Nominalization of actions and concepts (using gerundive constructions like "beim Essen" or abstract nouns)
C1What does "nominalization" mean in German?
Nominalization = turning verbs, infinitives or adjectives into nouns. In German this is very common. Two important kinds learners meet again and again:
Which two main types should I know?
1) The nominalized infinitive (substantivierter Infinitiv)
- Form: the verb’s infinitive is used as a noun and is capitalized: das Lesen, das Essen, das Lernen.
- Meaning: usually the activity or the act of doing something — like English “reading” or “eating.”
- Grammar note: these nouns behave like normal nouns (they take an article, case endings, can be modified by adjectives, etc.).
Examples:
- Das Lesen hilft mir, mich zu entspannen. — Reading helps me relax.
- Beim Lesen trinke ich Kaffee. — While reading, I drink coffee.
- Während des Lesens habe ich das nicht bemerkt. — During the reading / while I was reading I didn’t notice that.
2) Abstract nouns formed with suffixes (derived nouns)
- Form: verbs or adjectives get a suffix and become a new noun: entscheiden → die Entscheidung, frei → die Freiheit, möglich → die Möglichkeit.
- Meaning: often an abstract concept, result, state, or a more “noun-like” event (sometimes the result of the action rather than the action itself).
Examples:
- Die Entscheidung war schwer. — The decision was difficult.
- Seine Freiheit ist ihm wichtig. — His freedom is important to him.
- Die Möglichkeit besteht noch. — The possibility still exists.
Gerundive constructions (a convenient name for learners) are prepositional phrases built with a preposition + the nominalized infinitive. The most common are beim + Infinitiv, zum + Infinitiv, während + Infinitiv (genitive), and am + Infinitiv (colloquial progressive). Each one has a different nuance.
- Beim = bei + dem (dative). Use it to say “while” or “during” an activity.
- Structure: beim + VERB (capitalized as noun).
Examples:
- Beim Essen sollst du nicht lesen. — While eating you should not read.
- Beim Lernen höre ich Musik. — I listen to music while studying.
Compare: während + Genitive
- Während des Essens / während des Lesens is more formal and uses genitive: während des Lesens der Zeitung, während der Fahrt.
- Example: Während des Essens redeten alle leise. — During the meal everyone spoke quietly.
- Zum = zu + dem (dative). Often used to indicate purpose, occasion, or what something is for.
Examples:
- Zum Essen brauchen wir mehr Geschirr. — For the meal / for eating we need more dishes.
- Dieses Buch ist gut zum Lernen. — This book is good for learning.
- Er kam zum Frühstück. — He came for / to the breakfast (i.e., for breakfast).
Key difference: beim vs. zum
- Beim Essen = while eating (simultaneous action). Example: Beim Essen hörte er Musik.
- Zum Essen = for eating / with the purpose of eating, or “for (the) meal”. Example: Er hat Brot zum Essen gekauft.
- Common in spoken German (especially in some regions): Ich bin am Lesen. = I’m reading / I’m in the process of reading.
- Example: Ich bin am Kochen — I’m cooking (right now). Be aware: this is colloquial, not typically used in formal writing.
- vor dem/ nach dem/ ohne + nominalized infinitive / statt + nominalized or statt zu + infinitive.
Examples:
- Vor dem Essen waschen wir uns die Hände. — Before eating we wash our hands.
- Nach dem Schwimmen dusche ich. — After swimming I shower.
- Er ging, ohne sich zu verabschieden. — He left without saying goodbye. (Here we use ohne + zu + infinitive; we could also say: Er ging ohne Verabschiedung — without a farewell.)
- Statt zu diskutieren, gingen sie spazieren. — Instead of arguing, they went for a walk.
German forms many abstract nouns by adding suffixes. Each suffix often suggests a particular flavor: an action, a result, a state, or a collective concept. Below are common suffixes, their typical meanings, gender patterns and examples.
- -ung (usually feminine): marks actions or results from verbs. Example: entscheiden → die Entscheidung (the decision). Die Prüfung (the exam).
- -heit / -keit (feminine): form abstract states from adjectives. Example: frei → die Freiheit (freedom); möglich → die Möglichkeit (possibility).
- -schaft (feminine): often communities, relationships, or collective states. Example: Freund → die Freundschaft (friendship).
- -nis (usually neuter, sometimes feminine): result, state or process. Example: ergeben → das Ergebnis (result); passieren → das Ereignis (event).
- -ion (feminine; from Latin verbs): die Diskussion, die Produktion.
- -tum (neuter): collective status or condition (somewhat literary). Example: das Eigentum (property).
Examples in sentences:
- Die Entscheidung fiel schnell. — The decision was made quickly.
- Ihre Freiheit ist ihr wichtig. — Her freedom is important to her.
- Das Ergebnis überraschte alle. — The result surprised everyone.
Tip: -ung often denotes the result or the event rather than the bare activity
- Compare: das Öffnen (the opening as an action) vs. die Öffnung (the opening as a result/place). Many pairs exist: manchmal one form is preferred over the other.
- Nominalized infinitives: almost always neuter and take das (singular). Example: das Lesen, das Schwimmen.
- Derived abstract nouns: gender depends on suffix (see the table above). Many are feminine (-ung, -heit, -keit, -schaft), some neuter (-nis, -tum), some masculine (-er for agent nouns), and -ion is feminine.
Examples:
- Das Schreiben macht Spaß. (neuter)
- Die Entscheidung war schwer. (feminine)
- Nominalized verbs decline like other nouns. Use the correct case after prepositions: beim (dative), während (genitive), vor/nach (prepositional + article), etc.
Examples:
- Während des Lesens (Genitive) — during the reading.
