Verb valency determines how many satellite noun phrases or pronouns a verb can take. Every sentence must have a subject (S) and a conjugated verb (V); therefore, the valency starts with the value of one (S+V). In German, the subject is always in the Nominative Case. Some verbs require two satellites: a subject and a direct object. These verbs have a valency of two, and the direct object is always in the Accusative Case. That a verb has a valency of three means that it takes a subject, a direct object and an indirect object. The indirect object is always in the Dative Case.
Valency (linguistics)
the number of satellite noun phrases or pronouns with which a verb combines
Example: the English verb ‘give’ takes a subject and two objects, so it has a valency of three
Source https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/valency
Verbs with a Valency of One
These are verbs that take one noun phrase or one pronoun. The basic sentence pattern for these verbs is S+V (subject + conjugated verb). This means a sentence needs to contain just a subject and a conjugated verb form to be correct.
Conjugate (verb)
If a verb conjugates, it has different forms that show different tenses, the number of people it refers to, etc., and if you conjugate a verb, you list its different forms:
The verb “to be” conjugates irregularly.
Source https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/conjugate
Below you will find some German verbs with a valency of one. Translate them into English and form a simple sentence for each of them. The sentence should contain a subject and a conjugated verb. You may choose your subject among these personal pronouns: ich, du, er, sie (she), es, wir, ihr, sie (they), Sie (politeness pronoun ). Remember that the subject always is in the Nominative Case in German.
The first verb is an example:
- haben – have – Du hast.
- schwimmen
- laufen
- tanzen
- bellen
- schlafen
- weinen
- lachen
- denken
- sitzen
- gehen
- kommen
- leben
Verbs with a Valency of Two
Some verbs require two satellite noun phrases or pronouns. One of them is the subject and the other – the direct object. Verbs are always conjugated in agreement with the subject. The subject is in the Nominative case, the object – in the Accusative Case.
Below, you will find some German verbs with a valency of two. Translate them into English and form a simple sentence for each of them. The sentence should contain a subject, a conjugated verb, and a direct object. Remember that the subject is always in the Nominative Case and the direct object in the Accusative Case in German. You may choose your subject and the direct object among the following personal pronouns. The first pronoun form is in the nominative, and the second is in the accusative.
ich – mich, du – dich, er – ihn, sie (she) – sie, es – es, wir – uns, ihr – euch, sie (they) – sie, Sie (politeness pronoun) – Sie.
The first verb is an example:
- trinken – drink – Er trinkt Wasser.
- essen
- backen
- kochen
- lesen
- schreiben
- fotografieren
- sehen
- hören
- machen
- singen
- bestellen
- küssen
- reparieren
- lieben
Verbs with a Valency of Three
There are also verbs that take three satellite noun phrases or pronouns. One of them is the subject, and the other two are the direct object and the indirect object. Verbs are conjugated in agreement with the subject. The subject is always in the Nominative Case, and the direct object is in the Accusative Case, and the indirect object in the Dative Case.
Below, you will find some German verbs with a valency of three. Translate them into English and form a simple sentence for each of them. The sentence should contain a subject, a conjugated verb, an indirect object, and a direct object (most often in the exact order). Remember that the subject is always in the Nominative Case, the indirect object in the Dative Case, and the direct object in the Accusative Case in German. You may choose your subject, and the indirect and direct objects among the following personal pronouns. The first pronoun form is in the nominative, the second is in the accusative, and the third in the dative.
ich – mich – mir, du – dich – dir, er – ihn – ihm, sie (she) – sie – ihr, es – es – ihm, wir – uns – uns, ihr – euch – euch, sie (they) – sie – ihnen, Sie (politeness pronoun) – Sie – Ihnen.
- schenken – gi i gave – Ich schenke dir (Dative) die Kamera (Accusative). BUT: Ich schenke sie (Accusative) dir (Dative).
- geben
- zeigen
- erklären
- bringen
- schicken
- kaufen
- sagen
Word Bank
Words in the nominative (Subject): der Junge, das Mädchen, die Frau, die Lehrerin, der Hund, der Vater, der Mann
Words in the dative (indirect object): seinem Bruder, dem Jungen, seiner Freundin, dem Schüler, dem Jungen, seiner Tochter, seiner Frau
Words in the accusative (direct object): ein Geschenk, einen Brief, einen Apfelbaum, den Dativ, einen Knochen, eine Mail, eine Blume
Final Quiz
Now, check your understanding of verb valency by identifying sentences with verbs with a valency of one, two, or three.