20 Comments
really? how it is possible to discuss alle/alles in relation to singular? 'all' (alle/alles) from it's definition is corelated to plural form in my opinion - or maybe am I wrong?
These are the rules of all- as a pronoun:
aller m, alles n, alle f, alle (pl.)
- (indefinite) in singular without a noun (usually alles): everything
- (indefinite) in singular with a noun: all (the) (+ singular noun)
- (indefinite) in plural without a noun: everybody, everyone
- (indefinite) in plural with a noun: all (the) (+ pl. noun) Examples: Menschen aus aller Welt = people from all over the world (die Welt, pl. die Welten) Alles ist gut. = Everything is fine/okay. Ich wünsche dir alles Gute. = I wish you all the best. Jetzt ist er aller Verantwortung frei. = Now he is free of all the responsibility. Alle waren total verständnisvoll. = Everybody's been so understanding.
It seems a bit paradoxical to talk about "alle" or "all" in english as a singular element since it refers by definition to an entire set of various elements. However, if you consider it as the "whole", this is, the set containing all of the elements, then you're talking about one object still, so the singular is the proper form.
Thanks and grab a lingot:-) ... But instead alle/alles at point 3. I would use jeder. Is that correct?
Both can be used. Check this site: http://www.german-grammar.de/grammar/chapter_12/12_11_2_jeder_alle_as_noun.htm ;)
Does this sentence mean that you like every book ever written or that you like every type of book?
From what I have seen, there is no difference and you can use either one.
Why in "Ich esse alle Kartoffel" we need "the" before "potatoes", but here we don't need "the" before "books"? I think problem is my waek English grammar!
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Is there a difference in meaning between “I like all books” and “I like every book”?
A slight one -- "every book" considers each book one by one while "all books" considers them all together as one group.
