Was ist der Grund? Warum sagst du die Party ab?
What is the reason? Why are you cancelling the party?
Breakdown of Was ist der Grund? Warum sagst du die Party ab?
sein
to be
du
you (informal singular)
was
what
die Party
the party
warum
why
absagen
to cancel
der Grund
the reason
Questions & Answers about Was ist der Grund? Warum sagst du die Party ab?
How does der Grund relate to this lesson's words like deshalb or darum?
Der Grund means the reason. In German, words like deshalb, darum, and deswegen all basically mean for that reason or therefore. When someone asks for der Grund with a Warum question, you will often use those connecting words to start your reply!
Why is ab at the very end of the sentence?
It comes from the separable verb absagen (to cancel). In a main clause, the conjugated part of the verb (sagst) takes the second position, and the prefix (ab) is pushed to the very end of the sentence.
Why is the word order Warum sagst du and not Warum du sagst?
In German W-questions (questions starting with a question word like Warum), the conjugated verb must always come in the second position, right after the question word. So, the verb sagst must come before the subject du.
Could I translate what is the reason for cancelling directly into one German sentence?
Not easily at this level! In English, we use for + an -ing verb (for cancelling). German doesn't have an exact equivalent for that structure. Breaking it into two simple sentences, like Was ist der Grund? Warum sagst du die Party ab?, is the most natural and grammatically safe way to say this.
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