Breakdown of Meine Mutter regt sich oft über den Lärm auf.
oft
often
mein
my
die Mutter
the mother
über
about (a topic)
sich aufregen
to get upset
der Lärm
the noise
Questions & Answers about Meine Mutter regt sich oft über den Lärm auf.
Why is sich used in this sentence?
The verb is sich aufregen, which is a reflexive verb meaning to get upset. In German, you literally say someone upsets themselves. Because this verb requires the accusative case, we use the accusative reflexive pronoun sich to match Meine Mutter (she).
Why is auf at the very end of the sentence?
The infinitive of the verb is sich aufregen. Because aufregen is a separable verb, the prefix auf breaks off and goes to the very end of the sentence, while the main conjugated part (regt) stays in the second position.
Why do we use über den here? Doesn't über usually mean over or above?
When you get upset about something, German uses the preposition über. With verbs of emotion like this, über always takes the accusative case. Since Lärm (noise) is a masculine noun, der changes to the accusative den.
Could I change the word order and say Meine Mutter regt oft sich...?
No, in a normal main clause, the reflexive pronoun sich needs to stick very close to the conjugated verb regt. It must come before adverbs of frequency like oft.
Learn Meine Mutter regt sich oft über den Lärm auf and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free