Modern German Grammar: A Practical Guide, Second Edition

75 Describing objects

75.1 Definitions

In order to ask for a definition of an object, use Was versteht man unter (+ dat.)? ‘What

is meant/understood by... ?’

Definitions are given in the following form:

Ein Dreieck ist eine von drei Geraden begrenzte geometrische Figur.

A triangle is a geometrical shape bordered by three straight lines.

 See^49 (p. 129) for extended adjectival phrases.

75.2 Shape

(a) A ‘line’ (-e Linie) can be described as krumm/gerade ‘crooked/straight’ or direkt

‘direct’.

 See 80.3 (p. 282) on ‘Describing distances’.

(b) Geometrical forms are -e Gestalt/-e Form

Kreise, Quadrate und Dreiecke sind geometrische Formen.

Circles, squares and triangles are geometric forms.

(c) An ‘object/body’ (-r Körper) could be described as fest/weich ‘solid/soft’.

(d) For the names of particular shapes and forms, consult your dictionary.

75.3 Size and parameter

(a) Basic terms

-e Größe ‘size’

Größe can be both ‘size’ and ‘parameter’ (e.g. time/force)

kleine Größen are ‘small sizes’ (e.g. clothes)

Hier haben wir es mit meßbaren Größen zu tun.

We are dealing here with measurable amounts.

‘Height’ for people is also given using groß, even if the person is in fact small:

Er ist 1,75m groß.

He is 1.75m tall.

Bei ihrer Geburt war Ulrike nur 42cm groß.

At birth Ulrike measured only 42cm.

(b) Measurements in German-speaking countries are metric. Refer to any large

cookbook or DIY book for conversion tables (-e Umrechnungstabelle). Remember

that commas instead of full stops are used to divide decimals.

 See 59.5d (p. 154) for the use of punctuation in decimals.

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Describing objects