If I want to say: "A man opened the door" in German, should I say?
---> Ein Mann die Tür öffnete
OR
---> Ein Mann öffnete die Tür
---> Ein Mann die Tür öffnete
OR
---> Ein Mann öffnete die Tür
A man opened the door
- Thread starter Abder-Rahman
- Start date
Ein Mann öffnete die Tür.
The standard German word worder is subject-verb-object. This just changes in a subclause, e.g. "Ich sah einen Mann, der die Tür öffnete.If I want to say: "A man opened the door" in German, should I say?
---> Ein Mann die Tür öffnete
OR
---> Ein Mann öffnete die Tür
Vielen Dank.
A subclause (in German Nebensatz) is a part of a sentence which cannot stand on its own.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebensatz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependent_clause
The commonly used terms in English are "dependent clause" and "subordinate clause."
Vielen Dank.
Ein Mann hat die Tür geöffnet.
How much does this sentence change from the one with imperfect?
How much does this sentence change from the one with imperfect?
In a nutshell: For many if not most native speakers not much.
The question of the equivalence of Perfekt and Präteritum in German has been dicussed extensively here.
Moderator note:
If you have questions or comments concerning the usage of Perfekt and Präteritum in general, please continue the discussion in the above mentioned thread.
This form is not wrong but old fashioned or poetic.
How would this old fashioned construction work with a separable verb?
"Ein Mann machte die Tür auf"
"Ein Mann die Tür aufmachte" ??????
or
"Ein Mann die Tür machte auf" ??????
Thanks.
"Ein Mann machte die Tür auf"
"Ein Mann die Tür aufmachte" ??????
or
"Ein Mann die Tür machte auf" ??????
Thanks.