Wort des Tages: dort
Introduction
The adverb ‘dort’ is a commonly used word in the German language that translates to ‘there’ in English. It is used to indicate a location that is separate from the speaker’s current location.
Meaning and Usage
‘Dort’ primarily points to a place that is not near the speaker. For example, “Das Buch liegt dort auf dem Tisch,” means “The book is there on the table.” It can also express a figurative location, such as in “Die Lösung liegt dort,” meaning “The solution lies there (in that).”
Grammatical Rules
In German sentences, ‘dort’ typically follows the verb, as in “Ich gehe dort hin,” meaning “I am going there.” It can also be placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis, “Dort ist mein Haus,” meaning “There is my house.”
Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for ‘dort’ include ‘da’ (there) and ‘dorthin’ (to there). An antonym would be ‘hier’ (here), which indicates a location close to the speaker.
Common Phrases and Idioms
A common phrase using ‘dort’ is “Dort drüben,” which means “Over there,” used to point out a location in the distance.
Comparative Usage
Similar to ‘dort,’ the English adverb ‘there’ and the French ‘là’ serve the same purpose in their respective languages.
Exercises and Practice
- Translate the following sentence into German: “The keys are there on the table.”
- Use ‘dort’ in a sentence to describe where your favorite place is located.
Conclusion
Understanding the adverb ‘dort’ is crucial for German learners as it is essential for describing locations and is frequently used in both written and spoken German.
Beispiele:
Siehst du das Haus dort? (Do you see that house over there?)
Wir treffen uns dort um sechs. (We’ll meet there at six.)
Dort drüben ist der Bahnhof. (The train station is over there.)
Ich habe dort meine Freunde getroffen. (I met my friends there.)
Lass uns dort einen Kaffee trinken. (Let’s have a coffee there.)
Dort auf dem Hügel steht eine alte Kirche. (There is an old church on the hill over there.)
Ich werde dort auf dich warten. (I will wait for you there.)
Dort ist ein schöner Park. (There is a beautiful park over there.)
Kannst du dort jemanden sehen? (Can you see someone over there?)
Wir haben dort ein Feuer gemacht. (We made a fire there.)
Dort muss die Antwort liegen. (The answer must lie over there.)
Ich habe dort ein seltsames Geräusch gehört. (I heard a strange noise there.)
Dort am Horizont geht die Sonne unter. (There, on the horizon, the sun sets.)
Ich habe dort mein Herz verloren. (I lost my heart there.)
Dort findest du die besten Äpfel. (You’ll find the best apples over there.)
Wir haben dort unsere Zelte aufgeschlagen. (We pitched our tents there.)
Dort ist es immer so friedlich. (It’s always so peaceful over there.)
Ich habe dort eine Münze gefunden. (I found a coin there.)
Dort haben wir uns das erste Mal geküsst. (That’s where we kissed for the first time.)
Dort endet der Weg. (The path ends there.)
Alle Personen und Ereignisse in diesem Werk sind fiktiv. Ähnlichkeiten mit realen, lebenden oder verstorbenen Personen oder tatsächlichen Ereignissen sind rein zufällig.
Last Updated on December 15, 2024
by Wort des Tages
Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man auch am Ende Menschen.
Translated loosely as… “Wherever people burn books, they end up burning people.”
Or maybe… “Where (dort) books are burned, people will be burned in the end too.”
The idea is that “book burning” is a sign that there is something wrong with the culture. Ideas are being burned. Since people promote ideas, they’ll be burned eventually too.