Nominalisation
B2 · Upper-Intermediate · Style & Precision
The rule
Verbs and adjectives turned into nouns.
How it works
Nominalisation turns verbs, adjectives or whole clauses into nouns, which is typical of formal and academic German. Verbs become nouns with -ung (entwickeln → die Entwicklung), adjectives with -heit or -keit (frei → die Freiheit), and some verbs become neuter nouns (das Lernen). The result is more compact, but the sentence must still be clear.
When to use it
Turn verbs and adjectives into nouns for formal and academic writing: die Entwicklung (development), die Freiheit (freedom).
Use cases
- Writing academic essays: Die Untersuchung der Daten zeigt einen Trend
- Writing business reports: Die Verbesserung der Qualität ist wichtig
- Summarising a process: Die Entscheidung des Gerichts wurde veröffentlicht
Examples
- das Lernen, die Schönheit – learning, beauty
- Die Lösung des Problems dauert lange. – Solving the problem takes a long time.
- Die Vorbereitung der Prüfung war anstrengend. – Preparing for the exam was exhausting.
- Die Digitalisierung verändert die Arbeitswelt. – Digitalisation is changing the world of work.
Common mistake
Writing nominalisations with the wrong article or gender; check each noun with its article.
Memory tip
Learn the noun with the suffix: -ung (f), -heit (f), -keit (f), -tum (n).