A1 · 初級 チャプター 11

Using Direct Objects

3 トータルルール
30 例文
6 分
このチャプターのルール クイック練習

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of receiving actions with the simple German Accusative case.

  • Identify the direct object receiving an action in a sentence.
  • Apply the 'den' change to masculine nouns.
  • Use indefinite articles 'einen', 'eine', and 'ein' correctly.
Unlock the power of direct objects in German!

学べること

Hey there, German superstar! Ready to take another big step and make your sentences even more complete? In this chapter, we’re diving into a super important topic: the Direct Object or Accusative case in German. Don't worry, the name might sound a little intimidating, but it’s much easier than you think! Here, you'll learn how to clearly state *who* or *what* is receiving the action in a sentence. Imagine wanting to say

I want *the* coffee
or
I have *a* dog
– see how practical that is? The cool part is that only masculine articles, like der and ein, will make a small change, transforming into den and einen. All other genders stay the same for now, making it simpler for you! By mastering these three straightforward rules, you'll be able to pinpoint exactly who or what your verb is acting upon. For instance, when you’re ordering at a restaurant and say,
I want *the* salad,
or telling a friend,
I saw *that* red car.
By the end of this chapter, you’ll be amazed at how easily you can construct meaningful and correct sentences, expressing yourself with much greater clarity. This is a fundamental skill for everyday conversations. Let's crush it!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Correctly use the accusative case to order food and describe possessions.

チャプターガイド

Overview

Hey there, German superstar! Ready to take another big step and make your sentences even more complete? In this chapter, we’re diving into a super important topic for A1 German grammar: the Direct Object or
Accusative case
in German.
Don't worry, the name might sound a little intimidating, but it’s much easier than you think! Understanding the Accusative case is a fundamental skill for everyday conversations and will significantly boost your ability to communicate clearly.
This guide will teach you how to clearly state *who* or *what* is receiving the action in a sentence. Imagine wanting to say
I want *the* coffee
or
I have *a* dog
– see how practical that is? The cool part is that only masculine articles, like
der
and
ein
, will make a small change, transforming into
den
and
einen.
All other genders stay the same for now, making it simpler for you!
This is crucial for building grammatically correct German sentences.
By mastering these straightforward rules for German direct objects, you'll be able to pinpoint exactly who or what your verb is acting upon. For instance, when you’re ordering at a restaurant and say,
I want *the* salad,
or telling a friend,
I saw *that* red car.
By the end of this chapter, you’ll be amazed at how easily you can construct meaningful and correct sentences, expressing yourself with much greater clarity. This is a fundamental skill for A1 German learners.
Let's crush it!

How This Grammar Works

Let's unravel the mystery of German Direct Objects: Who or What? (Akkusativ). In German, just like in English, a direct object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb.
For example, in
I eat an apple,
an apple is the direct object because it's what you're eating. The exciting news is that many verbs in German take a direct object, and when they do, that object is in the Accusative case.
The biggest change you'll notice with the German Accusative: Using 'den', 'die', and 'das' (Akkusativ) comes down to the definite articles. Remember your nominative articles: der (masculine), die (feminine), das (neuter), and die (plural). When these articles are used with a direct object in the Accusative case, only the masculine one changes!
  • Der (masculine) becomes den.
  • Die (feminine) stays die.
  • Das (neuter) stays das.
  • Die (plural) stays die.
Let's see it in action:
  • I see the man. (Masculine)
  • Nominative: Der Mann ist groß. (The man is tall.)
  • Accusative: Ich sehe den Mann. (I see the man.)
  • I drink the water. (Neuter)
  • Nominative: Das Wasser ist kalt. (The water is cold.)
  • Accusative: Ich trinke das Wasser. (I drink the water.)
  • I buy the flower. (Feminine)
  • Nominative: Die Blume ist schön. (The flower is beautiful.)
  • Accusative: Ich kaufe die Blume. (I buy the flower.)
Now, what about indefinite articles? This is covered by German Accusative Articles: a, an (einen, eine, ein). The pattern is very similar!
  • Ein (masculine) becomes einen.
  • Eine (feminine) stays eine.
  • Ein (neuter) stays ein.
Examples:
  • I have a dog. (Masculine)
  • Nominative: Ein Hund ist treu. (A dog is loyal.)
  • Accusative: Ich habe einen Hund. (I have a dog.)
  • I need a pen. (Masculine)
  • Ich brauche einen Kugelschreiber. (I need a pen.)
  • She reads a book. (Neuter)
  • Sie liest ein Buch. (She reads a book.)
  • We want a pizza. (Feminine)
  • Wir möchten eine Pizza. (We would like a pizza.)

