Two things: German plural instead of an Arabic dual: German for Modern Standard Arabic speakers

The idea

Use zwei plus the noun's learned plural. The article and adjective follow the plural pattern even when there are exactly two things.

One contrast, not a prediction about every learner

Modern Standard Arabic has dual noun forms for two entities. German has singular and plural, so two things use zwei with a normal plural noun; there is no separate German dual ending.

Individual experience, dialect and other languages you know can change which comparisons help. Use the contrast to notice a German choice; do not treat it as a label for a whole group of people.

Repair the transfer

• Zwei Buch liegen hier. → Zwei Bücher liegen hier.

  Use zwei plus the noun's learned plural. The article and adjective follow the plural pattern even when there are exactly two things.

Examples

• Zwei breite Fenster zeigen auf den Innenhof.Two wide windows face the courtyard.
• Ich brauche zwei saubere Gläser für den Saft.I need two clean glasses for the juice.
• Die beiden Schlüssel gehören zur gleichen Tür.The two keys belong to the same door.
• Wir stellen zwei kleine Tische nebeneinander.We put two small tables next to each other.
• Mit zwei kurzen Fragen prüfen wir das Verständnis.We check understanding with two short questions.
• An beiden Enden des Weges steht eine Laterne.There is a lamp at both ends of the path.

Watch out

Do not generalize a source-language pattern to every German sentence. Use zwei plus the noun's learned plural. The article and adjective follow the plural pattern even when there are exactly two things.

Try it yourself

1. Korrigiere: Zwei Buch liegen hier.

   Show answer or example answer

   Zwei Bücher liegen hier.

   Zwei Bücher liegen hier. Use zwei plus the noun's learned plural. The article and adjective follow the plural pattern even when there are exactly two things.

2. Ins Deutsche übertragen: Two wide windows face the courtyard.

   Show answer or example answer

   Zwei breite Fenster zeigen auf den Innenhof.

   Zwei breite Fenster zeigen auf den Innenhof. Use zwei plus the noun's learned plural. The article and adjective follow the plural pattern even when there are exactly two things.

3. Ins Deutsche übertragen: We check understanding with two short questions.

   Show answer or example answer

   Mit zwei kurzen Fragen prüfen wir das Verständnis.

   Mit zwei kurzen Fragen prüfen wir das Verständnis. Keep the meaning of the whole sentence while using the German pattern.

Use it today

Write three German sentences of your own that follow the pattern of “Zwei Bücher liegen hier.”. Check each one for the Modern Standard Arabic habit this lesson corrects, then read them aloud.