Breakdown of Ohne Arbeit hätten wir Zeit für eine Weltreise.
ein
a, an (eine)
haben
to have
die Zeit
the time
wir
we
Questions & Answers about Ohne Arbeit hätten wir Zeit für eine Weltreise.
Why do we use hätten here instead of haben?
Hätten is the Konjunktiv II (Subjunctive II) form of haben (to have). We use it to talk about imaginary or unreal situations. Since the speakers actually do have work, they are imagining a hypothetical scenario: what they would have if things were different.
Why is the subject wir placed after the verb hätten?
In German main clauses, the conjugated verb must always be in the second position. The phrase Ohne Arbeit (without work) takes up the first block or position. So, the verb hätten stays in position two, pushing the subject wir into position three.
Why is it für eine Weltreise and not für einer Weltreise?
The preposition für always forces the following noun into the accusative case. Since Weltreise is a feminine noun (die Weltreise), the accusative article remains eine. If you were using a masculine noun, it would change to einen.
How does the compound noun Weltreise work?
It combines die Welt (the world) and die Reise (the trip or journey). In German compound nouns, the gender always comes from the final word in the chain, which is why it uses the feminine article die.