1.What this page explains
In nominal style, actions, processes, and states are often expressed as nouns. This is not a matter of simply attaching any suffix to a verb. You need to know
which noun actually exists,
what meaning it has,
what gender it has,
which complements it takes,
and whether it fits the register of the sentence.
Core patterns:
prüfen → die Prüfung
entwickeln → die Entwicklung
entscheiden → die Entscheidung
analysieren → die Analyse
reagieren → die Reaktion
investieren → die Investition
arbeiten → das Arbeiten
But:
verb ≠ automatically exactly one noun
A verb may have several nominal counterparts:
bauen
→ das Bauen process
→ der Bau process / result / building
→ die Bebauung area-related development process
At C1, the key is therefore:
word formation
+ meaning
+ valency
+ register
+ information structure
This page focuses on verb-to-noun formation for nominal style. Person nouns such as Lehrer, Bewerber, or Teilnehmer appear only where they help distinguish event/action nouns from agent nouns.
The page is reference and self-study material. It contains no exercises or tests.
2.1. Why verb-to-noun formation matters
Nominal style requires suitable action nouns. They allow entire events to function as noun phrases.
Examples:
Die Firma prüft den Antrag. → Die Prüfung des Antrags erfolgt durch die Firma.
3.2. Event nouns
An event noun denotes a process or event.
Examples:
die Prüfung
die Entwicklung
die Reaktion
4.3. Result nouns
Some nouns refer more to the result of an action than to the action itself.
Examples:
das Ergebnis
der Bau
der Beschluss
5.4. Distinguishing agent nouns from action nouns
der Bewerber denotes a person, while die Bewerbung denotes a process or document.
Examples:
bewerben → der Bewerber / die Bewerbung
6.5. Nominalization is lexical
Many patterns are productive, but not every theoretically possible form is actually used.
Examples:
prüfen → Prüfung
aber nicht jedes Verb bildet natürlich ein -ung-Nomen
7.6. Word formation and style are linked
A formally correct noun can still sound stylistically heavy or unnecessarily abstract.
Examples:
die Durchführung einer Überprüfung
8.7. Meaning comes before form
When several nouns are possible, first decide which meaning is intended.
Examples:
bauen → Bau / Bebauung / Bauen
9.8. Valency must be relearned
The noun does not automatically take exactly the same complements as the verb.
Examples:
an etwas teilnehmen → die Teilnahme an etwas
10.9. Gender belongs to word formation
Gender must be learned with nominalizations because it controls articles and adjective endings.
Examples:
die Entscheidung
das Arbeiten
der Bau
11.10. Plural belongs to the lexical item
Not every action noun has a common or predictable plural.
Examples:
die Entscheidung – die Entscheidungen
12.11. Nominalization changes information structure
After nominalization, a process can function as topic, object, or prepositional complement.
Examples:
Diese Entscheidung hat weitreichende Folgen.
13.12. C1 goal
At C1, you should recognize productive patterns, respect lexical limits, and build the resulting noun phrase correctly.
Examples:
Verb erkennen → Nomen wählen → Bedeutung prüfen → Valenz neu bauen.
14.13. The nominalized infinitive
Almost any infinitive can be used as a nominalized infinitive.
Examples:
arbeiten → das Arbeiten
15.14. Gender: always neuter
The nominalized infinitive is always neuter.
Examples:
das Lesen
das Schreiben
das Planen
16.15. Capitalization
When used as a noun, the infinitive is capitalized.
Examples:
lesen → das Lesen
17.16. Process meaning
The nominalized infinitive typically denotes the activity or process itself.
Examples:
Das Lesen wissenschaftlicher Texte braucht Zeit.
18.17. Neutral with respect to result
das Bauen denotes the process, while der Bau can also denote a result or building.
Examples:
Das Bauen dauert lange.
19.18. Infinitive nouns in general statements
Nominalized infinitives are especially suitable for general activities.
Examples:
Das Reisen erweitert den Horizont.
20.19. Infinitive nouns with complements
Nominalized infinitives can also take complements, but these are linked nominally.
Examples:
das Lesen des Berichts
21.20. Verb object → genitive
An accusative object often becomes a genitive attribute with a nominalized infinitive.
Examples:
den Bericht lesen → das Lesen des Berichts
22.21. Prepositional complement often remains
Prepositional complements can often be retained with the same preposition.
Examples:
über das Problem sprechen → das Sprechen über das Problem
23.22. Nominalized infinitive vs -ung noun
The nominalized infinitive often stays closer to the process; a lexicalized -ung noun can function more as an established event or result concept.
