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- Topic: German >
- "The teachers drink."
"The teachers drink."
Translation:Die Lehrer trinken.
17 Comments
47
Die Lehrer is plural, so you need to use trinken. Der Lehrer trinkt (meaning the teacher=one teacher).
- 47
the Die is necessary if you're translating "The teachers drink" Lehrer trinken means "teachers drink"
"Die Lehrer trinkt" means "The teacher drinks." Because of the plural in this sentence, "trinken" is used
- 47
Die Lehrer trinken means the teachers drink (yes, because of the plural trinken is used--die Lehrer trinkt is not correct, although if you have one female teacher, die Lehrerin trinkt would be correct)
Because "Der" still refers to one teacher (singular) even if it is followed by trinken.
Does the "en" at the end of trinken imply that the word is plural? What devices can I use within the word can I use to determine if it's a first, second or third person word?
In the present indicative "-en" is for the first and third person plural and formal you (singular), for the second person plural it's "-t". It's hard to determine which person an "-en" verb is for without considering the subject of it.
'trinkt' is for third person singular (er, es, sie) and second person plural (ihr). In this sentence the subject is third person plural, and that's why 'trinken' is used.
'trinkt' is for 3rd person singular and 2nd person plural, 'trinken' is for 1st person plural and 3rd person plural. Hence "Die Lehrerin trinken."
Your answer is correct: Die Lehrerin trinkt. It is the third person singular - die Lehrerin - therefore use trinkt - drinks.
For the plural it is: Die Lehrerinnen trinken, the teachers (all female) drink
