Verbs Used as Nouns
Write an infinitive with a capital letter and it becomes a noun for the activity: schwätzen → d'Schwätzen (speaking), liesen → d'Liesen (reading).
How It Works
1. Capital letter
Used as a noun, an infinitive is capitalized like every noun:
- D'Schreiwen ass him ëmmer liichtgefall. (Writing always came easily to him.)
- D'Liesen ass mäin Hobby. (Reading is my hobby.)
2. Neuter
These nouns are neuter: d'Schwätzen, dat Schwätzen. They have no plural, except for words that became ordinary nouns, like d'Iessen (the meal).
3. With prepositions
They are very common after the short forms beim, mam and vum:
- beim Iessen (while eating), beim Plënneren (while moving house)
- Hien huet ugefaange mam Schaffen. (He started working.)
4. The n-rule
The -en ending follows the n-rule like any other: D'Schwätze fält mir liicht, but d'Schwätzen ass (before a vowel) and wéi d'Schreiwen. (before a full stop).
5. Two-word groups
When a verb and its object become one noun, write them together: autofueren → d'Autofueren. Beim Autofuere soll een net telefonéieren.
6. Mat + verb
After ufänken mat and ophalen mat, write a small letter when mat could be replaced by ze: Hien huet ugefaange mat schaffen (= ugefaangen ze schaffen). See ufänke mat and ophale mat.
Examples (6)
- D'Schwätze fält mir méi liicht wéi d'Schreiwen.
Speaking comes more easily to me than writing.
Schwätzen loses its n before f; Schreiwen keeps it before the full stop.
- D'Liesen ass mäin Hobby.
Reading is my hobby.
- Beim Autofuere soll een net telefonéieren.
You should not phone while driving.
Auto + fueren become one noun, written together.
- Beim Plënneren ass him eppes op de Fouss gefall.
While he was moving house, something fell on his foot.
- Hien huet ugefaange mam Schaffen.
He started working.
mam = mat dem, followed by the neuter noun Schaffen.
- Nom Iesse gi mir spadséieren.
After the meal we go for a walk.
Iessen has become an ordinary noun meaning meal.
Common Mistakes
Writing the noun with a small letter.
D'schreiwen ass schwéier.D'Schreiwen ass schwéier.Used as a noun, the infinitive is capitalized like any other noun.
Using a masculine article.
De Liesen ass mäin Hobby.D'Liesen ass mäin Hobby.Infinitives used as nouns are neuter, so the article is d', not de.
Forgetting the n-rule on the noun.
D'Schwätzen fält mir liicht.D'Schwätze fält mir liicht.The -en ending loses its n before f, just like any other word in -en.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Verbs Used as Nouns, learn Preposition and Article Contractions.
Related Patterns
- Nouns Are Capitalized
An infinitive used as a noun is capitalized like every other noun.
Level 1 - The N-Rule (Eifeler Regel)
The -en ending of these nouns follows the n-rule.
Level 1 - ufänke mat / ophale matStarting and Stopping: Ufänke Mat, Ophale Mat
After mat the verb is capitalized as a noun, unless mat could be replaced by ze.
Level 4 - Nouns in -ung
-ung is another way to make a noun from a verb: Rechnen versus Rechnung.
Level 4 - Adjectives Used as Nouns
Adjectives can also become capitalized nouns.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Verbs Used as Nouns in Bubblegum
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