Word Formation

New words can be made in German with the help of existing words and other elements.
Composition

A compound word (a composition) is made by combining two (rarely more) existing words to make a new word:
Mutter + Sprache → Muttersprache , drei + zehn → dreizehn, schwarz + rot + gold(en) → schwarzrotgold(en), auf + schreiben → aufschreiben

The type of the second word determines the part of speech that the compound word will be, e.g.:
das Haus (noun) + hoch (adjective) → haushoch (adjective)
hoch (adjective) + das Haus (noun) → das Hochhaus (noun)


The gender of compound nouns that are made up of two (or more) nouns is determined by the second (or last) noun in the composition, e.g.:
der Regen + die Wolke → die Regenwolke
der Regen + das Wetter → das Regenwetter

 Derivation
A derivation is formed when a prefix or suffix is added to a word (word stem), e.g.:
fragen → befragen (prefix, inseperable)
fragen → nachfragen (prefix, seperable)
frag(en) → die Frage, fraglich (Suffixe)

Composition of Nouns

To facilitate pronunciation, a sound/letter is sometimes inserted in the composition of nouns, e.g.:
der Bund + -es- + der Kanzler → der Bundeskanzler
die Information + -s- + die Veranstaltung → die Informationsveranstaltung
die Stunde + -n- + der Plan → der Stundenplan

Nouns are often the result of the composition of several words. To understand what they mean, you will need to dissect the word properly, e.g.:
die Semester ‌ abschluss ‌ prüfung
– das Semester + der Abschluss + die Prüfung
  = die Prüfung zum Semesterabschluss
 Derivation
Many nouns are made up of other words (verbs, adjectives, or nouns) with the help of suffixes (e.g. -ung, -keit, -heit, -schaft), e.g.:
einladen → die Einladung, pünktlich → die Pünktlichkeit, das Kind → die Kindheit, das Land → die Landschaft.

Nouns ending in the suffices (-ung, -keit, -heit, -schaft) always have a feminine gender.
The stem before the suffix will usually help you understand the meaning of the word.

By attaching the suffix -(e)r to the word stem of a verb, a masculine noun is formed that describes a male person. Adding the suffix -erin will form a feminine noun that describes a female person, e.g.:
lehr-en → der Lehrer, die Lehrerin
les-en → der Leser, die Leserin

Some nouns have a diminutive form (affectionate form). This is often formed by adding the suffix -chen (less often with the suffix -lein). The stem vowel becomes an umlaut, e.g.: a → ä, o → ö, u → ü, au → äu, e.g.:
die Hand → das Händchen, der Kopf → das Köpfchen, der Fuß → das Füßchen, der Bauch → das Bäuchlein.

The grammatical gender of the diminutive form of a noun is always neuter.

Composition of Verbs

 Derivation

Quite often, when a compound verb is formed, it becomes a separable verb. The first part (also called prefix) of these verbs is stressed (e.g. aufschreiben). The first part of the verb (e.g. auf/schreiben) is separated from the second and placed behind it in conjugated forms of the present and preterite tenses:
ich schreibe (es) auf , sie schrieb (etwas) auf


Separable prefixes include the following:
ab- (abholen – ich hole … ab)
an- (anfangen – ich fange … an)
auf- (aufstehen – ich stehe … auf)
aus- (ausgehen – ich gehe … aus)
ein- (einkaufen – ich kaufe … ein)
mit- (mitkommen – ich komme … mit)
vor- (vorlesen – ich lese … vor)
zu- (zuhören – ich höre … zu)


Regarding the present and preterite tenses, the separated and adjusted first part can be pushed back to the final part of the sentence (Satzklammer or sentence bracket) – when additional sentence parts are present:
Ich schreibe deine Adresse sofort auf.


With regard to the past participle (e.g. in the perfect tense or pluperfect), the prefix ge- is placed between the first and second part:

(ich habe) aufgeschrieben, (sie hatte) aufgeschrieben


There are also derived verbs with inseparable prefixes. These prefixes cannot be separated from the second part. Some inseparable prefixes are as follows:
be- (bekommen – ich bekomme)
er- (erzählen – ich erzähle)
ver- (verkaufen – ich verkaufe)


Verbs with the suffix -ier(en) can be derived from foreign word nouns, e.g.:

das Telefon → telefonieren, die Operation → operieren, die Reparatur → reparieren



Word Formation of Adjectives
 Derivation
In order to form adjectives, add the suffixes -ig, -lich, -isch, -bar, -sam to nouns and verbs, e.g.:
der Wind → windig, der Freund → freundlich, der Franzose → französisch, bezahlen (können) → bezahlbar, sich mühen → mühsam

The suffix -los is added to nouns making them adjectives. It means "without something".
(die) Grenze + -los = grenzenlos (ohne Grenze/n)
(die) Sorge + -los = sorglos (ohne Sorge/n)

Adjectives based on foreign words or internationalisms often have special suffixes, e.g.:
international, prinzipiell, interessant, intelligent, negativ



Word Formation: Several Word Types
 Derivation
The prefix un- negates or expresses the opposite. It can be added to different types of words, e.g.
adjective: un- + sicher = unsicher (nicht sicher)
noun: Un- + (das) Glück = das Unglück (das Pech, das schlimme Ereignis)

The prefix un- is usually stressed.
 Conversion
Verbs and adjectives can be nominalized, that is transformed into nouns. They are then capitalized. Nominalized verbs are always neuter. These nouns can be recognized by an article (facultative) or by the connection to a preposition, e.g.:
abwaschen → das Abwaschen
(Das) Abwaschen dauert nicht lange. Zum Abwaschen braucht man heißes Wasser. Beim Abwaschen höre ich gern Radio.

The grammatical gender of substantivized adjectives varies. (der Große, die Kleine dort, das Schöne / (etwas) Schönes). They can be used with or without an article (article word). They are declined based on the declension category "adjective" (as with other words that come before a noun), e.g.:
neu → das Neue – Neues – etwas Neues – manches Neue
Mich interessiert alles Neue von dir. Ich habe mich mit Neuem beschäftigt.