Answer: “Estoy bien, gracias.”

Spanish requires the speaker to be more sensitive to the uses of adjectives and adverbs. By internalizing the rules below you’ll be speaking proper Spanish in no time and perhaps your English will improve as well!

Muy and Mucho

1. Muy is an adverb and invariable in form. It translates into English as very.

Example: Es muy coloroso.

2. Mucho can function as an adverb or limiting adjective. When functioning as an adverb it translates into English as a lot/ much and appears after the verb it modifies, unchanged in form.

Example: Hablo mucho.

When used as an adjective, mucho translates into English as a lot (of)/many and appears before the noun and must agree in both number and gender: mucho/a (s)

Example: Tengo muchos amigos.

You try: fill in the blanks with the correct form of muy or mucho.

1. Ellas hablan ………… rápido.

2. Ella corre ………… .

3. Ellos tienen ………… problemas.

4. Roberto cocina ………… bien.

5. Estamos ………… tristes.

Bueno and Bien

1. Bien is an adverb and invariable in form. It translates into English as well.

Example: Estoy bien.

2. Bueno is an adjective that can appear before or after the noun and must agree in both number and gender: bueno/a (s). It translates into English as good.

Example: Son buenas muchachas.

When placed before a masculine singular noun it drops the final ‘o’.

Example: Es buen hombre.

You try: fill in the blanks with the correct form of ‘bueno’ or ‘bien’.

1. La familia está ………… .

2. ¡Qué ………… día!

3. Somos muy ………… amigos.

4. Manuela baila ………… .

5. Es una ………… mujer.

September 17, 2012
Cultural Corner: La quinceañera

When a girl turns fifteen years old in many parts of Latin America her family throws her a special birthday party. Both the girl and the party may be referred to la quinceañera. This term comes from the number fifteen in Spanish which is quince. This age traditionally signified when a girl turned into a young woman. The closest equivalent in North American culture would be a debutantes ball.

The celebration begins with a church mass, or misa, in which the young woman is accompanied by her family and fourteen friends coupled off into seven pairs. These friends represent the first fourteen years of her life. The girls are referred to as damas and their male chaperones are known as chambelanes. They may be friends, classmates or even cousins. Everyone is dressed in their finest and the birthday girl generally wears a white, pink or pastel ballgown and a crown or tiara. During the church ceremony, the priest recites prayers and discusses the talents and honors of the girl and presents her with a bouquet of flowers.

After the mass, there is a large fiesta generally held at a banquet hall. Daughters of well-to-do parents are often presented with ostentatious gifts and their quinceañera may even take place in a lavish setting such as a cruise ship. The celebration follows a set formula with rounds of speeches, toasts, gift presentations, meals and dances. The highlight of the event is a formal waltz or vals for which the teenagers have been practicing diligently for weeks. The birthday girl waltzes first with her father and then her escort. Choreographed dancing involving numerous couples is also common. To see a video of a quinceañera waltz click here. After the formal dances are over a modern dance party carries on late into the night.

In 2006, an independent American filmmaker made a low-budget film titled La quinceañera about a second-generation Mexican family planning for the daughter’s 15th birthday party. The film is in a mix of Spanish and English with subtitles. I enjoyed this film for its natural feel and controversial subject matter. View the trailer here. I have this title and 35 others in my video library for the use of my students.

August 22, 2012
Cultural Corner: German Etiquette

Part of learning a new language is also learning the culture that surrounds it. Here we will focus on German cultural norms surrounding meeting, greeting and addressing people in various situations. Keep in mind that the following are generalizations and there are always exceptions to the rule.

Making Plans

One of the things that will strike you most about German culture is a near obsession with planning. (I admit I have inherited this Germanic quality). Germans in general are a forward thinking society that finds a sense of security in knowing when and where they will be and what they will be doing at any given time. Plans are often made well in advance and canceling out on someone is considered very poor form, especially at the last minute. Similarly, punctuality is key. Arriving right on time is best and being anything later than 15 minutes requires you to notify the person waiting for you that you are on your way and have a good excuse for your tardiness!

Addressing People

Although things are relaxing with the younger generations, Germans are still more formal when addressing people than are North Americans. A good rule of thumb is to stick with the formal form of address, Sie, when meeting another adult for the first time as the informal form of address, du, is generally reserved for people on a first name basis such as close friends, classmates and family members. If someone wishes to be on an informal basis with you they will let you know. If you wish to initiate being on a first name basis, you can ask politely “Können wir einander dutzen?“, literally, “Can we use the du form with one another?”

When greeting people, a firm handshake and eye contact are employed, even when addressing children. If you are in a business setting, keep in mind that small talk is kept to a minimum. It is not as important to build a rapport with someone when doing business in Germany, as Germans base their business decisions on someone’s expertise and experience rather than if their sons are in the same peewee league. In a work setting it is common to use Herr (Mr.) or Frau (Mrs.), and a surname rather than first names. If someone has another title, such as Dr. people use that as well, as education is highly valued in German society.

In some German-speaking areas such as southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland it is common to exchange hugs and a kiss on one or both cheeks when greeting someone you already know, especially close friends and family. Finally, when taking leave of people at a gathering it is polite to say goodbye to everyone individually with some sort of physical contact or at the very least a wave.

Here is a series of short and entertaining video podcasts titled “The Truth about Germany” which further explores German culture.

August 14, 2012
Book Review: The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language

I just finished reading The Power of Babel by John McWhorter. McWhorter is an American linguistics professor who has written many interesting books on various linguistic topics. As an African-American, he has a special interest in black American English and has written many books on the topic. The Power of Babel however is a general treatment on the history of the languages of the world. It is written for both linguists and laypeople alike and the author uses specific examples from wide reaching languages to show the amazing variety and complexity of human speech.

Of particular interest to me was the second chapter titled The 6000 Languages Develop into Clusters of Sublanguages. This chapter includes a treatment of the German language. With good humor the author explains how hard it was for him at times to communicate with German-speaking people in certain regions of Germany, even after having studied standard German for a number of years. This is due to the deep variance found between regional dialects and standard German or Hoch Deutsch. He includes humorous examples of the comic strip Asterix and Obelix to demonstrate his point. McWhorter makes the interesting argument that what is considered the standard form of a given language is somewhat arbitrary as someone unfamiliar with that language would not be able to distinguish between various dialects and what is accepted to be the standard form.

Another interesting topic of this book is language complexity. The overarching theme is that the more isolated a language is, the less speakers it has, and without the standardization writing brings, certain languages have developed to the point where it takes children until age 10 to be able to communicate in it on a basic level. These kind of complexities are hard to imagine for those of us whose primary language is one of the world’s top 20 languages. The author specifically references Luo, a language of Kenya. It has over millennia developed an entirely different plural form of each noun! For example, singular for the word man is bawo and the plural men is bape. Another language, this time a Native American language, Pomo, uses prefixes to demonstrate remarkable precision. For example, da-represents “by pushing with the palm” and therefore dayol means “to fold in dry ingredients!”

In sum, for an interesting read on linguistics without the dryness sometimes found when reading on this topic I highly recommend The Power of Babel by John McWhorter. Another work of his entitled What Language is and What it Isn’t and What it Could be is also a great read. If you have any book recommendations on languages, linguistics or related topics please comment below.

July 31, 2012