Breakdown of Ich brauche die Schere, weil ich einen dünnen Schal nähe.
ich
I
ein
a, an (eine)
brauchen
to need
weil
because (subordinating)
der Schal
the scarf
dünn
thin
die Schere
the scissors
nähen
to sew
Questions & Answers about Ich brauche die Schere, weil ich einen dünnen Schal nähe.
How would I ask "What do you need the scissors for?" using the grammar from this lesson?
You would use the wo-compound wofür. The verb brauchen (to need) is often paired with the preposition für (for). To ask "What for?", you combine wo + für to make the question: Wofür brauchst du die Schere?
Isn't "scissors" plural? Why does the German sentence use the singular die Schere?
In English, we treat "scissors" as a plural noun even when there is only one tool (a pair of scissors). In German, a single pair of scissors is simply a singular noun: die Schere. If you actually had multiple pairs, you would use the plural: die Scheren.
Why is the verb nähe at the very end of the sentence?
The word weil (because) is a subordinating conjunction. In German, these types of connecting words "kick" the conjugated verb to the very end of their clause. That is why it is ...weil ich einen dünnen Schal nähe instead of keeping the verb in the second position.
Why is it einen dünnen Schal and not just ein dünn Schal?
Der Schal (the scarf) is a masculine noun. In this sentence, it is the direct object of the verb nähen (to sew), which means it must be in the accusative case. The article changes from ein to einen, and the adjective dünn (thin) must take the masculine accusative ending -en to match.
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