German Grammar (10)

Das Schlafhäschen (Grammatik)

Text & Grammatik

The first examples in this lesson are taken from Ermanno Cavazzoni's literary dream Das Schlafhäschen.

The pronoun es can have various functions: it can act as a personal pronoun, a pleonastic subject or a formal subject.

"es" as a Personal Pronoun

1.1 Replacing a neuter noun

• Das Häschen ist zu mir ins Zimmer gekommen. (The little rabbit has come into my room.)

• Es kommt jede Nacht. (It comes every night.)

• Ich kenne es inzwischen. (I know it by now.)

1.2 Referring back to different elements

The personal pronoun es can refer back to an entire clause.

(a) Ich richte mich auf. (I sit up.)

• Das heißt, ich versuche es. (Or rather, I try to.)

• Es ist vergeblich. (It's in vain.)

(b) „Wie kommt das?“, sagt es. „Dauernd schläfst du!“ ("How come?" it says. "You're always asleep!")

• Ich möchte sagen, es ist nichts. (I want to say it's nothing.)

• Es ist Schlaf. (It's sleep.)

(c) Ich möchte sagen, ich hatte einen harten Tag. (I want to say I've had a hard day.)

• Auch wenn es nicht stimmt. (Even though it isn't true.)

es as a Pleonastic Subject

Sometimes es appears as a structural element in the sentence.

2.1 Anticipating a Clause

• Wie kommt es, dass du dauernd schläfst? (How is it that you are always sleeping?)

2.2 Anticipating a Relative Clause

• Es ist das Häschen, das jede Nacht kommt. (It is the rabbit that comes every night.)

2.3 Creating Suspense or Expectation

Sometimes es shifts the subject away from the first position and creates a slight dramatic pause.

• Die Tür öffnet sich, es ist der Wärter. (The door opens — it is the guard.)

• Ich sehe einen kleinen Vogel, es ist ein Spatz. (I see a small bird — it is a sparrow.)

2.4 Fixed Expressions

• Es gefällt mir. (I like it.)

• Es gehört sich. (It is proper.)

• Es ist wichtig. (It is important.)

• Ich liebe es. (I love it.)

• Ich mag es. (I like it.)

• Ich schätze es. (I appreciate it.)

• Ich hasse es. (I hate it.)

Example:

• Es gefällt mir nicht, dass der Wärter mich nicht grüßt. (I don’t like that the guard doesn’t greet me.)

es as a Formal Subject

In some sentences, es must appear because German requires a subject.

This is particularly common in impersonal expressions, such as weather verbs or time expressions.

• Ein Spatz besucht mich in meiner Zelle. Es ist früh am Morgen. (A sparrow visits me in my cell. It is early in the morning.)

• Es regnet stark und es ist dunkel, als ich fliehe. (It is raining heavily and it is dark as I flee.)

By the last examples, we realize something: We have entered a different dream.

The rabbit is replaced by a sparrow. The bedroom becomes a prison cell.

But the small word remains: es

EN-DE

Read the questions and translate them in German. Then choose the correct answer.

The solutions will be provided at the end of this unit.

1. Who comes into Ermanno’s room?

a) A little rabbit.
b) A cat.

2. When does the little rabbit come?

a) Every night.
b) Every morning.

3. Does Ermanno know the little rabbit?

a) No, he does not know it.
b) Yes, he knows it now.

4. What does Ermanno try to do?

a) He tries to sit up.
b) He tries to open the window.

5. Why is it difficult for Ermanno?

a) Because he is afraid.
b) Because he is very tired.

6. Where is the little rabbit?

a) Very close to Ermanno.
b) At the door.

7. Does the rabbit touch Ermanno?

a) Yes, it touches him.
b) No, it does not touch him.

8. What does Ermanno feel?

a) The rabbit’s anger.
b) The rabbit’s joy.

9. What does the rabbit say?

a) “You are always sleeping!”
b) “You are always laughing!”

10. What happens at the end?

a) Ermanno stands up.
b) Ermanno falls asleep again.

You can find the solutions here: Unit 3 - Lösungen.