Theresa- Australien
German Grammar Question I am doing some self German study and have a question. The sentence

Er öffnete eine Flasche Rotwein

Why is the indefinite article eine when Rotwein is a masculine object?? Why is it eine and not ein?

Apr 21, 2019 11:24 PM
Comments · 4
2
eine - 4. Fall Singular weiblich
Er öffnete einen Rotwein. einen - 4. Fall Singular maennlich
The indefinite article refers to 'Flasche'.
April 21, 2019
2

The article is referring to the direct object of the sentence. In this case that's the bottle, or "die Flasche".  The "Rotwein" is just describing the bottle. He is not doing anything to the red wine itself, he's opening the bottle, not the wine. 


Hope that helps.

April 21, 2019
1
Thank you. That makes perfect sense! I thought the flasche was an adjective lol.
April 22, 2019

Then it should have been written in minor case, not with a capital letter ;)


April 22, 2019