Breakdown of Der Arzt prüft, ob die neue Methode gefährlich ist.
sein
to be
neu
new
der Arzt
the doctor
gefährlich
dangerous
ob
whether / if
prüfen
to check / to test
die Methode
the method
Questions & Answers about Der Arzt prüft, ob die neue Methode gefährlich ist.
Why is the verb ist at the very end of the sentence?
The word ob (whether/if) introduces a subordinate clause. In German, subordinate clauses push the conjugated verb to the very end of the sentence, which is why ist is placed last here.
Both ob and wenn can translate to "if" in English. Why are we using ob here?
You use ob when expressing an indirect yes/no question, meaning you can usually replace it with "whether" in English. You use wenn for conditions like "if it rains" or time like "whenever". Since the doctor is checking a yes/no fact, we must use ob.
Is the comma before ob required?
Yes! In German, subordinate clauses are strictly separated from the main clause by a comma. Since ob starts a subordinate clause, you must put a comma right before it.
Why does the adjective neu have an -e at the end (neue)?
This is a standard adjective ending. Because we are using the definite article die with a feminine noun (Methode) in the nominative case (the subject of its clause), the adjective requires an -e ending.
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