nennt

Nennt is the third-person singular present tense form of the German verb nennen, meaning to name, to call, or to designate. It is used when describing that someone or something is given a particular name or designation in the present time. The verb’s infinitive is nennen; its past tense is nannte, and the past participle is genannt.

In present tense conjugation, the forms are: ich nenne, du nennst, er nennt, wir nennen, ihr nennt, sie nennen. The form nennt appears specifically in the third-person singular present (er nennt). Nennen is a regular verb in its endings, with a stem that changes slightly in the second and third person singular (du nennst, er nennt).

Usage and syntax: nennen can take an object to specify what something is named, often with a direct object and a predicative object (two accusative elements) as in “Ich nenne ihn meinen Freund” or “Er nennt seinen Hund Bello.” It is also common in the impersonal construction “das nennt man …,” meaning “that is called …” to designate a concept or phenomenon. Nennen can be used with people, objects, or ideas, and it frequently appears in news, literature, and everyday speech.

Related terms include synonyms such as bezeichnen and benennen, which convey similar meanings but with different nuances. The word is etymologically linked to the German noun Name and shares its roots with related Germanic terms for designation.

See also: German grammar of transitive verbs, predicative object constructions, and the phrase das nennt man.