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: Ich habe der Hund.
✓ Correct: Ich habe den Hund.
*Explanation:* The verb haben (to have) always takes a direct object (Accusative). Since Hund (dog) is masculine, its definite article der must change to den in the Accusative case.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: Er trinkt ein Kaffee.
✓ Correct: Er trinkt einen Kaffee.
*Explanation:* Kaffee (coffee) is masculine. When it's the direct object of the verb trinken (to drink), the indefinite masculine article ein needs to change to einen.

Real Conversations

A

A

Hast du einen Stift? (Do you have a pen?)
B

B

Ja, ich habe einen Stift hier. (Yes, I have a pen here.)
A

A

Möchtest du das Buch lesen? (Would you like to read the book?)
B

B

Ja, ich möchte das Buch gern lesen. (Yes, I would like to read the book.)
A

A

Kaufst du die Blumen für deine Mutter? (Are you buying the flowers for your mother?)
B

B

Ja, ich kaufe die Blumen für sie. (Yes, I'm buying the flowers for her.)

Quick FAQ

Q

When do I know if I need to use the Accusative case in German?

You use the Accusative case for the direct object of a verb – the person or thing that directly receives the action. Many common verbs like haben (to have), sehen (to see), kaufen (to buy), mögen (to like), and trinken (to drink) take an accusative direct object.

Q

What's the easiest way to remember which articles change in the Accusative case?

Just remember the M-rule! Only the masculine articles change. Der becomes den, and ein becomes einen. All feminine (die, eine) and neuter (das, ein) articles stay the same.

Q

Are there any verbs that *don't* take an Accusative direct object?

Yes! Some verbs take a dative object (we'll learn about that later!), and others are intransitive, meaning they don't take any object at all, like schlafen (to sleep) or gehen (to go). But for A1, focus on mastering the common verbs that *do* use the Accusative.

Cultural Context

In everyday German, understanding and correctly using the Accusative case is absolutely vital for clear communication. While Germans are generally forgiving of learner mistakes, getting the articles right, especially the der to den change, immediately makes your speech sound more natural and fluent. It's not about regional differences here, but rather a core grammatical function that seamlessly integrates into all forms of spoken and written German.
Mastering this will make your shopping, ordering food, or simply describing your day much smoother and more accurate.

重要な例文 (6)

1

Ich trinke {den|m} Kaffee.

私はそのコーヒーを飲んでいます。

ドイツ語の直接目的語：誰を・何を？ (Akkusativ)
2

Sie kauft {einen|m} Laptop.

彼女はノートパソコンを買います。

ドイツ語の直接目的語：誰を・何を？ (Akkusativ)
3

Ich habe {den|m} Schlüssel.

私はその鍵を持っています。

ドイツ語の対格（4格）：'den', 'die', 'das' の使い方
4

Sie trinkt {die|f} Limo.

彼女はソーダを飲んでいます。

ドイツ語の対格（4格）：'den', 'die', 'das' の使い方
5

Ich habe einen Hund.

犬を飼っています。

ドイツ語対格の不定冠詞：a, an (einen, eine, ein)
6

Ich trinke einen Kaffee.

コーヒーを飲んでいます。

ドイツ語対格の不定冠詞：a, an (einen, eine, ein)

ヒントとコツ (3)

🎯

「-en」ルール

男性名詞が目的語になるときは、ほとんどの場合「-en」で終わります。 den, einen, meinen, deinen, keinen が大きなヒントです！
Ich trinke einen Kaffee.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語の直接目的語：誰を・何を？ (Akkusativ)
🎯

「N」の魔法

男性名詞が動詞の対象になるときは、冠詞の最後に「N」を付けるって覚えておくと便利だよ！例えば、「そのリンゴを食べる」なら
Ich esse {den|m} Apfel.
ってなるんだ。
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語の対格（4格）：'den', 'die', 'das' の使い方
🎯

「-en」のルール

男性名詞が目的語になるときは、必ず「-en」を付けます。「einen」だけでなく、「den」や「keinen」でも同じです。「Ich habe einen Computer.」
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語対格の不定冠詞：a, an (einen, eine, ein)

重要な語彙 (5)

der Kaffee the coffee der Hund the dog haben to have möchten to want (polite) sehen to see

Real-World Preview

coffee

Ordering Coffee

Review Summary

  • Subject + Verb + Accusative Object
  • der -> den
  • ein -> einen

よくある間違い

You forgot to change 'der' to 'den' for the direct object.

