Breakdown of Wir überlegen uns eine andere Möglichkeit.
ein
a, an (eine)
wir
we
andere
other, different
sich überlegen
to consider / to think over
die Möglichkeit
the possibility / the option
Questions & Answers about Wir überlegen uns eine andere Möglichkeit.
Why do we need uns in this sentence if the English translation doesn't say ourselves?
The verb sich etwas überlegen is a reflexive verb in German. Even though we just say consider or think over in English, German requires the reflexive pronoun to express that you are pondering it in your own mind. You literally say we consider a possibility to ourselves.
Is uns in the accusative or dative case here?
It is in the dative case. The sentence already has a direct object in the accusative case: eine andere Möglichkeit (the thing being considered). Because the accusative spot is taken, the reflexive pronoun uns is forced into the dative case.
How can I tell that eine andere Möglichkeit is accusative?
The ending -keit tells us that Möglichkeit is a feminine noun. For feminine nouns, the nominative and accusative forms look exactly the same: eine andere. We know it is accusative here because it acts as the direct object of the verb.
Could I use denken instead of sich überlegen here?
Not quite! denken an just means to think about someone or something. sich überlegen specifically means to weigh options, ponder, or figure something out. Since you are considering options, sich überlegen is the perfect fit.
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