Breakdown of Die Feuerwehr dürfte gleich ankommen, aber wir warten auf die Polizei.
aber
but
wir
we
dürfen
to be allowed to, may
ankommen
to arrive
gleich
almost / soon (in a moment)
warten auf
to wait for
die Feuerwehr
the fire department
die Polizei
the police
Questions & Answers about Die Feuerwehr dürfte gleich ankommen, aber wir warten auf die Polizei.
Why is dürfte translated as "should" instead of something about permission?
The verb dürfen usually means "to be allowed to". However, when we use its Konjunktiv II form (dürfte), it often changes meaning to express a strong probability or an assumption. In this sentence, it means the fire department "is likely to" or "should" arrive soon.
Doesn't gleich mean "equal" or "same"? Why is it translated as "shortly"?
You are right that gleich can mean "equal". But when it is used in relation to time, just like in this sentence, it means "shortly", "in a moment", or "right away".
Why is it auf die Polizei? Since we are waiting at a location, wouldn't it be dative?
The phrase "to wait for" is warten auf in German. Even though auf is a two-way preposition that can take the dative for locations, when it is part of a fixed verb combination like warten auf, it always takes the accusative case. Since Polizei is a feminine noun, the accusative article remains die.
Why isn't the prefix for ankommen separated at the end of the first clause?
Normally, a separable verb like ankommen splits in a simple sentence (for example, Die Feuerwehr kommt an). But here, the modal verb dürfte takes the active second position in the sentence. This always forces the other verb to go to the very end of its clause in its full, unseparated infinitive form.
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