Examples:
das Entwickeln ↔ die Entwicklung
24.23. Not every infinitive noun sounds equally elegant
Although the pattern is highly productive grammatically, a lexical noun may sound more natural stylistically.
Examples:
das Entscheiden ↔ die Entscheidung
25.24. Infinitive nominalization in headings
Infinitive nouns are common in headings and general process labels.
Examples:
Planen und Entscheiden unter Unsicherheit
26.25. When the infinitive noun is especially useful
It is especially useful when the process itself is meant and no specific lexical noun is needed.
Examples:
das Beobachten
das Vergleichen
das Nachdenken
27.26. Limit: very long complements
With long complements, a verbal form may be easier to understand.
Examples:
Besser manchmal: Wir vergleichen die Ergebnisse aus drei unterschiedlichen Datensätzen.
28.27. -ung: productive nominalization
-ung is one of the most important German suffixes for forming action nouns.
Examples:
prüfen → Prüfung
entwickeln → Entwicklung
29.28. Gender: feminine
Nouns ending in -ung are feminine.
Examples:
die Prüfung
die Planung
die Veränderung
30.29. Plural in -en
Many -ung nouns form the plural with -en.
Examples:
die Prüfung – die Prüfungen
31.30. Verb stem as the base
The formation usually uses the verb stem, though umlaut or stem changes may occur lexically.
Examples:
prüfen → Prüfung
32.31. entwickeln → Entwicklung
Here, -ung creates an established noun for both process and development/result.
Examples:
die Entwicklung neuer Verfahren
33.32. entscheiden → Entscheidung
Entscheidung can denote either the process or the result of deciding.
Examples:
Die Entscheidung fällt morgen.
34.33. verändern → Veränderung
Veränderung can denote a process or the resulting change.
Examples:
eine deutliche Veränderung
35.34. verbessern → Verbesserung
Verbesserung can refer both to the process of improving and to an improvement as a result.
Examples:
zur Verbesserung der Qualität
36.35. fördern → Förderung
Förderung is highly lexicalized and can mean support, funding, or promotion as a process.
Examples:
die Förderung erneuerbarer Energien
37.36. nutzen → Nutzung
Nutzung is a typical factual/formal noun for use or utilization.
Examples:
die Nutzung digitaler Angebote
38.37. Not every verb forms a common -ung noun
Productivity has lexical limits. The established form must be known.
Examples:
*helfen → die Hilfe, nicht Helfung
39.38. -ung can specialize meaning
An -ung noun can have a narrower or shifted meaning compared with the underlying verb.
Examples:
Bebauung ≠ einfach jedes Bauen
40.39. -ung and technical language
-ung nouns are especially common in technical, administrative, and academic language.
Examples:
Datenerhebung
Auswertung
Bewertung
41.40. Compounds with -ung
-ung nouns are highly productive as the second element of compounds.
Examples:
Qualitätssicherung
Datenverarbeitung
42.41. Use -ung nominal style carefully
Many -ung nouns in sequence can make a text very dense.
Examples:
die Durchführung der Auswertung der Erhebung
43.42. Verbalization may be better
When the structure becomes hard to read, switch back to a verb.
Examples:
Wir werten die erhobenen Daten aus.
44.43. Conversion and stem nouns
Alongside -ung, German has nouns without a visible derivational suffix.
Examples:
bauen → der Bau
45.44. bauen → der Bau
Bau can denote process, result, construction, or building.
Examples:
der Bau einer Brücke
46.45. beginnen → der Beginn
Beginn is an established masculine event noun.
Examples:
zu Beginn der Sitzung
47.46. abschließen → der Abschluss
Abschluss can denote the act of completing, an ending, or a qualification.
Examples:
nach Abschluss der Prüfung
48.47. ansteigen → der Anstieg
Anstieg is an important event noun for quantitative increases.
Examples:
der Anstieg der Preise
49.48. fallen → der Fall is semantically complex
Fall is highly lexicalized and does not simply always mean the process of falling.
Examples:
der Fall eines Gegenstands
aber auch: ein juristischer Fall
50.49. steigen → der Anstieg / die Steigerung
Different nouns can encode different perspectives: Anstieg often an intransitive rise, Steigerung often a caused increase.
Examples:
der Anstieg der Nachfrage
die Steigerung der Produktivität
51.50. sinken → der Rückgang / die Senkung
Rückgang often denotes an observed decrease; Senkung a caused reduction.
Examples:
der Rückgang der Nachfrage
die Senkung der Kosten
52.51. Causativity remains relevant
When choosing the noun, preserve whether something happens by itself or is actively caused.
