Reading · B2 · Text 5
Rosen
In der Natur sind die Rosen nicht so besonders wie in den Gärten.
In nature, roses are not as special as in gardens.
Die Menschen haben sich nämlich immer die schönsten Rosen aus-gesucht.
People have always selected the most beautiful roses.
Sie sehen ein wenig aus wie kleine Äpfel.
They look a bit like small apples.
Die Rosen sind eben auch verwandt mit den Äpfeln.
Roses are indeed related to apples.
Rosen schenkt man jemandem, den man besonders liebt.
Roses are given to someone you love especially.
6 words above B2
Grammar in this text
Relative clause with dative preposition
Rosen schenkt man jemandem, den man besonders liebt.
The relative pronoun 'den' refers back to 'jemandem' and is in the accusative case because it is the object of 'liebt'. This shows how relative pronouns must agree in gender and number with their antecedent but take their case from their function in the relative clause.
Comparative and superlative forms
die schönsten Rosen
The superlative form 'schönsten' is used to express 'the most beautiful'. It is formed with the definite article and the ending '-sten'. This structure is used to compare three or more items.
Word order in main clauses with inverted subject
In der Natur sind die Rosen nicht so besonders wie in den Gärten.
When a prepositional phrase (In der Natur) is placed at the beginning of the sentence, the subject and verb invert: 'sind die Rosen' instead of 'die Rosen sind'. This is a common feature of German main clause word order.
Keep going
Text from Rosen — Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.
Translation, glossary and grammar notes are machine-generated and inherit the same licence.