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Prepositional Contractions
| an dem |
am |
to/at the |
| auf das |
aufs |
upon the |
| für das |
fürs |
for the |
| in das |
ins |
into the |
| zu dem |
zum |
to the |
| an das |
ans |
to/on the |
| bei dem |
beim |
at the |
| in dem |
im |
in the |
| von dem |
vom |
from, of the |
| zu der |
zur |
to the |
| durch das |
durchs |
through the |
| um das |
ums |
around the |
Note: ß isn't said when reciting the alphabet. It's actually a double s. Some people will write it ss instead of ß.
Negative Sentences
Nicht and kein are forms of negation, but nicht means not and kein means no, not a, or not any. Kein is used to negate nouns that either have no articles or are preceded by the indefinite article. Kein precedes the nouns in sentences. It is declined as an ein-word.
| Ist das eine Kusine? |
Is that a cousin? |
| Nein, das ist keine Kusine. |
No, that's not a cousin. |
Nicht negates nouns preceded by a definite article or a possessive adjective; or it could negate any part (verb, noun, adjective) or all of a sentence. Nicht always follows the verb, but usually precedes the part of the sentence to be negated. It you want to negate an entire sentence, nicht comes last. Nicht also follows expressions of time.
| Das ist meine Frau. |
That's my wife. |
| Das ist nicht meine Frau. |
That's not my wife. |
| Heute ist es kalt. |
It is cold today. |
| Heute ist es nicht kalt. |
It is not cold today. |
To and From places
Note: In also means to when it is used before a country that has a definite article (feminine and plural countries.) Ich fliege in die Schweiz - I'm flying to Switzerland. Ich fliege nach Deutschland - I'm flying to Germany. And when aus is used with feminine or plural countries, the definite article must also be used. Ich bin aus der Schweiz - I am from Switzerland. Ich bin aus Deutschland - I am from Germany.
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