Examples:
steigen ↔ steigern
sinken ↔ senken
53.52. Learn stem changes
Some nominalizations show historical or irregular stem forms.
Examples:
ziehen → der Zug
sprechen → die Sprache / das Gespräch – je nach Bedeutung
54.53. Lexicalization limits predictability
The more lexicalized a noun is, the less its meaning can be predicted from the verb alone.
Examples:
der Zug
der Schluss
der Auftrag
55.54. Word families rather than isolated rules
At C1, it is more efficient to learn related forms as families.
Examples:
steigen – der Anstieg – die Steigerung – steigern
56.55. Foreign-derived nominalization
Many international verbs have established nouns with Latin/French suffixes.
Examples:
reagieren → Reaktion
57.56. -ieren → -tion
Many verbs in -ieren correspond to nouns in -tion, but the relation is lexical rather than purely mechanical.
Examples:
reagieren → Reaktion
investieren → Investition
58.57. organisieren → Organisation
Organisation can denote both the process of organizing and an institution.
Examples:
die Organisation der Veranstaltung
eine internationale Organisation
59.58. informieren → Information
Information often denotes the content or message rather than merely the process of informing.
Examples:
die Information der Öffentlichkeit
eine wichtige Information
60.59. kommunizieren → Kommunikation
Kommunikation is a strongly established abstract process noun.
Examples:
die interne Kommunikation
61.60. analysieren → Analyse
Not every international verb forms a -tion noun.
Examples:
analysieren → die Analyse
62.61. diagnostizieren → Diagnose
This shows that the nominal base form must be learned lexically.
Examples:
die Diagnose
63.62. argumentieren → Argumentation
Argumentation typically denotes the structure and process of arguing.
Examples:
die Argumentation des Autors
64.63. -ment
Some international verbs have nouns ending in -ment.
Examples:
engagieren → Engagement
65.64. Engagement
Engagement denotes commitment, involvement, or engagement and is semantically broader than a single use of sich engagieren.
Examples:
gesellschaftliches Engagement
66.65. -anz / -enz
Abstract nouns ending in -anz or -enz often belong to international word families with related verbs or adjectives.
Examples:
existieren → Existenz
67.66. existieren → Existenz
Existenz denotes more of a state than an event.
Examples:
die Existenz des Problems
68.67. akzeptieren → Akzeptanz
Akzeptanz often denotes the degree or state of being accepted, not merely a single act.
Examples:
die gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz
69.68. Learn internationalisms as word families
With international vocabulary, learn the verb, noun, adjective, and typical preposition together.
Examples:
reagieren auf – die Reaktion auf – reaktiv
70.69. Accusative object → genitive
A direct object often becomes a genitive attribute with the event noun.
Examples:
Wir prüfen den Antrag. → die Prüfung des Antrags
71.70. Accusative object → von phrase
In some contexts, a von phrase replaces the genitive, especially with long or article-poor groups.
Examples:
die Analyse von Daten aus drei Regionen
72.71. Dative object: no universal rule
A dative object must be re-linked differently depending on the noun.
Examples:
jemandem helfen → die Hilfe für jemanden / die Hilfe bei etwas
73.72. Prepositional objects
With many nominalizations, prepositional complements retain the same preposition.
Examples:
an etwas teilnehmen → die Teilnahme an etwas
74.73. abhängen von → Abhängigkeit von
The preposition von is retained.
Examples:
die Abhängigkeit von externen Faktoren
75.74. reagieren auf → Reaktion auf
The preposition auf remains part of the noun's valency.
Examples:
die Reaktion auf Kritik
76.75. teilnehmen an → Teilnahme an
The preposition remains stable here as well.
Examples:
die Teilnahme an der Konferenz
77.76. sich interessieren für → Interesse an/für
The verb and noun may prefer different prepositions. This is why nominal valency must be learned separately.
Examples:
Interesse an Forschung
78.77. Agent as genitive
With some nouns, the agent can appear as a genitive attribute.
Examples:
die Entscheidung der Kommission
79.78. Agent with durch
durch is especially useful when the agent is marked as the initiator of an event.
Examples:
die Prüfung durch eine unabhängige Stelle
80.79. Agent and object can compete
When both agent and affected object are named, the structure must be planned clearly.
Examples:
die Prüfung des Antrags durch die Behörde
81.80. Ambiguous genitive
A genitive can denote the agent or object depending on the noun.
Examples:
die Kritik des Ministers
82.81. Attributive adjectives replace adverbs
An adverb modifying a verb often becomes an attributive adjective after nominalization.
