"Das Licht funktioniert nicht."

Translation:The light does not work.

March 30, 2013

4 Comments
This discussion is locked.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/PlamenBG

The light doesn't function. - What is wrong with it?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Hironolind

A little formal sounding, but I would say that's a valid answer.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/ligersharks

I answered "That light doesn't work." Doesn't 'das' also mean 'that'? Am I wrong? Does that not fit the context of the translation? Should I report it as erroneous?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Cookdj

Ligershark. That's a good question. The Deutsch Artikel der, die, das, are in fact, DEFINITE articles. In English, der Hund = THE Dog, die Katze = THE Cat, das Mädchen = THE Girl (go figure, they neuter their "girls").

If you wanted the INDICATIVE pronoun, THIS or THAT, or THESE/THOSE then in German, this would change according to the gender of the noun as well. Here's a chart:

http://www.germanlanguageguide.com/german/grammar/demonstrative-pronoun.asp

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