Derivation: -ung, -er, -los, un-
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Decode German words built with -ung, -heit, -keit, -los, and un-, and use their word-class and gender clues in C-Tests.
Derivation builds a new word with a prefix or suffix. -ung, -heit, and -keit typically form feminine nouns; a nominalized infinitive is neuter. -los means “without”, while un- often negates an adjective.
Worked example
lösen → die Lösung
The suffix -ung turns the verb into a noun. Such derived nouns are feminine and capitalized.
Quick check
1. wohnen → die ___
Answer and explanation
Wohnung — The stem wohn- combines with -ung, creating a feminine noun.
2. frei → die ___
Answer and explanation
Freiheit — -heit forms a feminine noun from the adjective “frei”.
3. without work → ___
Answer and explanation
arbeitslos — -los means “without”. The linking s connects Arbeit and -los.
In the complete lesson: The complete lesson organizes more prefixes and suffixes, explains gender clues, and practises the patterns in C-Test gaps.