Breakdown of Ein höflicher Techniker hilft mir bei einem neuen Problem.
ein
a, an (eine)
das Problem
the problem
neu
new
helfen
to help
mir
me / to me (dative)
bei
at, near, with
höflich
polite
der Techniker
the technician
Questions & Answers about Ein höflicher Techniker hilft mir bei einem neuen Problem.
Why does the adjective neuen end in -en?
The phrase bei einem neuen Problem is in the dative case because of the preposition bei. Since the indefinite article einem clearly shows the case and gender (neuter), the adjective simply takes the standard dative ending -en. After any article like einem, meinem, or keinem in the dative case, the adjective will always end in -en.
Why does höflicher end in -er while neuen ends in -en?
Ein höflicher Techniker is the subject of the sentence, so it is in the nominative case. Since the basic article ein doesn't tell us that Techniker is masculine, the adjective has to do the heavy lifting by adding the masculine ending -er. In contrast, the article einem later in the sentence already shows the case, so the adjective neuen just gets a standard -en.
What causes the dative case for both mir and einem neuen Problem?
There are two separate rules at work here! First, the verb helfen (to help) is a verb that always requires its object to be in the dative case, which is why "me" is mir (not mich). Second, the preposition bei always forces the noun phrase that follows it into the dative case.
Why does the sentence use bei for "with" instead of mit?
In English, you "help someone with something." In German, the set phrase is helfen bei. You use bei for the situation, task, or problem you are assisting with. If you used mit here, it would sound like the problem is a physical tool you are using to help someone!
Learn Ein höflicher Techniker hilft mir bei einem neuen Problem 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