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.
Nominalized infinitives are neuter nouns
| Construction | Example | Diagnostic |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Das sorgfältige Prüfen braucht Zeit. | Article + adjective + capitalized infinitive. |
| After a preposition | Beim Prüfen notiert Nuri die Fehler. | beim = bei dem |
| Genitive | die Dauer des Prüfens | Neuter genitive des + -s. |
| Still a verb | Nuri beginnt, die Geräte zu prüfen. | zu-infinitive stays lowercase. |
The nominalized infinitive names the activity as a concept. It is normally singular in this use: das Lernen, das Warten. A lexical noun can have a different meaning or plural, such as die Prüfung, die Prüfungen. Do not assume that the infinitive noun and every related lexical noun are interchangeable. A preceding article is a strong clue, but context decides: an article may instead belong to another following noun.
Keep adjective endings after nominalization
| Pattern | Example | Why this ending? |
|---|---|---|
| der + maskulin | der Betroffene | Weak -e in nominative singular. |
| ein + maskulin | ein Betroffener | -er supplies the nominative masculine signal. |
| mit + Dativ | mit einem Betroffenen | Dative after einem takes -en. |
| etwas / nichts | etwas Neues / nichts Wichtiges | Neuter strong -es in these phrases. |
| das + neutral | das Neue / mit dem Neuen | Case changes the ending, despite the capital. |
A nominalized adjective can name a person or an abstract quality. The capital letter does not turn it into a regular noun with a fixed ending. Compare der Angestellte and ein Angestellter. Review the full adjective-ending system.
Distinguish a noun from an omitted noun
Ich suche etwas Neues. / Von den beiden Jacken nehme ich die neue. Neues names something new independently. In the second sentence neue refers back to Jacke; the noun is omitted but understood, so the adjective stays lowercase. Compare Ich spreche am liebsten morgens: liebsten belongs to an adverbial superlative, not a nominalized noun. The practical test is the word’s job in the sentence, not whether a short word like die or am stands before it.
Some fixed expressions and ambiguous infinitives permit more than one spelling under the official rules. The examples here deliberately use clear noun and verb contexts. For lexical nouns, learn the actual word: entscheiden → die Entscheidung, ankommen → die Ankunft. Adding -ung to any verb is not a productive rule without limits.
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.
Eight meaning-preserving choices
1. Write the activity as a noun: “das regelmäßig___ lernen”.
das regelmäßige Lernen. Capitalize the infinitive; das takes adjective -e.
2. Complete: “die Vorteile des Lern___”.
des Lernens. The nominalized infinitive is neuter and takes genitive -s.
3. Nominative masculine: “ein Betroffen___”.
ein Betroffener. The nominalized adjective retains the adjective ending -er.
4. Choose capitals: “Wir besprechen etwas neues.”
Wir besprechen etwas Neues. Neues names an independent abstract thing.
5. Two coats were mentioned: “Ich nehme den blauen.” Capitalize blauen?
No: den blauen. The omitted Mantel is still the reference.
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.
Write two versions of a service notice
Write three sentences explaining that a room closes after an inspection, a meeting is postponed because a named person is absent, and reopening is only possible on Friday. Produce one noun-based version for a notice and one verbal version for a colleague. Underline the actor, affected object, time relation, negation and possibility in both. If any disappears, revise. Use the email practice tasks.
Questions about this topic
Can I add -ung to every verb?
No. Learn the actual lexical noun. The nominalized infinitive is a different pattern and may have a different meaning from a related noun.
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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