- Ich habe Schmerzen beim Laufen. (Dative) — I have pain while running.
- Vor dem Essen waschen wir uns die Hände. — Before eating we wash our hands.
- If you put an adjective before a nominalized infinitive, it is declined like an adjective before a noun.
Examples:
- Das schnelle Lesen war nötig. — The quick reading was necessary.
- Beim schnellen Lesen versteht man manchmal weniger. — While reading quickly you sometimes understand less.
- German distinguishes between hearing/seeing someone do something (accusative + bare infinitive) and hearing/seeing the action as a noun (possessive + nominalized infinitive).
Examples:
- Ich hörte ihn singen. — I heard him sing. (ihn = accusative person + bare infinitive)
- Ich hörte sein Singen. — I heard his singing. (sein + nominalized noun: the act/quality of his singing)
- Ich sah die Kinder spielen. — I saw the children playing.
- Ich sah das Spielen der Kinder. — I saw the playing of the children (more formal, treats the activity as a noun).
- Many abstract nouns are uncountable (no plural) or rarely plural (die Freiheit usually no plural). Others form a plural: die Entscheidungen, die Möglichkeiten, die Ergebnisse.
- Nominalized infinitives are usually mass/abstract and do not have a meaningful plural: das Lesen (not usually *die Lesen).
- Ich begann zu lesen. (standard verb + zu + infinitive)
- Ich begann mit dem Lesen. (nominalized: emphasizes the activity as a thing or process)
- Ich begann das Lesen. (possible but less common; often means ‘‘the act of starting the reading’’)
Translation and nuance:
- Ich begann zu lesen. — I began to read. (very common)
- Ich begann mit dem Lesen. — I began with the reading / I started by reading. (emphasises the activity as a phase)
- Ich habe Lust zu tanzen. (zu + infinitive) — I feel like dancing.
- Ich habe Lust auf das Tanzen / aufs Tanzen. (auf + nominalized infinitive) — I feel like dancing (noun form). Both are used; Lust zu + infinitive is more direct colloquial.
- Ich habe Angst vor dem Fliegen. — I’m afraid of flying (nominalized with preposition vor + article).
- Ich habe Angst zu fliegen. — I’m afraid to fly. Both are possible; nuance and collocation matter — ‘Angst vor dem Fliegen’ is very common for the general fear.
- Statt zu arbeiten, ging er spazieren. — Instead of working, he went for a walk.
- Statt der Arbeit (more formal) — instead of the work (noun form)
- Beim Lesen (while reading) — simultaneous action.
- Während des Lesens (during the reading) — same meaning, more formal; uses genitive.
- Zum Lesen (for reading / for the purpose of reading) — often indicates purpose or “to be used for.”
Examples:
- Beim Autofahren telefoniere ich nicht. — I don’t phone while driving.
- Während der Autofahrt haben wir Musik gehört. — During the car ride we listened to music.
- Das Licht ist gut zum Autofahren. — The light is good for driving.
- Wrong: beim essen
- Right: Beim Essen
Always capitalize nominalized verbs (das Lesen, beim Essen, das Singen).
- Remember: beim = during / while. Zum = for / to (purpose / occasion).
- Standard German: während + genitive (Während des Essens …).
- Spoken variants sometimes use dative (während dem Essen) — avoid that in formal writing.
- Ich sehe ihn laufen (person + bare infinitive) ≠ Ich sehe sein Laufen (possessive + nominalized noun). The first focuses on the person performing the action; the second treats the action as a thing.
- If you want to say “while doing X,” use beim + nominalized infinitive (colloquial) or während + genitive (more formal).
- If you want to describe an activity as a thing (the act of reading), use das + infinitive: das Lesen.
- Use -ung / -heit / -keit / -schaft / -nis / -ion when you need a stable abstract noun (often in written language).
- Learn collocations (Angst vor dem Fliegen, Lust zu tanzen, Interesse an + nominalized infinitive) — preposition choice often comes from fixed usage.
Nominalization (Nominalisierung) — turning a verb, adjective or infinitive into a noun.
Nominalized infinitive (substantivierter Infinitiv) — the infinitive used as a noun, always capitalized (das Lesen, das Essen).
Derived abstract noun — a noun formed with a suffix that expresses an abstract idea or result (die Entscheidung, die Freiheit).
beim / zum — contractions: beim = bei + dem (dative), zum = zu + dem (dative); used with nominalized infinitives for time/purpose.
Genitive / Dative — different prepositions require different cases: während + genitive; bei/beim + dative.
- Beim Kochen höre ich Radio. — While cooking I listen to the radio.
- Während des Kochens habe ich das Telefon vergessen. — During the cooking I forgot the phone.
- Zum Kochen brauchen wir Öl. — For cooking we need oil.
- Ich bin am Kochen. — I’m cooking (colloquial, in the middle of cooking).
- Das Schwimmen ist gesund. — Swimming is healthy.
- Die Entscheidung wurde gestern getroffen. — The decision was made yesterday.
- Ich hörte ihn singen. — I heard him sing.
- Ich hörte sein Singen. — I heard his singing.
- Vor dem Essen bitte die Hände waschen. — Please wash your hands before eating.
- Statt zu telefonieren, sollten wir uns treffen. — Instead of phoning, we should meet.
Nominalization is a powerful and frequent feature of German. For speaking, use simple infinitive clauses (ich began zu lesen) or beim + nominalized infinitive for “while” expressions. For formal or written German, learn the common abstract nouns (die Entscheidung, die Möglichkeit) and the correct cases after prepositions (während + genitive). Always capitalize nominalized verbs and treat them like ordinary nouns in grammar.