Breakdown of Wir wissen, dass Tom heute nicht mitmacht.
wir
we
heute
today
nicht
not
Tom
Tom
wissen
to know (a fact)
dass
that
mitmachen
to join in / to participate
Questions & Answers about Wir wissen, dass Tom heute nicht mitmacht.
Why is mitmacht written as one word at the end? Shouldn't separable verbs split?
Normally, yes! In a regular sentence, mitmachen (to join in) splits: Tom macht heute nicht mit. However, this is a subordinate clause starting with dass (that). The word dass pushes the conjugated verb to the very end of the clause. When a separable verb is forced to the end like this, its prefix (mit) and the main verb (macht) snap back together into a single word.
Why does nicht come after heute?
In German, time words like heute (today) usually appear early in the sentence. The word nicht often goes near the end, right before the specific action it is negating. Here, nicht is negating the action of joining in (mitmacht), so it sits directly in front of it.
I learned teilnehmen for to participate. Is mitmachen the same thing?
Both mean to participate or take part, but they have different vibes. teilnehmen sounds more formal, like participating in a conference, a survey, or an official course. mitmachen is very casual and is the perfect verb for joining a game, an everyday activity, or a group effort.
Is the comma before dass required?
Yes, absolutely! In English, we often drop the comma and even the word that entirely, as in: We know Tom isn't joining in. In German, a subordinate clause (like the one starting with dass) must always be separated from the main clause (Wir wissen) by a comma.
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