📖 Explanation: What is Nominalization (Nominalisierung)?
Nominalization turns verbs or adjectives into nouns. This makes abstract concepts or actions function as nouns in sentences.
In German, nominalization is very common and makes language more precise or formal. There are two main types:
- From verbs: Use the infinitive as a neuter noun (capitalized: das Lernen).
- From adjectives: Capitalize the adjective and often add -e (das Schöne).
Nominalized forms are usually neuter (das), especially when expressing abstract concepts.
When referring to people, nominalized adjectives take the natural gender (e.g., der Bekannte, die Angestellte).
📋 Table 1: Nominalization from Verbs
| Verb (Infinitive) | Nominalized Noun | Gender | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lernen | das Lernen | neuter | Lernen macht Spaß. | Learning is fun. |
| kochen | das Kochen | neuter | Beim Kochen benutze ich viele Gewürze. | When cooking, I use a lot of spices. |
| grillen | das Grillen | neuter | Grillen im Sommer ist toll. | Grilling in summer is great. |
| lesen | das Lesen | neuter | Lesen erweitert den Horizont. | Reading broadens the mind. |
| verlassen | das Verlassen | neuter | Beim Verlassen des Hauses schließe ich die Tür. | When leaving the house, I close the door. |
📋 Table 2: Nominalization from Adjectives
| Adjective | Nominalized Noun | Gender | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| schön | das Schöne | neuter | Sie hat ein Auge für das Schöne. | She has an eye for beauty. |
| gut | das Gute | neuter | Ich sehe immer das Gute in den Menschen. | I always see the good in people. |
| nett | das Nette | neuter | Er hat viel Nettes über dich gesagt. | He said a lot of nice things about you. |
| interessant | das Interessante | neuter | Erzähl mir das Interessante! | Tell me the interesting stuff! |
| bekannt | der/die/das Bekannte | – | Ich kenne nur das Bekannte. | I only know what’s familiar. |
📋 Table 3: Common Patterns and Contexts
| Context | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| With prepositions (verbs) | beim Schreiben, zum Essen, nach dem Spielen | while writing, for eating, after playing |
| With quantifiers (adjectives) | alles Gute, etwas Schönes, viel Nettes, nichts Neues | all the best, something nice, a lot of nice things, nothing new |
| In wishes/expressions | Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! | All the best for your birthday! |
| Abstract concepts | das Böse (evil), das Schöne im Leben (beauty in life) | – |
🔑 Rules and Tips
- Verbs → nouns: Always the infinitive, capitalized, neuter (das). No ending changes. Often after prepositions like beim, zum, vom (contraction: bei dem, zu dem, von dem).
- Adjectives → nouns: Capitalize + usually add -e for neuter abstract (das Schöne). Declines like normal adjectives if used with article.
- Gender: Almost always neuter (das), except when referring to people (der Bekannte = the acquaintance – masculine).
- No article needed in some general statements, but common with one.
- Common mistake: Forgetting to capitalize (lernen macht Spaß wrong → Lernen macht Spaß correct).
- Why useful: Makes sentences more elegant/abstract (Das Lernen von Sprachen ist wichtig. instead of repeating verbs).
- Practice tip: Turn verbs/adjectives in sentences into nouns and rebuild the sentence.
More examples:
- Schwimmen ist gesund. (Swimming is healthy.)
- Ich wünsche dir alles Gute! (I wish you all the best!)
- Beim Aufstehen bin ich immer müde. (When getting up, I’m always tired.)
- Das Schöne am Leben sind die kleinen Dinge. (The beauty of life is in the little things.)
Nominalization is a hallmark of advanced German – use it to sound more native and sophisticated!