German Phrase
Beschreib die Person und den Ort.
Meaning
The sentence is a direct request asking someone to give a description of both a person and a place. It is informal and uses the singular ‘du’ form of the imperative.
When to use
Use this phrase in a classroom, language‑learning exercise, or any informal setting where you want a partner to describe a character and a setting, such as role‑play, storytelling, or a description task.
✦Grammar Breakdown
BeschreibdiePersonunddenOrt
Imperative (du)
‘Beschreib’ is the informal singular imperative form of the verb ‘beschreiben’, used when speaking to a friend or peer.
Accusative case
Both ‘die Person’ and ‘den Ort’ are direct objects, so they appear in the accusative case.
Coordinating conjunction ‘und’
‘und’ simply links two noun phrases; the case of each noun phrase is determined independently.
🗨In Conversation
Beschreib die Person und den Ort.
Describe the person and the place.
Sie ist groß, hat braune Haare und trägt eine rote Jacke. Der Ort ist ein kleiner Park mit einem See.
She is tall, has brown hair, and wears a red jacket. The place is a small park with a lake.
✕Common Mistakes
Beschreibe die Person und den Ort.
‘Beschreibe’ is the formal or polite imperative; using it in an informal context sounds overly formal.
Beschreib die Person und das Ort.
‘Ort’ is masculine; in the accusative it takes ‘den’, not ‘das’. ‘Das’ is the neuter article.
Beschreib den Person und die Ort.
When the nouns are both accusative, the articles are correct as shown; swapping them (e.g., ‘den Person’) is a case error.
↔Alternatives
Bitte beschreibe die Person und den Ort.
Please describe the person and the place.
Könntest du die Person und den Ort beschreiben?
Could you describe the person and the place?
Erzähle etwas über die Person und den Ort.
Tell something about the person and the place.
Cultural Tip
In German, the informal imperative ‘Beschreib’ is common among friends, peers, or in classroom settings. If you need to be more polite or formal (e.g., speaking to a stranger or a superior), use the formal imperative ‘Beschreiben Sie …’. Also, remember that the article changes with case: ‘die Person’ (accusative) stays the same, but ‘der Ort’ becomes ‘den Ort’ in the accusative.