Wrong: Ich habe der Hund.
正解: Ich habe den Hund.

Kaffee is masculine, so 'ein' must become 'einen' in the accusative.

Wrong: Ich möchte eine Kaffee.
正解: Ich möchte einen Kaffee.

The subject (the man) stays in the nominative case; only the object changes.

Wrong: Den Mann hat einen Hund.
正解: Der Mann hat einen Hund.

Next Steps

You've done an incredible job today! Keep practicing these small changes, and you'll be speaking German like a local in no time.

Label 5 items in your house and write a sentence for each using the accusative.

Continue to: Building Better Sentences

クイック練習 (9)

4格が正しく使われている文を選びましょう。

正しい文を選びましょう：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich trinke den Tee.
Teeは男性名詞（der）。飲まれる対象なので直接目的語となり、「den」を使う必要があります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語の対格（4格）：'den', 'die', 'das' の使い方

文の間違いを直しましょう。

Find and fix the mistake:

Er kauft ein Laptop.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Er kauft einen Laptop.
「Laptop」は男性名詞です。「kaufen」の目的語なので、「ein」は「einen」に変わらなければなりません。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語の直接目的語：誰を・何を？ (Akkusativ)

正しい文を選びましょう

文法的に正しい文を選びましょう:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich esse einen Apfel {der|m}.
Apfelは男性名詞です。対格（何かを食べる）では「einen」をとります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語対格の不定冠詞：a, an (einen, eine, ein)

正しい冠詞（den, die, das）を埋めましょう。

Ich brauche ___ {der|m} Laptop für die Uni.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: den
Laptopは男性名詞で、「brauchen」の直接目的語なので、「der」が「den」に変わります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語の対格（4格）：'den', 'die', 'das' の使い方

冠詞の間違いを見つけて直しましょう。

Find and fix the mistake:

Sie sieht den Mädchen im Park.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sie sieht das Mädchen im Park.
Mädchenは中性名詞（das）なので、4格でも冠詞は「das」のままです。「den」は男性名詞にのみ使われます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語の対格（4格）：'den', 'die', 'das' の使い方

正しい男性冠詞を埋めましょう

Ich habe ___ Hund {der|m}.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: einen
「Hund」は男性名詞で、「haben」の直接目的語なので、「einen」を使います。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語対格の不定冠詞：a, an (einen, eine, ein)

文法的に正しい文を選びましょう。

「I see the dog」の正しい文を選びましょう。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich sehe den Hund.
「Hund」は男性名詞です。対格では「der」が「den」に変わります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語の直接目的語：誰を・何を？ (Akkusativ)

間違いを見つけて修正しましょう

Find and fix the mistake:

Ich trinke ein Kaffee {der|m}.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich trinke einen Kaffee.
Kaffeeは男性名詞です。冠詞は対格で「einen」に変わる必要があります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語対格の不定冠詞：a, an (einen, eine, ein)

正しい男性名詞の冠詞（den/einen）を埋めましょう。

Ich trinke ___ Tee.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: den
「Tee」は男性名詞です。「trinken」の直接目的語なので、対格の「den」になります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ドイツ語の直接目的語：誰を・何を？ (Akkusativ)

Score: /9

よくある質問 (6)

「誰が、何を、動詞する？」の「何を」の部分が目的語です。「私は車を買う」なら、車が目的語ですね！
いいえ。「gehen（行く）」や「schlafen（寝る）」のような動詞は目的語を取りません。「何かを行く」とか「何かを寝る」とは言いませんよね。
ドイツ語の歴史の中で、男性名詞だけが主語と目的語を区別するために形を変えるようになったんだ。
いいえ、人だけじゃなくて、男性名詞なら何にでも使うよ。例えば、「先生」は den Lehrer、「犬」は den Hund、「テーブル」は den Tisch だね。
いいえ、主に男性名詞に影響します。女性名詞と中性名詞の不定冠詞は主格と同じです。
名詞と一緒に性別を覚える必要があります。例えば、「der Hund」は男性名詞なので、対格では「einen Hund」になります。
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