Breakdown of Weißt du, ob wir das Abo ab sofort aktivieren dürfen?
du
you (informal singular)
wir
we
dürfen
to be allowed to, may
sofort
immediately
wissen
to know (a fact)
ob
whether / if
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
ab
from / starting at
das Abo
the subscription
aktivieren
to activate
Questions & Answers about Weißt du, ob wir das Abo ab sofort aktivieren dürfen?
How does the word ab work with sofort in this sentence?
The preposition ab means "from" or "starting at" when talking about a point in time. The word sofort means "immediately". Together, ab sofort is a very common fixed phrase meaning "starting immediately" or "from now on". It tells us exactly when the permission to activate the subscription begins!
Why are there two verbs at the very end of the sentence (aktivieren dürfen)?
The word ob (if/whether) introduces a subordinate clause, which always pushes the conjugated verb to the very end. Here, the conjugated verb is the modal verb dürfen (are allowed to). It gets kicked past the infinitive verb aktivieren (to activate). In a normal statement, the order would be: Wir dürfen das Abo ab sofort aktivieren.
Can I use wenn instead of ob since they both translate to "if"?
No, you must use ob here. In German, ob specifically means "whether" and is used for yes/no questions or uncertainties (like asking whether or not we are allowed to do something). wenn is used for conditional statements ("if it rains, then...") or for time ("whenever").
Is das Abo an abbreviation?
Yes, das Abo is short for das Abonnement (the subscription). It is a neuter noun, and in everyday spoken German, people almost exclusively use the short form das Abo.
Why does the sentence use weißt instead of kennst for "know"?
In German, the verb wissen (which conjugates to weißt du) is used for knowing facts or pieces of information, such as the rules about activating a subscription. The verb kennen is used when you are acquainted with or familiar with a person, place, or noun.
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