In our previous guides, we covered what Nominalisierung is and the technical rules for forming it. But as every German learner knows, the best way to truly “get” a grammar concept is to see it in real sentences and then try it yourself.
In this guide, we’ll look at practical examples you’ll encounter in daily life and provide a short exercise to help you master the “Verb-to-Noun” and “Adjective-to-Noun” transformations.
1. Real-World Examples: Verbs to Nouns
Most verbal nominalizations use the das + Infinitive structure. You will see these everywhere, from safety signs to cooking recipes.
- Essen (to eat) -> Das Essen
- “Das Essen in diesem Restaurant ist fantastisch.” (The food/eating in this restaurant is fantastic.)
- Rauchen (to smoke) -> Das Rauchen
- “Das Rauchen ist im Bahnhof verboten.” (Smoking is forbidden in the station.)
- Schwimmen (to swim) -> Das Schwimmen
- “Das Schwimmen im See macht Spaß.” (Swimming in the lake is fun.)
2. Real-World Examples: Adjectives to Nouns
When adjectives become nouns, they usually describe abstract concepts or specific groups of people.
- Neu (new) -> Das Neue
- “Ich liebe das Neue an diesem Projekt.” (I love the “newness”/the new things about this project.)
- Krank (sick) -> Der Kranke / Die Kranke
- “Der Kranke muss im Bett bleiben.” (The sick man must stay in bed.)
- Schön (beautiful) -> Das Schöne
- “Das Schöne am Sommer е die Sonne.” (The beautiful thing about summer is the sun.)
3. Practice Exercises
Ready to try it yourself? Transform the word in brackets into a noun to complete the sentence. Don’t forget the Capitalization and the Article!
- (lesen) _______ ist mein liebstes Hobby.
- Ich wünsche dir für die Prüfung alles (gut) _______.
- Beim (kochen) _______ höre ich gerne Musik.
- Die (schön) _______ an der Kunst ist die Freiheit.
- Das (parken) _______ ist hier nicht erlaubt.
4. Answer Key
Check your work below!
- Das Lesen (Verbal Nominalisierung – Infinitive)
- Gute (Adjective Nominalisierung – Abstract concept)
- Kochen (Verbal Nominalisierung following the preposition “beim”)
- Schöne (Adjective Nominalisierung – Abstract concept)
- Parken (Verbal Nominalisierung – Infinitive)
💡 Pro Tip for Exercises
If you see a preposition like beim (bei + dem), zum (zu + dem), or vom (von + dem), the word that follows it must be nominalized.
- Example: “Viel Erfolg beim (preposition) Lernen (noun)!”
Final Thoughts
Nominalisierung is one of the most powerful tools for sounding more natural in German. It allows you to focus on the action or the quality rather than just the person doing it. Keep practicing these transformations, and they will soon become second nature.
Next Step: Now that you can turn any word into a noun, why not learn how to describe where these actions take place? Check out our guide on Lokaladverbien in German to add more detail to your sentences!