Examples:
Wir prüfen sorgfältig. → die sorgfältige Prüfung
83.82. Time expressions stay external
Tense disappears in the noun, so time is often marked by additional expressions.
Examples:
die Prüfung im kommenden Monat
84.83. Modality must be added separately
Necessity, possibility, or obligation are not automatically encoded in the noun.
Examples:
die notwendige Prüfung
die mögliche Anpassung
85.84. Negation becomes nominal
Negation can be expressed through keine, nicht erfolgte, fehlende, or lexical opposites.
Examples:
die fehlende Zustimmung
86.85. Choosing the right noun
The most important question is not the suffix but which nominal meaning is needed in context.
Examples:
steigen → Anstieg / Steigerung
87.86. Process or result?
Many nouns are ambiguous between process and result. Context must support the intended reading.
Examples:
die Entscheidung
die Entwicklung
88.87. General activity or institutional concept?
das Prüfen is process-oriented; die Prüfung is more lexicalized and can also be institutional.
Examples:
das Prüfen von Daten ↔ die Prüfung
89.88. Nominalize without becoming bureaucratic
Nominal style is effective only when information becomes clearer or more compact.
Examples:
eine Analyse durchführen → oft einfacher: analysieren
90.89. Typical error: invented -ung noun
Not every verb allows an idiomatic -ung noun.
Examples:
*helfen → Hilfe, nicht Helfung
91.90. Typical error: wrong gender
The derivational pattern often, but not always, indicates gender. Learn the article with the noun.
Examples:
die Entwicklung
das Arbeiten
der Beginn
92.91. Typical error: blindly copying the verb preposition
Some nouns retain the preposition, while others change their valency.
Examples:
sich interessieren für → Interesse an
93.92. Typical error: confusing agent and object
With genitive attributes, make sure the intended semantic role is clear.
Examples:
die Beobachtung des Forschers
94.93. C1 analysis algorithm
A multi-step procedure helps with reliable verb-to-noun reformulation.
1. Welche Bedeutung hat das Verb im konkreten Satz?
2. Brauche ich Prozess, Resultat, Zustand oder Person?
3. Gibt es ein lexikalisch etabliertes Nomen?
4. Passt Infinitivnominalisierung, -ung, Stammnomen oder Fremdwortnomen?
5. Welches Genus und welcher Plural gehören dazu?
6. Wie werden Akkusativ, Dativ und Präpositionalergänzungen neu angebunden?
7. Muss das Agens explizit bleiben?
8. Bleiben Zeit, Modalität und Negation ausreichend klar?
9. Passt die nominale Dichte zum Register?
95.94. What to remember
At C1, verb-to-noun formation combines word formation, lexis, and syntax.
Infinitiv → das Arbeiten: sehr produktiv, prozessnah
-ung → die Prüfung / Entwicklung: wichtig, aber lexikalisch begrenzt
Stammnomen → der Bau / Beginn / Anstieg: oft stark lexikalisiert
Fremdwortfamilien → Reaktion / Analyse / Existenz: Form mitlernen
Akkusativobjekt → häufig Genitiv
Präpositionalobjekt → oft gleiche, aber nicht immer gleiche Präposition
Agens → Genitiv oder durch-Gruppe
Nominalisierung → nie nur Endung, sondern Bedeutung + Valenz + Register
96.Summary
The main formation routes:
1. nominalized infinitive
arbeiten → das Arbeiten
lesen → das Lesen
2. -ung
prüfen → die Prüfung
entwickeln → die Entwicklung
verändern → die Veränderung
3. stem / conversion noun
bauen → der Bau
beginnen → der Beginn
ansteigen → der Anstieg
4. international word families
reagieren → die Reaktion
analysieren → die Analyse
existieren → die Existenz
akzeptieren → die Akzeptanz
Meaning matters:
steigen → der Anstieg
steigern → die Steigerung
sinken → der Rückgang
senken → die Senkung
bauen → das Bauen / der Bau / die Bebauung
After nominalization, syntax must be rebuilt:
den Antrag prüfen
→ die Prüfung des Antrags
an der Konferenz teilnehmen
→ die Teilnahme an der Konferenz
auf Kritik reagieren
→ die Reaktion auf Kritik
die Behörde prüft den Antrag
→ die Prüfung des Antrags durch die Behörde
Always check:
gender
plural
valency
agent
process vs result
register
information density
At C1, nominalization does not mean “verb + suffix”; it means choosing a lexically appropriate noun with the right meaning and rebuilding the syntax around it.