What is the difference between using auseinander and getrennt in german ?

Question

also in phrases of the type "X (der mann,die frau etc) verb sein-declination noun" what determines the declination of sein ? the noun ?

i.e. stuff like

der mann ist stolz auf SEIN auto

die hände des mannes sind auf SEINEM kopf

SEINEN sohn etc etc

thanks!

Answer 1

Your first question:

you are using getrennt if you want to say that something is sepperate, and maybe was for ever. You are using auseinander if something is teard apart (maybe was together for a long time). In daily language it may be substitutions, but thinking about the words it is like that.

Your second question:

when learning german as a german you learn to ask questions about the cases (thats at least the way I memorize it.)

Der Mann ist stolz auf SEIN Auto --> weN oder was? (Akkusativ) -> (passive) DAS Auto ->seiN

Die Hände des Mannes sind auf SEINEM Kopf -> weM oder was? (Dativ) -> (passive) DER Kopf -> seineM Kopf

(incomplete) SEINEN Sohn (incomplete)  -> weN oder was? (Akkusativ) -> (passiv) DER Sohn->seineN

    *  Nominativ, 1. Fall, „Wer-oder-was-Fall“

    *  Genitiv, 2. Fall, „Wes(sen)-Fall“

    *  Dativ, 3. Fall, „Wem-Fall“

    *  Akkusativ, 4. Fall, „Wen-oder-was-Fall“

If you write german please capitalize nouns, it makes the text much more readable.

And please do not ask multiple questions in one question. thank you!

Answer 2

"auseinander" is "apart"

"getrennt" is "separated"

The possessive pronoun is determined by the gender, if it is singular or plural and the grammatical case of the noun. In your example:



-  der Mann ist stolz auf SEIN Auto - the noun "Auto" is neuter, singular and Accusative

- die Hände des Mannes sind auf SEINEM Kopf - the noun "Kopf" is masculine, singular and Dative

- SEINEN Sohn - the noun is masculine, singular and Accusative

Hope that helped a bit ;-)