Turn an action into a noun without losing the actor
Weil Nuri die Geräte prüft, bleibt der Raum geschlossen. → Während der Prüfung der Geräte durch Nuri bleibt der Raum geschlossen. These two sentences are not equivalent: weil gives a reason; während gives a time relationship. Similar vocabulary is not enough. A faithful nominalization must preserve the relationship too. A matching causal version is Wegen der Prüfung der Geräte durch Nuri bleibt der Raum geschlossen. First identify the relation, then choose a noun and a preposition.
Nominal style is useful for headings, recurring concepts and concise formal summaries. Verbal style often makes responsibility and timing easier to see. Advanced writing does not require every verb to become a noun. Choose the version that lets your reader reconstruct what happened.
A meaning-preserving conversion
- Recover the action
Nuri prüft die Geräte.
Nuri acts; Geräte are checked.
- Choose the relation
nach der Prüfung
After is different from because of.
- Retain the roles
nach der Prüfung der Geräte durch Nuri
Name the affected object and agent where needed.
- Read it back as a clause
nachdem Nuri die Geräte geprüft hat
Check time, negation and modality against the original.
Preserve relation, roles, negation and modality
Nachdem Nuri die Geräte geprüft hatte, öffnete er den Raum. → Nach der Prüfung der Geräte durch Nuri öffnete er den Raum. Nach preserves “after”; durch Nuri keeps the agent and der Geräte the affected objects. In die Prüfung des Technikers, the genitive could name the person who checks or the person being examined. Add durch or a finite clause when that ambiguity matters. A possessive such as ihre Prüfung can also conceal a role; it does not always mean she is the examiner.
Weil Lea nicht teilnahm, verschoben wir die Abstimmung. → Wegen Leas Nichtteilnahme verschoben wir die Abstimmung. The negation must survive. Likewise, die mögliche Schließung is only possible closure; it must not become “the building closes” as an asserted fact. Due to illness can be aufgrund einer Erkrankung or aufgrund von Krankheit: the second pattern uses von + dative. Pick a suitable preposition and check its case. For temporal choices, use time prepositions and clauses.
Choose the form and explain the meaning
6. Nominalize “Bevor der Kurs beginnt, bezahlen wir” using Beginn.
Vor Beginn des Kurses bezahlen wir. Vor preserves the earlier payment; des Kurses identifies what starts.
7. Does “während der Prüfung” preserve the cause in “weil geprüft wird”?
No. Während gives time. Wegen der Prüfung would express a cause.
8. Verbalize possible closure without asserting it: “die mögliche Schließung der Bibliothek”.
dass die Bibliothek möglicherweise geschlossen wird. The possibility marker preserves the modal limitation.
Start with the topic overview
German nominalization: noun forms, endings and nominal versus verbal style · Find another grammar topic
Questions about this topic
Is nominal style always better at C1?
No. It can compress a formal text, but verbal clauses often make actors and relationships clearer. Choose for the reader and purpose.
Sources and further learning
- Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung via IDS: Substantivierungen (§§ 57–58)
- IDS grammis: Nominalisierung
- Deutsche Grammatik 2.0: Übersicht Nominalisierung/Verbalisierung
- Goethe-Institut: Deutsch Online C1, Kapitel 14 grammar review
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